Facebook Developing Online Safety Campaign

With the loss of media attention being paid to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) because of potential plans to strengthen it, Facebook is collaborating with the National Association of Attorneys General on an online-safety campaign intended to help teens and their parents manage their privacy and visibility on Facebook and the Internet. The partnership will produce 19 state-specific public-service announcements (with potentially more), starring Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg and the states' attorneys general. "Teenagers and adults should know there are tools to help protect their online privacy when they go on Facebook and other digital platforms," said Douglas Gansler, Maryland attorney general.

How Social Media Can Behave After a Crisis

There is lots of evidence that social media provided comfort and information after the Boston bombing and the media noted that online chatter was notable for being more restrained, and generally more accurate, than what was seen after the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., in December. A Boston Globe editorial comments that  "Many tweets, for instance, were careful to cite specific sources or to assure readers of multiple confirmations. It seemed that, for one day, being first had taken a backseat to being right." While not flawless, there were rumors of higher causality figures and pending arrests; still, there is hope that social media might yet come of age.