Blog Archives

Is it bad to be a helicopter parent?

Is it bad to be a helicopter parent?

The expression of helicopter parents emerges from a testimony in the 1969 book Between parents and adolescents by Israeli psychologist Haim Ginott . In it, a teenager expressed feeling constantly supervised by his mother, as if a helicopter was flying over him. In the 1990s, the term reappeared in the famous best-selling book Parenting with Love and Logic by American popularizers Foster Cline and Jim […] … learn more→

Social media content in times of war: an expert guide on how to keep violence off your feeds

Social media content in times of war: an expert guide on how to keep violence off your feeds

Social media platforms are a great source of information and entertainment. They also help us to maintain contact with friends and family. But social media can also – and has, often – become a toxic environment for spreading disinformation, hatred and conflict. Most people can’t or don’t want to opt out of social media. Efforts by courts and state […] … learn more→

More thoughts on the enshittification of academic social media

More thoughts on the enshittification of academic social media

A couple of months ago I wrote a post called ‘The enshittification of academic social media’, riffing on ideas put in the world by Cory Doctorow. It’s fair to say, this post was a minor viral hit, resulting in me being interviewed by Geraldine Dougue on ABC radio, and a piece in The Australian, which I haven’t yet managed […] … learn more→

They, them and them: why does inclusive language generate rejection?

They, them and them: why does inclusive language generate rejection?

Gender inclusive language, inclusive language, non-binary forms, gender inclusive… Surely you have heard of this at some point. The truth is that it can be called many things in different linguistic communities, but it always produces some controversy. What really is “inclusive language”? And why does it generate rejection ? It is advisable to start by remembering how gender morphology […] … learn more→

Can we automatically detect deepfakes?

Can we automatically detect deepfakes?

In March 2022, approximately a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, a video of Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, was broadcast on a Ukrainian national channel. In this video, the president asks his people to surrender their weapons and return to their families. This video was quickly identified as a deepfake due to its low quality and will therefore have […] … learn more→

4 reasons teens take part in social media challenges

4 reasons teens take part in social media challenges

Social media challenges are wide-ranging – both in the stunts they involve and the reasons why people do them. But why do young people take up challenges that pose a threat to health, well-being and, occasionally, their very lives? We are an engineering professor who specializes in understanding how humans interact with computers and a psychology professor with expertise in […] … learn more→

Virtual influencers: meet the AI-generated figures posing as your new online friends – as they try to sell you stuff

Virtual influencers: meet the AI-generated figures posing as your new online friends – as they try to sell you stuff

The future of influence is here: a digital avatar that captivates millions of adoring fans while offering unparalleled customisation and round-the-clock availability. Virtual influencers are transforming the way content is created, consumed and marketed online. They represent an electrifying dance between cutting-edge technology and our desire for connection. But, at the same time, they are […] … learn more→

Children involved in criminal law problems: what is the role of the school?

Children involved in criminal law problems: what is the role of the school?

A learner can commit a crime. Studies by the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR ) (2016) and the Center for the Study and Advocacy for the Protection and Quality of Life for Children, University of Indonesia (PUSKAPA) (2020) reviewing court decisions of first instance show that the majority of children who commit crimes, or are known as children who […] … learn more→

Reflections on a human education

Reflections on a human education

What is meant by a new humanism after a pandemic? What senses and practices should education recover? Is it possible to speak of a human education? In fact, the post-pandemic has allowed us to reflect on what the new relationships between human beings, nature and technology are like . The pandemic brought pain and death to humanity and returned our […] … learn more→