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Days away from the Oscars, a new study paints a bleak portrait of diversity in Hollywood
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A new study from USC Annenberg shows rampant whitewashing that's dominating Hollywood on the heels of #OscarsSoWhite. - photo by Chandra Johnson
A new study from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism shows how white Hollywood is on the heels of #OscarsSoWhite, the social-media led criticism of the 2016 Academy Award nominations, which feature no black actors.

Among the study's findings are that 28.3 percent of characters with dialogue were from non-white racial/ethnic groups, though such groups are nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population.

The problem, study author Stacy L. Smith said, lies in a movie industry still largely closed off for minorities artists.

The prequel to #OscarsSoWhite is #HollywoodSoWhite, Smith was quoted in Time Magazine. We dont have a diversity problem. We have an inclusion crisis.

Smith's statements echo a wave of criticism following the nominations, where many have cited that the academy alone is not to blame for Hollywood's lack of diversity.

At the academy's nominees luncheon, "Bridge of Spies" screenwriter Matt Charman said writers needed to step up and write more parts for minority players.

"If the buck stops with the academy, it starts with us, the writers, Charman told the L.A. Times. We need to do better.

In an armchair debate between the New York Times' top critics about diversity, movie critic A.O. Scott said that diversity is a widespread problem extending far beyond Hollywood including in his own industry.

"For the news media to call out Hollywoods lack of diversity is a bit like the pot calling the kettle um, yeah, never mind," Scott wrote.

Walking into this fracas is this year's Oscars host, Chris Rock, whose comedy often centers on race tensions. While hired in the hopes of winning back some of the Oscar ceremony's lost African-American audience in recent years, Rock may prove to be a wild card on Oscars night.

"So much depends on Mr. Rock," the New York Times mused, "who is not known for diplomacy."
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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