How much do you know about recent trends in Digital/Social Media? Do you know how to help the young people in your life should they have issues? Are you preparing them proactively? Do you know the appropriate way to react in a potentially negative situation? Hopefully this presentation can help. Feel free to contact me if you need help navigating these situations for your brand of community.

1. Digital Trends
What do you know? How can you help?

2. Joi Podgorny
I have spent the last 15 years working in all facets of the
digital world, from development and production to more
recently, leading international support, moderation,
community and social teams.
At each brand where young people were the primary
audience, I have worked to protect them from negative
outside influences and sometimes themselves.
From chat rooms and forums to video games and
interactive campaigns, I ensure compliance to COPPA
(the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act) and
other international privacy laws, and I often speak at
trade conferences as an expert in practical applications
of the legislation.
joipodgorny@gmail.com | +1.773.805.3193
twitter: @joipod | skype: joipodgorny

3. Everyone is digital now
• Everyone is digital now, it’s just a matter of
how
• Even though the landscape seems to
change daily, it’s really not that difficult to
catch up and even stay ahead of the
trends
• We will show you how to search for trends,
rather than seeing the individual brands/
apps
• Knowing the larger trends is an easier way
to keep up AND stay ahead of the curve to
help yourself and those you care for

4. Ah, to be young…
• The teen and millennial markets are very
hot for app development, especially
content that is short, easy to digest and
quick to be forgotten
• Since they have almost unlimited access
and agency now, we need to change
our frame of reference from protecting
teens, to making sure they have the
resources they need to help themselves.
• Think less how to react and more on
establishing and promoting a positive
and helpful culture

5. These are everybody’s issues
• Yes, it can be overwhelming.
No, you can’t just ignore it.
• But, you are not alone.
Find and build your team.
• Staying aware of trends and being
proactive with your communication
will always be the best strategies
Added fun: Throughout the presentation,
see how many digital brands you can recognize
Check your answers at the end

6. Trend: Messaging
• Messaging has extended past the
SMS messages on your phone
• Many services offer alternatives to
pricey cell phone plans, international
access or ability to broadcast to
larger audiences
• Text, Pics, & Videos are all available
options on each platform

7. Trend: Video Messaging
• Since most phones have video
cameras, the shift to video messaging
was natural
• Many apps/sites allow you to switch
between text or video, to add multiple
users or even use props
• Some allow you to save and/or
broadcast your video real-time or
taped to the web

8. Alert: Trolls/Bullying
• After 13, there are very few legal protections online
for teens, especially regarding content
• In the name of free speech, most apps/sites do not
monitor the comments or content of their site, but
rather depend on their audience to self police and
report bad content
• Trolls are persons who post comments online to
purposely upset others or the original poster
• Bullying is considered repeated harassment to
people, usually in a higher power position.
Cyberbullying can be between people the victims
know offline or not.

9. Alert: Trolls/Bullying
• Cyberbullying that is not stopped may
lead to suicide and depression;
however, this is not inevitable.
• A bystander is someone who sees or
knows about bullying or other forms of
violence that is happening to someone
else; they can either be part of the
problem (hurtful bystander) or part of
the solution (helpful bystander).
• Self-bullying is the practice of posing as
another person and bullying your own
profile, often with the intention of
wanting more attention for oneself.

10. Alert: Sexting
• Sexting is the practice of sending provocative, often nude or
semi-nude pictures of oneself to another person via texting or
other digital messaging platforms.
• Self-production is law-enforcement-speak for when minors
produce pictures of themselves that qualify as child porn
• Sexting has become normalized to much of the teen/millennial
culture. This doesn’t mean that everyone is participating, but
within many peer groups, it is not considered as risqué as it is
with older generations.
• Peer Pressure is the most common reason for a teen
participating.
• Since many teens and millennials are not in the habit of thinking
about long term consequences, they may not realize potential
impacts and effects that their of-the-moment sext decisions may
have.

11. Alert: Sexting
• Many participate in sexting consensually. Many know that
there is a possibility of mass distribution and even help to
facilitate.
• While it does happen, the vast majority of sexting does
not result in mass dissemination of the images or public
humiliation.
• Those under 18 found with underage sexual images, even
if it is of themselves, can be tried for child pornography or
sex offense under many states’ laws.
• Those adults wishing to involve police often don’t think
about potential for increased humiliation of both the
senders and receivers. Many of the officials reviewing the
materials through that process will be men, sometimes
adding to the trauma.

12. Alert: Anonymous Apps
• A trend that started in 2014 was anonymous messaging
• While you could always create an anonymous alias on most platforms,
these apps encourage it
• While widely popular, anonymity breeds negativity in many of these
communities
• One of the notable apps in the space, Secret, was closed down
recently as they were unable to properly protect their users from
negative content (porn, bullying, etc)
• Ask.fm has had multiple suicides blamed on it’s alleged lax moderation
of bullying during the past 2 years
• ISIS terrorists have been using the anonymous apps and other social
forums to entice teens and young adults who feel alienated into joining
their organizations

13. Trend: Tools
• New industries have even developed
around many popular apps
• Picture collage, time lapse and other
video editing apps are very popular
• Snapchat allows for users to draw on
top of their photos, in addition to
adding text

14. Alert: Picture editing
• Big trend now is editing pictures to fit
beauty norms - thinning body parts,
smoothing skin perfections
• It is inevitable that inappropriate
body parts will be drawn.
• Teens can also use these tools to
create collages that alienate or
broadcast their bullying messages

15. Trend: Audio
• Audio content is in a renaissance now as
well
• The habit of multi-tasking has
encouraged people to listen to content
while they are working, doing chores or
other activities
• Many platforms allow you to find almost
any kind of music you like and curate
your own stations/playlists
• Podcasts have been around almost a
decade but are now becoming a popular
mode of getting info/news/entertainment

16. Trend: Videos
• Of course, video content is still
available for passive viewing too
• Some sites use video as their
interaction medium, encouraging lip
syncing or short form video
messaging
• Traditional video/tv/movie content is
becoming easier to access online -
Gone are the days of scheduling
when you watch your favorite shows

17. Trend: GAMES!
• Casual gaming is now a giant market and
there is no limit to the number of games
available.
• Kids/Teens are still big consumers, but
“Ladies” and even hard-core gamers have
options in each platform
• Incorporating chat and community are being
explored on the small screens.
• With little regulation in this new Wild West,
parents/caregivers are encouraged to know
what their kids play habits are and be
knowledgable in the games
(That just means YOU PLAY TOO!)

18. Alert: Inappropriate Content
• As stated before, freedom of speech is heralded
by most sites as the driver for their content
curation, only removing content after persistent
reports and/or indisputable claims of copyright
infringement or illegal activity
• Many apps/sites have explicit terms of service
regarding no sexual, illegal or otherwise
inappropriate content, but users find ways to
circumvent and publish the content anyway
• Screen and video capture tools are popular means
for saving content from one app, in order to publish
on another
• Age verification on most sites may be required but
the parameters for compliance and subsequent
enforcement are usually lenient

19. Alert: FOMO/ Addiction
• FOMO = Fear of Missing Out
• Without specific parameters (and often
with them), teens find self-moderation
difficult
• In an effort to curb rising cell bills, many
parents limit cell phone usage at the
carrier level during certain hours of the day
• Teens combat this by using web based
messaging services where access can’t
be curbed or monitored as easily
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfUD0WhE264

20. What you can do BEFORE: DEFINE PARAMETERS
• Work with teens before an infraction to determine
consequences should they violate the rules - then
FOLLOW THROUGH
• Talk about situations where you would want to be
involved or when you will get involved: Bullying, sexting,
addiction triggers
• Talk about language used around infractions - slut-
shaming, objectification language, etc
• Talk about scenarios, both real and fabricated and how
teens would handle them, how others could view them
should they find out - parents, friends, community
members, potential schools or jobs.

21. What you can do BEFORE: DISCUSS RISKS
• Ease teens into the dangers.
• Discuss risk mitigation - Car accidents aren’t inevitable,
but we still wear seat belts
• We may be heading into a world where these sorts of
images mean little, but we are not there yet and should
act and think accordingly
• Discuss current events that involve issues so that you
can talk pointedly about the topic and find out the teens
point of view without implicating them in the activity

22. What you can do BEFORE: FOSTER INTEGRITY
• Create a culture where it’s not OK to bully, sext or send/
watch inappropriate content
• Encourage bystanders to defend people they see
being harassed
• Discuss alternative ways to fit in, rather than simply
doing what everyone else is doing
• Promote empathy by having teens think about the short
and long term of different negative or inappropriate
actions, not just for themselves, but everyone else
involved

23. What you can do BEFORE: PROMOTE RESILIENCE
• Work on coping mechanisms to employ when situations
upset them
• Talk about tactics they can use to self affirm and build
up their confidence if something happens
• Try perspective exercises, so that teens can be in the
habit of understanding context and actual impact
• Work on empathy, thinking about potential reasons why
someone would be an instigator, aggressor or bully

24. What you can do AFTER: LISTEN
• If something happens - BREATHE, then get ready to ASK
QUESTIONS and LISTEN
• A adult “who reacts purely by scaling up the restrictions is missing
a chance to know what’s actually going on with [the] child, to know
things that in previous eras would have stayed hidden from them”
danah boyd, It’s Complicated
• In situations involving sexual content, determine whether those
participating were consensual or not and whether they understood
some or all of the implications of their actions. This will help in your
counseling, rather than assuming all actions were non-consensual.
• If you had had proactive communication and worked toward
building a culture where the actions you deem inappropriate are
known and respected, try to find out where that disconnect with the
teen is.

25. What you can do AFTER: REACTIVE ACTIONS
• Learn the warning signs of trouble: skipping activities, meals
and homework for social media; weight loss or gain; a drop in
grades.
• All apps and sites have reporting features. Most should have
safety areas that detail what that process of reporting is.
• Unless the content is in direct violation of the terms of service
or illegal activity, expect slow response times
• Work with the teen regarding if and how to clean or close
accounts. It is incredibly common for other more clandestine
accounts to be created in the wake being “caught”
• Determine if and how legal or police involvement is needed.

26. RESOURCES
• General Research: NetFamilyNews, Anne Collier
http://www.netfamilynews.org/category/research
• Article: Why Kids Sext, by Hanna Rosin The Atlantic, 11/2014
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/why-kids-sext/380798/
• Book: It’s Complicated, by danah boyd
http://www.danah.org/itscomplicated/
• Site: ReachOut USA, peer support and mental health information in a safe & supportive online
space
http://us.reachout.com/
• Article: Talking to Kids and Teens About Social Media and Sexting, American Academy of
Pediatrics
https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/
pages/Talking-to-Kids-and-Teens-About-Social-Media-and-Sexting.aspx#sthash.tTftrXSz.dpuf

27. Brands referenced
Apple TV
Clash of Clans
Game
Ask.fm
Anonymous Questions
Audible
Audio books
Crossy Road
Game
Google Hangouts
Text/Video Messaging
Candy Crush
Game
HBONow
Hulu
OnDemand TV/Movies
Photo Grid
Photo Collages
Lapse
Time lapse video editor
Instagram
Photo Community
Kik
Messaging
Kindle
Ebooks
Dubsmash
Lip sync videos
Facetime
Video calls
FB Messenger
Messaging
Facebook
Periscope
Video Broadcasting
Meerkat
Video Broadcasting
Whats App
Intl Messaging
Minecraft
Building Game
Minion Rush
Temple Run Game
Facetune
Photo enhancement

28. Brands referenced
Netflix
Video
The Room
Game
YikYak
Messaging
ooVoo
Video Messaging
Pandora
Music Site
Secret
Anonymous
Pinterest
Scrapbook Community
iTunes Podcasts
Temple Run
Game
Shazam
Music Identifier
ShowtimeAnytime
Skype
Messaging
Spotify
Music
Snapchat
Ephemeral Photo Share
Soundcloud
Music Sharing
Tidal
Music Sharing
Vimeo
Video
Vine
Short form video
Tumblr
Blogging
Tweetdeck
Twitter Aggregator
Twitter
Micro-blogging
Yo
Silly Messaging/Game
Youtube
Videos
Whisper
Anonymous Messaging