Cyber-bullying: Six out of ten people bullied online

 

Six out of 10 people who experience online bullying or trolling never report it to the social network involved, new research reveals.

More than a third said they did not report the behaviour because they felt no action would be taken.

The 'Trolled Nation' study also found trolling is now more prevalent than real-life bullying with 49% of teens experiencing bullying offline, compared with the 65% online. A third reported their experiences of it lasted more than a month.

Emma-Jane Cross, founder of charity BeatBullying, said: "We work with hundreds of young people being cyberbullied or trolled so badly that it can lead to depression, truancy, self-harm, or even force them to contemplate or attempt suicide. What's also concerning is that many young people could be suffering in silence.

"The most important thing for young people to remember is not to ignore it. If you see cyberbullying going on, report it to the site concerned. If you're being cyberbullied, always save any bullying messages, posts, pictures or videos you receive or see. Never respond or retaliate, as this can just make things worse, and block any users that send you nasty messages."

Just one in five of those questioned for the research carried out by knowthenet.org.uk said they would go straight to a parent or guardian when confronted by internet bullies with a paltry 1% admitting they'd trust a teacher enough to tell them first.

The Trolled Nation study also revealed older teens are more likely to be affected than younger ones with 19-year-old men the most likely to fall victim – with one in five teens saying they've either experienced or witnessed offensive comments online.

But while a whopping 9 in 10 admitted experiencing problems on Facebook, other sites and apps involved included Twitter (19%) and BlackBerry Messenger (13%) along with Ask.fm, Bebo and WhatsApp

A Facebook spokesman said: "We have a real name policy and provide our users with industry leading tools to block people or report content which they find threatening so that we can remove it quickly."

Various reporting tools are available on the site next to different pieces of content and anything breaching its rules - shown at facebook.com/policies – is removed. Users can find all of Facebook's Safety information here [www.facebook.com/safety]

Both Twitter and BlackBerry declined to make an official comment but the micro-blogging network pointed to the following pages showing its rules [https://support.twitter.com/groups/33-report-abuse-or-policy-violations/topics/121-guidelines-best-practices/articles/18311-the-twitter-rules] and reporting process [https://support.twitter.com/groups/33-report-abuse-or-policy-violations].

Online advice for users of BlackBerry Messenger suggest not to publicly reveal a BBM PIN on social networks as this could allow anyone to add you as a 'Friend'. BBM pictures could also be copied and used elsewhere. However, users of the service can be blocked by selecting "Ignore future invitations' when deleting a BBM contact.

Phil Kingsland, of knowthenet.org.uk, said parents must take an interest in what their children are doing online in order to help in the battle.

He said: "Parents may find it frustrating that children spend so much time absorbed with their smartphone or on social networks. It's precisely because of the importance of these networks to youngsters that they can also cause great distress.

Samsung Galaxy S4: It's innovative

Samsung has finally unveiled its Galaxy S4 smartphone - packed with a host of new features it hopes will keep it one step ahead of the iPhone.

The company showed off the 4G Android-based device at its 'Unpacked' event in New York late last night. But the fourth generation of the handset, due out on April 26, is already dividing opinion among technology experts.

Many believe it is Samsung's best chance to steer people away from Apple's iOS operating system but some fear its new wave of features - some of which verge on the gimmicky - will be overlooked or unused by many general users.

Among the features announced was the expected motion-tracking called Smart Pause, which lets owners control the screen using their eyes. For example, when you are watching a video, it pauses when you look away, then starts again when you look back. The technology also means you can scroll the browser or your emails up and down with your eyes.

Air Gesture allows a wave of the hand to select items such as music tracks and Air View gives the ability to see what's in an email or folder just by hovering your finger over it.

With Dual Camera you can take simultaneous photos and videos using both the 13 megapixel rear camera and lesser two megapixel front snapper. These can then be blended together to make a digital collage. Both can also be used for group video calling and can capture sound attached to still images.

Simon Stanford, of Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, said many of the adaptations came from customer suggestions. He said: "We are restless about innovation, and are constantly striving to create unique experiences for our customers that will transform their lives. The Galaxy S4 does just that.

"We have listened to what consumers around the world want and taken the intuitive technology from the Galaxy SIII a step further."
 

He said: "The improvements to eye tracking and the additions of S Translator and the hover feature and so on are good steps in this direction, but they can be seen as gimmicks rather than game changers.

"Samsung appears to be trying to kill the competition with sheer volume of new features – there should be something here for everyone, even if most of these new features won't be used by most users.

"There are lots of features, but based on past experience most people will never even find them on the device."

Yan added: "Having innovated rapidly over the last several years to vaunt itself into top spot in the world smartphone rankings, Samsung now faces essentially the same challenge as Apple: how to continue to improve its devices year on year when existing phones are already top of their class, and there aren't obvious shortcomings?

"As rivals such as HTC and Sony up the specs of their devices and provide ever better hardware, it becomes more and more important for Samsung to differentiate on software and services."

Jason Jenkins, editor of CNET UK, said: "Quite a few new features are pointless - who wants to wave at their phone to control it, for example? Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that the Galaxy S4 will sell incredibly well. The S4 will wipe the floor with the Android competition, just as the last one did."

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, said while the device does have its merits, it could be set for a battle for smartphone supremacy. He explained: "Samsung's latest effort looks set to be the biggest handset of the year – and that's in spite of an inevitable iPhone sequel. However, several manufacturers are trying to fan the flames of a revival, and a string of strong recent launches from BlackBerry, Sony, and HTC will give Samsung some stiff competition."

But according to Scott Hooton, chief commercial officer at Phones 4u, recent YouGov research showing 46% of smartphone owners are considering getting a Samsung model next. It backs up what his company has seen with pre-registrations already much higher against those for the last Galaxy SIII model.

The Galaxy S4 will also be a key test for the new 4G superfast mobile phone networks coming to the UK this summer. It could boost take-up of 4G subscriptions but with Vodafone, O2 and 3 not yet having their service up and running, EE will be the first to launch the Galaxy S4 on a 4G platform.

Fred Huet, of analysts Greenwich Consulting, believes the differences between the latest Samsung and Apple's iPhone are now extremely telling, but he does not rule out the US electronics giant pulling a rabbit from its hat later this year.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Launched In New York

 

Technology giant Samsung has unveiled its new Galaxy S4 smartphone, a handset which allows users to control the screen using their eyes.

The range of new features were revealed at the global launch in New York, including a dual camera function that can take two pictures at once and "smart pause", which lets users pause a video by looking away from the screen.

"We have taken technology and innovation forward to help us get closer to what matters in life, to help us live a richer, simpler and more full life," said JK Shin, president and head of IT and mobile communications at Samsung.

The highly-anticipated smartphone is predicted to pose a major threat to Apple and its dominance of the US market.

But investors have largely shrugged off the launch. Shares in Samsung were 2.3% lower in Seoul on Friday.
The device will be on sale in the UK from April 26, and will be available through 327 mobile operators in 155 countries, including Orange, EE and Vodafone.

Samsung is said to be expecting sales of its new handsets to be as high as 10 million per month, largely driven by its new features, which were demonstrated in a theatrical launch event at the Radio City music hall and Times Square.

A heavily emphasised feature was the Galaxy S4's remote technology which allows users to control functions without touching the 5in (12.7cm) screen.

As well as "smart pause", "smart scroll" lets users browse through emails without touching the screen, the S4 detecting the movements of the eyes and wrist.

Users can also change music tracks or accept a call with a wave of a hand.

Performers on the Radio City stage acted out role-plays to demonstrate other features.

A 'doting father' took photos of his tap-dancing son to show off the dual camera function, which means you can take photos or video using a 13 megapixel rear camera and a two megapixel front camera at the same time and blend the images together, even recording voice tags with them

The phone also has an in-built translator, which can translate voice or text, can measure temperature and humidity, allows users to activate commands via voice control when driving and even monitors your health.
The S4 also automatically creates "story albums" of photos and videos, which can be synchronised with devices at home, while a "group play" function lets people enjoy music, photos and games with people around them.

Marketed as "slimmer and stronger", the S4 weighs 130g and is 7.9mm thick, while its AMOLED technology means the screen has a resolution of 441 pixels per inch.

But technology critics have been divided in their opinions, with some saying the phone was just an update that did not feel "revolutionary".

Web magazine Engadget said it felt the new product "fell flat next to the competition" and that it had an "unabashed focus on features over designs".

But Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch, said the handset "more than" lived up to its hype.
"With brains as well as beauty, Samsung's latest effort looks set to be the biggest handset of the year - and that's in spite of an inevitable iPhone sequel.

"However, several manufacturers are trying to fan the flames of a revival, and a string of strong recent launches from BlackBerry, Sony, and HTC will give Samsung some stiff competition."

Technology website The Verge said: "There's a baffling collection of new software here."
Paul Thompson, managing director of mobile advertising company BlisMedia, said the S4 "set" the benchmark on how a mobile device can be integrated into daily life.

He praised the eye-controlled features as "ground-breaking innovation that could change the face of how we use technology", saying "there is certainly enough to set the Galaxy S4 apart from the iPhone 5 by some distance".

Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone Set For Launch

Technology fans are gearing up for one of the biggest product launches so far in 2013 - Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone.

The unveiling will take place later in New York, with the South Korean firm hoping to set a new benchmark for its rivals.

Rumours circulating on the internet suggest the handset will have a high definition five-inch screen, a 13-megapixel camera and a powerful eight-core processor.

There is also speculation that users may be able to scroll the screen using just their eye movements.
The handset's predecessor, the Galaxy S3, was a massive success for Samsung following its release last year.
It quickly became the standard bearer for Android phones and, combined with the firm's other devices, helped the company overtake Apple as the world's biggest-selling smartphone maker.

However, the iPhone is still the most popular smartphone globally and Apple also has a slightly larger market share in the US.

The stateside launch is therefore being seen as a bold move by Samsung to try to tip that balance.
Samsung has teased the S4 with YouTube videos and, in recent days, a shadowy picture of the phone.
Greg Isbister, the CEO of mobile advertising company BlisMedia, said if the rumours are true then the new device has great potential and the "ability to disrupt the mobile market".

He pointed out that data from any eye tracking technology could also prove useful to advertisers.
"(It could) determine the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and generally give us a feel for what content - format, colour and position on the screen - holds our attention the most."

But Mr Isbister is also hoping that Samsung will improve the usefulness of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that featured in the S3.

"Currently the feature is completely useless," he told Sky News. "There should be payment integration and the ability to integrate travel such as oyster systems."

Recent months have also seen Samsung's rivals launching flagship products, keen to steal customers from the big two.

Taiwanese firm HTC is looking to turn around a big drop in profits with the HTC One handset - which has been widely praised by technology sites.

Canada's BlackBerry is also hoping to boost its flagging fortunes with the BlackBerry 10, while China's Huawei last month unveiled what it claims is the fastest phone yet - the Ascend P2.

Apple's next shot in the smartphone arms race is expected this summer with an update to the iPhone 5.

Facebook 'Likes' can reveal secrets

 

Your Facebook page could reveal more about you than you realise - including your sexuality, your IQ and even whether you abuse drugs.

Simply looking at all of a person's Facebook 'Likes' can reveal everything from a person's race to a person's political views - with up to 95% accuracy.

Distinctive patterns of 'Likes' correspond very strongly to different personality traits, say researchers at the University of Cambridge who studies the patterns of 58,000 volunteers' 'likes'.

Facebook users were warned that this information could be visible even on accounts with high privacy settings - possibly alerting employers to details users might wish to be private.

Users were more likely to have a higher IQ if they liked 'Mozart', 'The Godfather' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

People who liked 'I Like Being a Mom' and 'Harley Davidson' were more likely to have a lower IQ, the research found.

People in a relationship liked pages including 'Weight Watchers' and 'Scrapbooking' while singletons followed sports stars such as Usain Bolt and Maria Sharapova.

Heavy drinkers tend to like pages such as 'Tattoo Lovers' and 'Getting A Text That Says I Love You'.

The statistical research method proved 88 per cent accurate for determining male sexuality.

It was 95 per cent accurate for distinguishing race and 85 per cent accurate in determining political views.

Christians and Muslims were correctly identified in 82 per cent of cases, and accurate predictions were also achieved for relationship status and substance abuse.

Even personal details such as whether users’ parents separated before that person reached the age of 21 were accurately predicted to 60%.

The researchers were able to work out their conclusions without relying on obvious 'Likes'- for example only five per cent of gay men and women liked a Gay Marriage page.

The researchers said the observation of 'likes' alone was now believed to be as informative as a personality test.

But worryingly they warned all of the information needed for the telling analysis is readily available to the public - even if your profile adopts the highest privacy setting.

Michal Kosinski, Operations Director at Cambridge University's Psychometric Centre, said: "Given the variety of digital traces people leave behind, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to control.

"I am a great fan and active user of new amazing technologies, including Facebook.

"I appreciate automated book recommendations, or Facebook selecting the most relevant stories for my newsfeed. However, I can imagine situations in which the same data and technology is used to predict political views or sexual orientation, posing threats to freedom or even life.

"Just the possibility of this happening could deter people from using digital technologies and diminish trust between individuals and institutions - hampering technological and economic progress.

"Users need to be provided with transparency and control over their information."

David Stillwell from Cambridge University added: "I have used Facebook since 2005, and I will continue to do so. But I might be more careful to use the privacy settings that Facebook provides."

The research was carried out at Cambridge’s Psychometrics Centre in collaboration with Microsoft Research Cambridge and published yesterday (Mon) in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

Researchers said their findings could signal the beginning of a revolutionary method of psychological assessment.

Thore Graepel from Microsoft Research said he hoped the research would contribute to the on-going discussions about user privacy.

How to keep your smartphone safe from thieves and hackers

The data stored in your smartphone is probably more valuable than the device itself - but very few of us take basic steps to keep it safe.

Smartphones often contain your personal details (phone number, address etc), passwords for everything from app stores to social network sites and banks - along with personal photos and the contact details of everyone in your address book.

Leaving apps open can put this data in the hands of thieves - as can failure to observe simple security precautions.

It's not just thieves who want it, either - viruses and other unscrupulous apps have begun to target smartphones, usually with the goal of serving adverts direct to people's phones.

Thankfully, a few basic security steps can help to keep your phone safe.

General security tips
There are some simple steps you can take to beef up your security considerably.

Make sure you have your password lock enabled, and more importantly that it’s set to engage soon after any period of inactivity. Set a pin code too on your voicemail so only you can access your messages.

Set up a tracker app like Find my iPhone or LocateMyDroid so that if your phone is lost or stolen you can track, remote lock and if necessary remote wipe it. And if any of your apps or security settings are hacked or breached, remember to change your passwords straight away.

Your security may still be at risk after you’ve sold on your smartphone. Before you sell, back up all your data and then do a full phone factory reset. How to do this differs for each phone so check online for your model.

Make sure too that when you finish using an app – especially those containing sensitive information like banking apps – you close it completely rather than just exiting it. If it's open, and your phone is stolen, it can mean thieves have access to sensitive information.

In iOS this is a simple case of exiting the app, double pressing the home button and doing a long press on the icon in the apps that show in the bottom menu until the ‘close’ x appears before tapping on it.

Android is a little trickier, as you have to navigate the Applications tab, then settings and applications menus and then tap Manage applications. Here you can select an app and tap 'Force stop.'
 
App security 
Apps  represent the biggest vulnerability to your security on your phone. Free apps in particular often share your data with advertising firms - meaning unwanted 'targeted' adverts that pop up on your phone.

A recent study by Appthority shows that free apps for iPhone pose a greater privacy risk than free apps from Google Play, with 60% of the former and 50% of the latter’s top-10 selling apps sharing data with advertising networks.

Be extra vigilant about what apps you download and from where. Check out the app’s privacy policy and terms and conditions to see what data it will mine and share and what permissions it requests, if you’ve already downloaded it you can still check in the app settings menu or website.

A simple rule of thumb here is that if there is no privacy policy, give the app a miss and if it’s free, the chances are the creator is looking to recoup its costs and make money by passing on your information to third parties.

Make sure to always download the latest software updates for your apps as they become available. Many of these updates contain bug fixes and security upgrades that help protect you from the latest malware, although in some cases it may also mean an update to the privacy policy and T&Cs. To be on the safe side, always read what the new update delivers.
 
Staying safe from 'fake apps
Fake apps are also rife on marketplaces such as Google's Play Store.
'Clones' of popular apps such as Angry Birds instead infect your phone with malicious software.

The only defence is to be wary about downloading apps - particularly free ones - from the store.

Some simply serve you annoying adverts. Others, though are far more sinister - adding huge amounts to your bill by dialing foreign numbers or using premium SMS services.

Apps to help your children enjoy iPad safely

Many parents rely on iPad as a helping hand with children - whether to pass the time in a car, as an educational tool to support school work or just to deliver an episode of CBeebies on a Sunday morning.

But with over 300,000 iPad apps in the Apple App Store, finding good apps can be overwhelming - our list below highlights some fun, educational choices.

If you're shopping, it's worth checking age ratings - but any parent of young children should try apps themselves first. 

The suitability of tablets for children has become a hot topic lately following news that 5-year old Danny Kitchen from Bristol ran up a bill for £1700 on in-app purchases while playing a free app.

If you are a parent with young children who share an iPad it’s worth heeding the experience of the Kitchen family.

Many apps don’t cost anything to download, but developers make money from extra in-app purchases like coins, lives and accessories, which can be bought with a couple of taps.

Apple recommends not divulging your Apple ID password to your child and instead entering your password each time it’s needed. Children over 13 are advised to create their own Apple ID, to which you can add iTunes gift certificates.

Apple includes safeguards on the iPad to help prevent unwanted in-app purchases. Go to the Settings menu and select General - Restrictions - Enable Restrictions. Pick a password and there’s an option to turn off In-App Purchases.

Alternatively Require Password  lets you determine whether a password for app purchases is needed instantly or within 15 minutes. Selecting the former means there’s no chance of your children buying anything in the immediate time period after you’ve entered your password.

The Restrictions menu also lets you temporarily remove selected features altogether such as Safari, Camera, iTunes, Facetime and (crucially) Installing Apps. To restore the iPad to normal settings head to Settings - General - Enable Restrictions and enter your password again.

Fix-it Felix Jr.
Free
Thanks to its 8-bit graphics this game will evoke feelings of nostalgia in old-time gamers and recognition in young children who’ve seen Wreck it Ralph. There’s very little educational value here - as Fix-it Felix Jr use your magical hammer to fix what Ralph destroys. But it’s great fun for big and small kids

Itsy Bitsy Spider HD
£1.49
This colourful app brings the classic children’s nursery rhyme alive with a spider that moves around interacting with the environment as your child taps the screen and learns about the environment. Studio Duck Duck Moose creates some of the most innovative apps for young children, so it’s well-working checking out its other apps.

Magic Piano
Free
An app for budding musicians, your child plays along to tunes by tapping the notes as they fall using one, two, three or four fingers. Songs span all genres from Twinkle Twinkle too Gangham Style, some are free, some cost points and others are unlocked. Budding composers can even try some freestyling.

Magic Town
Free
Magic Town is a beautifully animated world packed with interactive stories and games. There are 80 stories, from classics like Rumpelstiltskin to Aliens Love Underpants, while Watch, Play, Learn and Read modes cater for different ages and reading abilities. Magic Town is free to join, with a free download every day or £2.49 a month.

Pocket Phonics
£1.99
Pocket Phonics aims to teach preschoolers how to read and write using phonics. Letters appear on screen as the sound is read out, encouraging children to say the letter before writing it. Designed and tested by teachers, if you’ve got children aged between 3-6 it’s well checking out and there’s a free Lite version.
 
Toca Train
£1.99
If your son (or daughter) is train fanatic they’ll love train-simulator Toca Train. They can drive the train around the track, tapping interactive levers and controls stopping at stations to load and unload passengers, sounding the siren and changing the camera angle.

Toy Story Read-Along
Free
Toy Story comes to iPad in this interactive book. Following the adventures of Woody and Buzz children can flick through the pages, listening to the story or recording their own voice. Extra activities such as finger painting, music, videos and games help bring the reading experience alive.
 
Tozzle HD
£1.49
Tozzle comprises of 39 puzzles, which your child solves by dragging and dropping pieces onto the screen. Designed to improve shape recognition and motor activity, on completion some of the puzzles come to life with sound effects and motion. A free Lite version is also available.