In a move that sent ripples across the Internet, photo-sharing Web site Instagram attempted to adjust its privacy policy to claim ownership of all images publicly uploaded by its users.
After public outcry over the policy shift, Instagram reversed its course and ceased actively seeking ownership of the images.
Had the policy shift been successful, effective January 16, 2013, anyone with an Instagram account would no longer have been the owner of any images he or she had uploaded. The images could have been sold, without compensation or notification, for reasons including advertising and promotional materials. That means a photograph taken at Disneyland and uploaded to Instagram might have been purchased by Disney for use in TV or print advertising without the permission of the photographer, and without notification or compensation. The only way for users to avoid losing ownership of their photographs would have been to delete their Instagram account before the January deadline.

“In the future we will see a broader range of topics covered by games that is more niche content.” – Doug Whatley
We all know by now that games harness the power of play, and through play we develop a range of 21st Century knowledge and skills, including language, communication, creative problem solving, critical...

“Digital games and simulations will continue to grow in cultural influence and shed their reputation for being merely violent or trivial, leading to their becoming a standard component of teaching and learning.” – Paul Darvasi
When the pandemic struck, were educators ready for virtual learning? “Digital games demand...
As families and teachers, we are all concerned about how our children are dealing with what is happening in the world. Staying positive during this unknown time is such an essential part of how your children will learn to deal with times of uncertainty and conflict. As we begin navigating this new school year, it is important that we tell our children that “it is ok” and “we will get through this.” It is...
Teaching can be frustrating, stressful, and high-pressure. Teachers are always “on.”
They must constantly respond and interact throughout the school day with students. There is little room to breathe.
But that’s exactly what is needed.
The technique I’m about to share with you can be life-changing, professionally, and personally.
First, some context. Teaching can trigger the fight-or-flight response, sometimes many times in the course of a school day. What...
Recently, I was listening to a podcast featuring investor and philosopher, Naval Ravikant. He spoke about how success was simply an extension of one’s authentic self. For example, a business, a blog, a podcast ideally are reflections of that person’s passions, interests, and uniqueness.
Instantly, I connected that idea to teachers and education. A teacher’s classroom setup - the pictures and posters on the wall, the rock chair, the carpet on the floor, the yoga mats, the funny and...
At the end of each semester, I require students in my college classes to participate in what’s called a Warrior’s Examination, an oral assessment, where a person must spontaneously (and courageously, hence the term, warrior) answer a randomly chosen question about the course content or concepts.
I did not invent this exam. It is extensively used at Naropa University, a private, Buddhist-inspired institution in Boulder, Colorado. I began using the assessment format after I felt that...