THE CIRCLE: Is THIS What The Future Holds?

I could NOT put down THE CIRCLE!

What would happen if Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Paypal, Twitter, the United States government and every other entity that has a piece of your online presence were merged into one picture of you which you could not opt out of and would be harnessed for profit? That’s the premise in the delightfully chilling, modern-day Orwellian book, The Circle by Dave Eggers.

 

The Circle’s mottoes, instituted via methods akin to brainwashing, include “Sharing Is Caring,” “Secrets Are Lies,” and “Privacy Is Theft.”

Mae Holland is hired to work for this thinly-disguised version of Google. At first, it seems utopian as The Circle links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. Quickly, she finds herself “required” to attend company events, take surveys so companies can collect her “likes” and “dislikes” and post online to bump up her ratings in the Circle community. The Circle’s mottoes, instituted in methods akin to brainwashing, include “Sharing Is Caring,” “Secrets Are Lies,” and “Privacy Is Theft.”

Mae becomes part of The Circle’s movement toward “Completion” in which every piece of information about the individual, including those of one’s ancestors, is made available to the company. Will she lose her soul to this cult-like organization which is quickly gaining Internet supremacy?

The book is fascinating because every day this Dystopian reality looms larger.

  

It asks the reader to consider what the consequences are, good and bad, of further centralization of information services and social networking with the voluntary surrender of privacy spun in totalitarian terms as the ultimate act of honesty. Online, every thought, transaction, action and experience we have is stored by some corporation. The Circle resonates because this scenario is completely plausible as we actively give away our information (and that of our children).


Author Egger’s protagonist isn’t the brightest or most well-developed character. There were times that I truly did not like her. She submits to the forces of The Circle far too willingly without thought to the repercussions even as she feels a part of her resisting. Similarly, parts of the book are far too “preachy” – I get it. By being online, we, too, may be giving away part of our souls.
Still, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! It is so thought-provoking, suspenseful, and creepy. At times, it made me consider shutting down my social media accounts while forcing me to question the positive value of having data on the Web – forever.

Is THE CIRCLE right? Is Privacy a form of theft because others cannot learn from our experiences?

Read it and see if The Circle doesn’t compel YOU to deeply consider your online presence!

 

Please note that this review first appeared on TheGeekParent.com.  

7 Free Learning Websites To Prevent Brain Drain This Summer

There are only 18 weekdays until my daughter is sprung from school and I expect that after the first week of Summer Vacation, her brain will begin turning from a tightly-compressed mass of knowledge into goo. I know it's going to atrophy to some degree but I, like more and more parents, expect her to work on something educational during the Summer. And since kids love the Web so much, it makes sense to explore websites that will help kids actually learn something during these warm months.

Here are my 7 favorite, free learning websites for kids in 6^th grade and under:

1. Mr. Nussbaum (http://mrnussbaum.com) – Created by a Virginia schoolteacher, this site is geared toward pre-schoolers through those in 6^th grade. The site offers lots of interactive games “designed to pinpoint one or several essential concepts” taught in elementary school. Subjects covered include math, language arts, history, geography, and science. There are also printables for use by teachers and homeschoolers. 
   
   
2. Funbrain.com (www.funbrain.com) – Catering to kids in preschool through 8^th grade, this site offers math, reading, online books, Mad Libs, comics, and games. Your kids will never know they're actually learning!
   
   
3. The Kidz Page (www.thekidzpage.com) – A veritable carnival of learning and non-educational games awaits visitors to this site. The menu is so varied, I honestly don't think a child could be bored here. I especially like the number of downloads available here (wallpaper, jigsaw puzzles, games) and the many printables. Go here before you go on a road trip and print out a bunch!
   
   
4. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (http://games.noaa.gov) – A little-known site, it offers life science and environmental science games for kids in grades 3 through 6. A great place to visit if your child is interested in Nature and the environment. Check it out before you take the kids camping this summer!
   
   
5. Highlights Kids (www.highlightskids.com) – Brought to you by the folks who publish the Highlights kids' magazine that many of us grew up with, this site offers a limited number of activities, but they're all good. Play games, crack codes, discover art activities, giggle at jokes, and read stories and poetry. 
   
   
6. ABCya.com (www.abcya.com) – Created or approved by teachers, your kids will have fun while reinforcing their math and language skills. This site is for kids in grades 5 and under. 
   
   
7. Kids.gov (http://kids.usa.gov/index.shtml) – An official government portal for kids, it's divided into three sections: Grade K through 5, Grades 6 through 8, and one for teachers and parents. Lots of data on the government and history can be found here as well as links to many other subjects. I especially love the section on Online Safety.

Brain drain is inevitable over the Summer, but, hopefully, I can control it by keeping her learning, even when she's off from school. Visit these sites and I know you'll want to bookmark them for the months ahead. 

--

Thanks for reading!  Please check back in with me later this week when I'll list some great learning websites for kids in Grades 6 and up.  Hey - they need to escape from mush brain, too!  

6 Things I Will NOT Share On The Internet

A photo my family online?  You won't see it - EVER!!

When the folks over at SingleHop.com asked me to blog about things I would not share on the Internet, I got excited. I've written, at length, on thegeekparent.com and this site, about being safe in cyberspace and with Choose Privacy Week ( http://chooseprivacyweek.org) having just concluded, it's a great time to think about the serious as well as not-so-serious things I will not share on the Web. Here are just a few:

1. My weight – It's not something I'm particularly proud, especially since it fluctuates based on the market price of Cool Ranch Doritos. Except for my doctors, no one will ever know the truth.
2. The name of my first pet, my mother's maiden name, and the name of the first street I lived on. These are all common questions asked when you need to recover a password. Providing any of these details could give an identity thief the last piece of data needed to hack into one of my accounts.
3. Identifiable pictures of my kids. My children will have plenty of time to decide what their online presence will be and, unfortunately, there are predators ready to exploit ANY photos of children. Unlike too many of my friends, you will not see clear, recognizable pictures of my brood in Cyberspace.
4. Announcements of where I am or where I'm going.  This is a no -brainer. Too many people divulge where they are when they post on Facebook. It doesn't take a genius to figure out where someone lives and, based on what thieves find online, that the house is empty. If you're going to post your location, you may as well put a big sign on your door saying, “No One Is Home. Free Stuff.”
5. Pictures of my body parts. Lots of people post pictures of their tattoos or what their hands or feet look like when they get their nails done or have a pedicure. No one needs to see pictures of my carcass on the Web.
6. Photos of myself doing anything inappropriate. I see people posting this stuff all the time, often with the caption "I'm so wasted!" and it seems remarkably stupid. First of all, why would you brag about that, especially if you're over 20 years old?  Secondly, do you really want relatives, co-workers, or present/future employers seeing pictures of this stuff anywhere, but especially on the Internet where it will be forever? And what about your kids? Eventually, they may gain access to your digital footprint. How do you lecture your kids about the evils of twerking, riding a wrecking ball while you're naked or getting drunk when there are pictures of you on the Web doing the same thing?  Apparently some people have absolutely no shame. 

Now that the Internet is a vital, sometimes compulsive, part of our lives, it's tempting to share every little detail. But commons sense must prevail.  I realize that privacy is something precious I need to be diligent about and protect. It takes work, but it's worth it.

The Federal Shutdown & The Presidents Cup Streaker

I've become a fan of Google Trends (http://www.google.com/trends), the website that lists the hottest topics people are looking up on my beloved Google.  Rather than looking at the front page of any web page or newspaper, all I have to do is pull up Google Trends and, bippity-boppity-boop, I can learn what's current in the minds of my fellow Web-savvy earthlings.  Today, apparently, it's The Presidents Cup Streaker with 100,000 searches.

So the Federal Government of the United States  has shut down - it is in chaos with more bickering going on on Capital Hill than my kids on the way to the dentist - but the focus in cyberspace is on some woman who streaked in front of Tiger Woods and other golf royalty at the Presidents Cup in Ohio?  WTF?!

I get it.  It's not every day that a woman wearing nothing but a thong and red, white and blue pasties runs at full tilt across the 18th hold of a golf tournament (Note:  she was NOT naked.  Aren't streakers supposed to be naked?!).  Plus, she was an attractive woman.  Would she have gotten so much press, I wonder, had she been hunchbacked, peg-legged, and homely?  According to Fox Sports (http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/streaker-presidents-cup-18th-hole-muirfield-dublin-ohio-tiger-woods-fred-couples-americans-beat-international-team-100613), the probably-chilly athlete apparently dodged security and avoided being taken into custody.  I have no doubt that she'll eventually step forward, appear on all of the major talk shows, and parlay her quick little track meet into a six-figure book deal.

But what does it say about the online community that one silly event upstaged a deeply troubled world power?  Are people just tired of hearing Obama and the other Stooges on in Washington bicker like an old, married couple?  Or are those of us who are affected by the Federal furloughs busy trying to survive while verbal diarrhea permeates the air in our nation's Capital?  Is the BS getting to be too much for us all?

I think so.  Because looking at the other topics at the top of the Google Trends list, I see that entertainers are hot (and I do consider professional athletes entertainers).  People are searching for info on Scarlett Johanson, the 49ers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, various overpaid athletes, and one former Disney princess.  Escapism prevails on the Web while the boobs in Washington play chicken with people's lives. 

--

Update:  In the spirit of truth, this morning the aforementioned naked lady was replaced on Google Trends by searches for MLB (as in Major League Baseball) and the Oakland Raiders football.  Entertainment still reigns over substance. 


Thank you for reading!