On January 1 2019, we finally arrived at the future which science fiction movies have been predicting for us, and found… well, it’s pretty much the same as the past. There are no robot slaves as predicted in Blade Runner (unless you count the Roomba), or gladiatorial TV game shows like The Running Man.

However one technology has changed our world in a way predicted by virtually nobody. While some visionaries foresaw the internet, they never expected that we would mainly use it for gossip, grumbling, backbiting, and showing off. The ubiquity of social media shows how little we have evolved since the 100,000 years as hunter-gatherer tribes which constitutes most of human history.

The first generation that grew up with Twitter, Facebook, and blogging are about to come of age, and it may be that they are smarter and warier users of these platforms than the older generation. This was brought home in an unsettling article in the Washington Post by blogger Christie Tate, who described her daughter’s horror on discovering that her mother had been posting stories and pictures of her online virtually since her birth.

Could I take the essays and pictures off the Internet, she wanted to know. I told her that was not possible. There was heavy sighing and a slammed door. When I had pictured our first serious conversation about how the Internet is forever, I always thought we’d be talking about content posted by her, not me.

Tate’s apparent naivety is breathtaking, and she justifies her refusal to stop using her daughter as material with some disturbingly twisted logic, at one point suggesting that doing so would be tantamount to abuse (of her, of course, not her daughter). And she chooses to turn the experience into an article with a clickbaity “here’s why” headline.

However, it’s uncomfortable reading for anyone who’s ever posted pictures of their children online. And here I have to own up, as someone who has blogged about my children extensively for beijingkids, online and in the magazine. In some of these articles (such as travel writing) they are mentioned only in passing, though often featured in the photographs. However I also write quasi-humorous vignettes of family life, and in these the boys are the main subject.

The humorous pieces, though based on real life, are to some extent fictionalized, with the rough edges trimmed off for narrative purposes. And these I always show to my sons before publication. Usually they’re amused and proud – I depict them (as they are in real life) as sharp and witty, and often one step ahead of me. Only on one occasion did I publish something to which they objected, because I felt the gag was too good to waste. So my apologies to Joseph: he never really ran around with a tea towel on his head.

Even so, asking them to agree now for something to be online forever is morally questionable, to say the least. What seems harmless now might be meat for bullies later. And while not everyone blogs about their kids, most people have shared photographs of them online. Even if those pictures are supposedly only visible to friends and family, they can be copied and used elsewhere… and how sure can we really be that our data, including our pictures, are as secure as might hope?

On the other hand, for us as expats, both social media and my blogs have been helpful for keeping in touch with people back home. And the first thing that the vast majority of teenagers do when they get access to the internet is start sharing like crazy. Teens of every era are intensely social beings, and Instagram, Snapchat, and the rest give them a place in which they can start establishing their own identity.

Like all the other ethical conundrums posed by new technology, it’s likely that the accepted norms of behavior will settle down in time. It’s also likely that they will always be questioned and challenged. It is, after all, just human nature.

There are so many things that we can say about Beijing, and don’t keep your thoughts to yourself. Blogging is one way to let the world know what you love (or hate) about this city.

Blogging in Beijing, a WeChat group started by an intrepid mommy blogger, has grown to include amateur and professional bloggers alike in Beijing. It’s an online community where people can (shamelessly) plug their write-ups, as well as get ideas for new blog series or topics from people in different industries.

It’s not too late for you to join the growing network of bloggers in the city, as the group will have its very first offline meetup and networking event on February 8 (Thu) from 7pm at Caravan. The activity is free to attend, but of course, our friends from Caravan have a great selection of cocktails and Moroccan cuisine to keep you full and happy!

More details will be posted on Blogging in Beijing – so scan the QR code below if you want to be added to the group by the organizer.

Blogging in Beijing: Bloggers Meetup and Networking, Feb 8
Adults. Starts 7pm. Caravan. 44 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District. See this page for directions to Caravan.

Photos: StartupStockPhotos via Pixabay; courtesy of Caravan and Andy Penafuerte

Youth bloggers out there, hear ye! If you’re looking for ways to practice writing and extend your reach, UNICEF’s online youth community has opened its doors for a 10-week blogging internship from August to October 2017.

Voices of Youth is looking for 5-10 young people to join two UNICEF campaigns that address major issues affecting children globally:
– End Violence: “Violence against children marks them forever – and ending it is everybody’s business,” and
– Children Uprooted: “Millions of children are fleeing violence, disaster or poverty – and we need to protect their rights and their futures.”

This remote internship opportunity is open worldwide, so expect a lot of applications. Interested youth bloggers must fill in this Google form (VPN required) on or before July 28 (Friday) for the August batch. For more information, see the details below.

VOY Blogging Internship

This is your chance to apply for a 10-week blogging internship (August-October 2017) with Voices of Youth – UNICEF’s vibrant online community.

We are looking for 5-10 young people from across the world to join two UNICEF campaigns addressing major issues impacting millions of children: End Violence & Children Uprooted.

Candidates should have a clear passion for one of the campaign issues, be eager to blog and improve their writing skills, participate in online discussions regularly, and attend expert speaker sessions.

How does it work?
You will pick ONE of the two campaigns and craft blog posts that focus on the issues it addresses. For each blog post you receive feedback on your writing, get access to tips & tricks on how to write a good blog post, exchange ideas with other blogging interns and hear from experts.

At the end of the internship you will have improved your blogging skills, gained new insights on global issues, been connected to a network of international young bloggers, and have been a part of a worldwide campaign.

Please note that this internship is done by remote participation – so you will NOT be required to travel anywhere.

How to apply?
If you are interested to be part of the interns batch that starts in August, please apply to the internship by submitting this Google form: https://goo.gl/forms/BRw9b8Djpg66depB3

The deadline for applications is 28 July 2017.

In total, 5-10 interns will be selected to participate in this internship round. Due to the high demand and limited number of spaces available, Voices of Youth will only contact candidates who are selected for the internship.

In case you are not selected for the internship – don’t worry! The Voices of Youth community is open to everyone – submit a blog post, comment on posts, participate in our discussions, or simply browse through the inspiring articles on our website. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Photo: Free-Photo via Pixabay; Voices of Youth

More stories by this author here.
Email: andypenafuerte@beijing-kids.com
Instagram: @coolkidandy

Photo courtesy of UNIT-E

Photo by jonrussell via Flickr

New parents know that feelings of intense isolation can emerge when they bring home that “tiny, needy, crying, confusing” baby. Add a set of powerful language and cultural barriers, and that isolation can seem even more daunting. The good news is, the Internet can help. According to a research study led by a new father, blogging can help overcome those parenting blues.

Researcher Brandon T. McDaniel collected data from 57 new moms with Internet access:

[The] data showed a positive correlation between blogging and feelings of connectedness to family and friends — which in turn correlates (based on the work of other researchers) with maternal well-being and health.

Though the study didn’t come up with any conclusive evidence, the results are encouraging. (And I see no reason why it shouldn’t apply to new dads as well.) Interestingly, simply engaging in social media didn’t have the same affect (possibly because it’s a more passive activity).

For the majority of the mom bloggers, it was staying in touch with family and friends that mattered the most. In addition, parenting blogs offer a small, intimate community of people who support and advise each other through the good and the bad; social media users, on the other hand, curate their content to show only the good times.

For some inspiration to kick start your blogging journey, here are some of our picks:

• Alive Not Dead: The blog of Christopher Lay, beijingkids columnist and stay-at-home dad extraordinaire.
• Ember Swift: The official website of Ember Swift, a Beijing-based Canadian musician and brand-new mom. Her blogs include Preggers in China (chronicling her pregnancy) and Queer Girl Gets Married (chronicling her decision to marry the father of her child).
• Imagethief: Public relations expert and dad Will Moss writes about pop culture, China, and fatherhood.
• InCultureParent: An online magazine about global parenting, which features blog posts by parents from all around the world – including China.
• The Tiger Father: Former cricket reporter Trevor Marshallsea recounts the hilarious ins-and-outs of being a stay-at-home dad in Beijing.

Did you blog through a birth or other parenting experience? Did it help? Let us know in the comments. 

If you don’t know by now, it’s Mother’s Day. If you’ve completely forgotten, call, hug or kiss that special mom in your life right now or forever be known as the terrible family member who forgot the only day of the year dedicated to the women who raised us.

To celebrate this day, here’s a list of funny, insightful and entertaining mommy bloggers:

• Boo Mama
• Mama Mia
• Mommy Needs a Cocktail
• Raising Devils
• Dooce
• All and Sundry
• Gurgle.com has a comprehensive list of must-read UK-based mum bloggers (all of whom use blogspot)

While it may not be mom related, I couldn’t help adding this great dad website/blog into the mix. Man of the House has a great range of articles, some good reads include: "9 Reasons Why Men Should Learn to Cook", "14 Best iPhone Apps for Dad", "4 Truths About Kids Lying", and "Maybe It’s Time to Quit: Warning Signs You Need a New Job".