Stop worrying about your kids’ online future

I’m one of more than a thousand Internet experts who contributed thoughts about our emergent digital world to the 2012 Elon University-Pew Internet & American Life study on the future of the Internet. My comments were picked up in the Globe and...

3 reasons to check out the latest research on social media and food

In the past, ethnicity and family traditions dictated the foods we prepared; we bought our groceries at a neighborhood store; we learned our recipes from “mom” or a cookbook; and we ate our meals together around a table. In contrast, today social media introduces us...

Save your laptop from reclining airplane seats

I live in fear of my laptop getting crunched on an airplane. How many times have I been working away when the person in front of me suddenly reclines, threatening to trap the top edge of my laptop and break my screen? I thought my 11″ MacBook Air would save me,...

S.E.O. is payback for teenage freaks

Today I was catching up with my colleague Haig Armen when he asked me if I knew Steve Andersen. “You mean, Steve Andersen from Salesforce?” I asked. [“You mean, Steve Anderson of Open Media?” my husband asked later.] “No, Steve Anderson...

Infographics against infographics

I am super in love with the Pinterest collection of social media infographics compiled by Irene Koehler. But the ever-growing excitement about social media infographics isn’t all good news: along with the gems there are some absolute crimes against...

Be the e-mailer you wish to see in the world

How many people do you receive e-mail from that you read and reply to every single time? I’m guessing it’s just a handful: Your best friend — the one who sends you short periodic updates with a single recent photo, not the one who sends you weekly...

5 commandments for your digital fast this Lent

I’m not really a Lent kinda gal. (It may have something to do with me being Jewish.) But for the past few years, I’ve felt increasingly Lent-aware, because of the sheer number of people who now seem to give up Facebook for Lent (but then tweet about it),...

Tweet if you like to procrastinate

I am always amazed at how much I get done on my focused writing days — the days when I leave the office and camp in one of the cafés or restaurants where ambient noise helps me concentrate and write, write, write. But it’s not my word count that amazes me:...

4 last-minute social media valentines

Congratulations to all those who woke up this morning with their Valentine’s cookies baked, their kids’ class valentine cards addressed and boxed, and a dinner reservation in place at the romantic restaurant of your choice. You have got your Valentine act...