Tech Glossary
a
Application:
A a set of files that make up software designed to do something for the user. An application on Facebook, for example, might allow you to play a game or take a quiz.
b
Bandwidth: in practical terms, this is the amount of data and information that can be sent over a network. A lot of bandwidth means you can share information and access large files, like videos or audio, more quickly.
Blocking or Filtering Software: these are programs that let parents, teachers and other adults limit the types of content computer and mobile device users can access. Many wireless companies allow adults to restrict phones? texting capabilities during certain hours.
Blog: (derived from web log) in essence, a journal kept on the web. The act of updating a blog with posts, or entries, is called ?blogging? and the updater a ?blogger.? Some blogs read like diaries and some like columns from an op-ed page. Blogs can be on stand-alone sites or embedded in social network profiles and other Websites. Blogs can give young teens a space to express themselves and share ideas and opinions with friends and others?but it?s important to understand how much information is too much information (when it comes to safety or appropriateness) and how to avoid using a blog to cyberbully or ?flame.? [link]
Browser: see web browser below
c
Chat: a term used to describe conversation created through type on the computer. People can chat one-on-one using instant messaging software or participate in a ?chat room? where many people are typing their thoughts or comments on a particular subject.
Cloud Computing: a process in which personal devices?such as a wireless phone or laptop?access the software, services and resources available on a network of servers and connections (this network is called the ?cloud?). Users can tap into the cloud for software and other resources as they need them, rather than have those located on the computer or phone itself, which means these devices can actually tap into super-computer power.
Club Penguin: a social network for children 5 years old and older. Participants can play games and interact with other penguins in a monitored environment.
Console: a gaming device used to play games. Playstation, Xbox and Wii are examples of gaming consoles.
Cookie: a piece of information sent by a Web server to a web browser (such as Firefox or Internet Explorer) that the browser stores and sends back to the server. Cookies help sites remember login information, shopping cart contents and other preferences
Cyber-Harassing: repeatedly making reference to a person in an offensive, rude, or insulting manner online (can be a form of cyberbullying).
Cyber-Stalking: online harassment that includes threats of harm that makes a person afraid for his or her safety.
Cyberbullying : the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person. Cyberbullying may also include cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking.
d
Denigration: spreading rumors about someone online; sending or posting harmful, untrue, or cruel gossip about a person that could damage his or her reputation or friendships.
Digital Citizen: a participant in the Internet community.
Digital Footprint: traces of information left by a person on the Internet that can remain there indefinitely.
Digital Immigrant: A person who grew up before the digital age and must learn the nuances, language and culture associated with technology.
Digital Native: A person who has grown up experiencing technology, including the internet, mp3 players, and computers, as a common form of entertainment, education and communication.
Domain Name: The name that identifies a website, for example bnetsavvy.org.
Download-Upload: Transferring information from a server or website to your computer (downloading) or from your computer to a website or server (uploading). Uploading and posting are used synonymously.
e
Exclusion: Specifically or intentionally excluding a person from a group online.
f
Facebook: ?One of the most popular social networking sites that allows users to their personal profiles with other users in order to stay connected.? Members must be 13 years old.
Faq: This is the acronym for frequently asked questions.
Firewall: Software that acts as a security filter that can restrict types of network communication, often between a single computer and the internet.
Flame: A rude, demeaning or derogatory comment sent from one person to another on a website, in a text message, or in an interactive gaming environment. (can be a form of cyberbullying.)
Friendster: Another popular social network, targeted to adults. Members are required to be 18 years or older.
h
Hack: To skillfully break into or modify a computer program or account.
Happy-Slapping: ?Recording abuse that involves someone being physically bullied and posting the video online, usually to friends or acquaintances of the victim, in an effort to humiliate them.
Hate Speech: ?A verbal attack targeting someone because of their race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
Hyperlink: A word(s) or image that a website visitor can click on to jump to a new page, site or section of the current site.
i
Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else by using fake names or creating a fake identity
m
Mash-Up: A web site or page that is created by combining content from other sources, often created automatically using rss feeds (see below). It can include videos, news, artwork, etc?any form of online content.
Mmorpg: An acronym that stands for ?massively multiplayer online role-playing game?. These games allow hundreds or thousands of players from all over the world to participate online in a game together.
Myspace: This social network was one of the first to take off. Myspace offers its users the ability to create their own unique page layout and add music. Users must be 14 years old.
n
Netlingo: Jargon made up of numbers and letters used to create a text language. ?gr8? (great) or ttyl (talk to you later) are examples of netlingo terms.
Newbie: Someone who is new to a certain technology.
Ning: A social network that allows users to create their own social network. By following a series of questions, users can create their own social network. Kids might use ning to create a fan site for their favorite artist or a social network for a school club or sport.
o
Online Identity-Digital Footprint: The ?mark? you leave online by posting comments, files and pictures
Outing: ?Sending or posting material about a person that contains secrets or embarrassing information.
p
Photo-Shopping: ?Altering digital images so that the main subject is displayed in a compromising or embarrassing manner and posting the pictures online.
Platform: The hardware and/or software where applications can run. Operating systems, like windows xp, are computer platforms.
Podcast/Podcasting: (A combination of the terms ipod and broadcasting) an audio file designed to be shared on the web and listened to online or by using a digital audio player such as the ipod or an mp3 player.
Post/Posting: Putting information online (for example, writing a comment to an article or writing a blog entry are considered posting), or uploading files, photos, audio or video from your computer to a website or server. Post is a noun, posting the verb.
Privacy: The act of keeping information confidential. In relationship to social networking, privacy can refer to the discretion used when sharing passwords, full names, location, e-mail addresses, phone numbers or details related to a situation.
Profile: These offer basic information, including age, sex, marital status, location, contact information and interests. Most social networks allow users to decide whether or not to post their profile as a public profile (available for all to see) or a private profile (available to approved friends or family).
r
RSS/RSS Feed: (Generally thought to stand for really simple syndication) a method of sharing and ?broadcasting? content, originally designed to syndicate news?so it would flow from the content provider to appear on other sites automatically. The rss feed is the mechanism for this syndication
s
Second Life: A 3d virtual world where millions of worldwide participants can socialize, interact, play games and build an environment. Participants must be 18 years old or older to join, however a new teen second life (teen.secondlife.com) allows teens ages 13-17 to join.
Sexting: Sending nude or partially nude photos or sexually explicit messages to another person electronically.
Social Networking: A social networking site is a web site that lets users create their own pages and user profiles, post information, pictures and videos, and interact with each other?sort of like a big party in cyberspace where you can search for people according to their interests and other criteria and start up an online conversation. Facebook and myspace are the best known social networks. We also include instant messaging (im), mobile phone texting, and email lists under the social networking umbrella because these have an incredible reach among young people. They allow instant connection and interaction, and carry many of the same benefits and risks as the websites.
Spam: The online equivalent of junkmail, these are unsolicited and often bulk email messages.
t
Tag: A keyword used to categorize or describe something that can be placed on a file or photo to help others search for it online or in a website.
Texting: Also known as sms message, uses short sentences and lingo transmitted between cell phones or instant messanger.
Twitter: A free social networking micro-blog site that allows users to post text up to 140 characters. Posts to twitter are called ?tweets?.
u
Url (Or Website Address): ?The address of a website is called a uniform resource locator (url) ? for example, www.bnetsavvy.org is our url. If you type this into the window of a web browser, it will pull up a website. Most u.s. Urls end with
URL – .Com (Commercial Business):
The domain name com is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) in the of the Internet. Its name is derived from commercial,indicating its original intended purpose for domains registered by commercial organizations.
URL – .Edu (Educational Institution):
The domain name edu is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The “domain is intended for accredited post-secondary educational U.S. institutions” and this intention is strictly enforced
URL – .Gov (Government):
The domain name gov is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The name is derived from government, indicating its restricted use by government entities in the United States.
The U.S. is the only country that has a government-specific top-level domain in addition to its country-code top-level domain. This is a result of the origins of the Internet as a U.S. federal government-sponsored research network. Other countries typically delegate a second-level domain for this purpose.
All governments in the U.S. are allowed to apply for delegations in gov, such as atlantaga.gov for the city of Atlanta, loudoun.gov for the county of Loudoun, Virginia and georgia.gov for the U.S. state of Georgia.
URL – .Net (Can Be Commercial Or Nonprofit):
The domain name net is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) used in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The name is derived from network, indicating its originally intended purpose for organizations involved in networking technologies, such as Internet service providers and other infrastructure companies.
However, restrictions were never enforced and the domain is now a general purpose name space. It is still popular with network operators, and is often treated as an alternate to com.
URL – .Org (Nonprofit Organization):
The domain name org is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) of the Domain Name System (DNS) used in the Internet. The name is derived from organization.
The org domain was one of the original top-level domains,[1] with com, edu, gov, mil and net, established in January 1985.
It was originally intended for non-profit organizations or organizations of a non-commercial character that did not meet the requirements for other gTLDs.
v
Viral Content: Viral posts, blogs or videos rely on existing social networks for their reach. Content is considered ?viral? when it gets passed around, linked to or viewed by an enormous number of users in a short period. Viral content puts the ?network? back in internet. Marketers and advertisers often try to exploit this to spread their message.
w
Web Browser: Software used to access information on the web (for example, microsoft internet explorer or firefox).
Webkinz: A game site and social network for children where their stuffed animal can come to life in a virtual world.
y
Youtube: A popular video sharing site that lets anyone upload and store videos up to ten minutes long. The videos can be made available for private or public viewing. Youtube was created in february 2005 by three former paypal employees.