An AI companion?

How might these technologies be helpful to humans, especially kids? How might they be hurtful? And, like current social networks, will we ignore any harmful affects (e.g., anger, depression, and anxiety) even when we know they exist?

https://replika.ai/

Taking a One-Week Break from Social Media Improves Well-Being, Depression, and Anxiety

Taking a One-Week Break from Social Media Improves Well-Being, Depression, and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial | Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cyber.2021.0324

The Metaverse: Opportunities, Risks, and Harms by Dr. Sameer Hinduja

We have all been hearing about the metaverse much more frequently over the last few years, and consideration of its promises and perils has picked up tremendous pace in recent months. It is being designed by multiple companies to further connect us to each other and to the experiences we love. And it’s doing so by providing unique, interactive environments for us to explore as avatars or other embodiments of one’s identity online. In truth, it feels like a natural iteration, building on Web 2.0’s flat and largely asynchronous interfaces and combining our favorite features from the history of social media platforms, gaming worlds, extended reality (Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), or a combination thereof), and online transactions.

Read more: https://cyberbullying.org/metaverse

Remove select personally identifiable info (PII) or doxxing content from Google Search

Remove select personally identifiable info (PII) or doxxing content from Google Search

Google may remove personally identifiable information (PII) that has potential to create significant risks of identity theft, financial fraud, harmful direct contact, or other specific harms. This includes doxxing, which is when your contact info is shared in a malicious way. This article is intended to support you through the process to request removal of such content from Google search results.

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730

Remove non-consensual explicit or intimate personal images from Google

From Google Support: 

We recognize it can be distressing when non-consensual sexual content is discoverable in Google search results. We may remove intimate or explicit images and videos that were created or shared without consent. This article is intended to support you through the process to request removal of such content from Google search results.

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/6302812

7 ways for kids to learn about kindness and deal with unkindness

NEW! 7 ways for kids to learn about kindness and deal with unkindness at school, in the neighborhood, and online. Includes a short video, conversation guide, quiz, and activity sheet for educators, parents, and youth. 

Kindness Online for Kids - 2022 | Internet Safety for Kids & Families
https://www.trendmicro.com/internet-safety/for-kids/cyber-academy/kindness-online

Michigan Teen Latest Casualty of Sextortion

Seventeen-year-old Jordan DeMay seemed to have it all going for him: he was handsome, athletic, and was finishing his senior year at Marquette Senior High School in Marquette, Michigan. He was Homecoming King.

When a pretty girl he didn’t know messaged him on Instagram and asked to exchange intimate images, he was skeptical. After a few minutes of messaging, she sent him a photo and asked him to reciprocate. He hesitated, but ultimately acquiesced.

It turns out he was right to be suspicious. Shortly after he sent an explicit photo of himself, the “pretty girl” demanded $1,000 or the image would be sent to all of his online friends. Jordan didn’t have that much money, but agreed to send $300. After the blackmailer received the money, ... 

Read more: https://cyberbullying.org/sextortion-michigan-teen