Thursday, September 21, 2017

Adults These Days: Stealing from the Internet


So yesterday at dinner my niece says, “Grownups always talk about kids being on their devices; look at your guys!” I looked up and around the dinner table (we were at Topp’t Pizza), and sure enough, all 4 adults at the table had their heads down, scrolling through their phones.  In my defense, I was doing research (I needed an Arizona Cardinals jersey for a gift.)



IMG_0125.JPGI looked at my gorgeous, freckled-faced angel and said, “Grownups are hypocrites.”  And we are.  I mean, kids these days?  Let talk about grownups these days.


One of the things we (I am speaking as a grownup) do that we know is wrong but we do it anyway is steal pictures from the internet.  Teachers are notorious at copyright infringement (although a lot of people do not understand the copyright laws, and I encourage you to really research it; they are more flexible than you think.)  As teachers, we are almost forced to break copyright laws.  I am not saying I have done it, but it was easy and cheap.


I mean, it’s not totally our fault.  Technology makes it so easy!  When I was planning a huge conference and Apple was coming, they were all like, you can’t use our images and stuff.  And I was all like, dude, it’s on Google…


Google, however, makes it easier NOT to steal pictures on the internet.  Did you know that with the advanced search option (which hardly any of us use because Google is so smart she IS an advanced search), you can filter your results based on user rights?  Additionally, there’s a site devoted to it at CreativeCommons.org.


With Technology making it easier to share and get your hands on information and primary resources, it’s our job as educators, and as grownups, to model good behavior.  So put your phones away, start giving credit to those pictures you use in your powerpoints and on your graphic organizers, and use Google’s advanced search options.

I swear, adults these days...

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