Digital Life

A Syrian woman and her child sit in their refugee living space in Lebanon. They are featured in Four Walls, a virtual reality presentation by the International Rescue Committee.

Can Virtual Reality Make You More Empathetic?

4:46pm January 09, 2017

by Laura Sydell

Charities are using virtual reality to immerse people in the plight of refugees and others who need help. Researchers are studying whether it's more effective than other media. And there are skeptics.

Apple's iPhone Turns 10 Years Old

4:38pm January 09, 2017

This is the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Apple's iPhone. NPR talks to Steven Levy of Backchannel about the anniversary.

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Using Social Media, Students Aspire To Become 'Influencers'

8:08am January 07, 2017

by Corey Takahashi

Syracuse University Professor Corey Takahashi offers his commentary on the challenge of teaching students who, instead of wanting to be writers or filmmakers, aspire to be online "influencers."

Learning what is digital and what is real

Worried About Screen Time? Don't Let Kids Go It Alone

7:52pm January 04, 2017

by Elissa Nadworny

New research reinforces the role of a human — an adult or older child — when young kids learn from technology.

Josuhe Pagliery grew up playing video games on consoles he says were not common in Cuba. Those games helped inspire him to develop Savior, Cuba's first independent video game.

Amid Isolation, Two Cubans Develop Island's First Video Game

5:26pm January 04, 2017

by Greg Allen

Video game enthusiasts in Cuba face big obstacles with limited access to the Internet. With the opening to the U.S., two young Cubans hope to release the first independent game produced on the island.

The new law was prompted by concerns over the intrusion of work into private lives.

World News

For French Law On Right To 'Disconnect,' Much Support — And A Few Doubts

7:04pm January 03, 2017

by Eleanor Beardsley

Some companies in France have already recognized the need to reduce office intrusions into personal and family time. But others worry that the new law, which went into effect Jan. 1, may not work.

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Lincoln Clay, the lead character in Mafia III, is a protagonist rarely featured by the gaming industry.

How One Video Game Unflinchingly Tackles Racism With History And Raw Interactions

10:39am January 03, 2017

by Iman Smith

Creators of Mafia III, set in a fictionalized Louisiana, took a documentary approach to confronting players with prejudice and bigotry of the 1960s South from the perspective of a black protagonist.

People in Shanghai overlook the financial district in June 2016. The Shanghai city government recently released an app that produces a "public credit score" for residents. A good score can lead to discounts, but a bad score can cause problems.

World News

What's Your 'Public Credit Score'? The Shanghai Government Can Tell You

10:08am January 03, 2017

by Rob Schmitz

The app gathers personal data and gives residents a rating. A good score ensures discounts. A bad score may lead to problems. It's part of China's effort to create nationwide social credit system.

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For many people, constant connection has become a part of modern life. But a new law in France suggests this shouldn't be the norm.

World News

French Law Giving Workers 'The Right To Disconnect' Goes Into Effect

5:02pm December 31, 2016

by Maggie Penman

As of Jan. 1, French companies with more than 50 workers will be obligated to allow their employees to ignore work emails outside of work hours.

The Last of Us is as much about the bonds between Joel and his surrogate daughter Ellie as it is about their post-fungal-apocalypse world.

Arts

Reading The Game: 'The Last Of Us'

10:01am December 31, 2016

by Jason Sheehan

Our occasional series on storytelling in video games continues with a look at The Last of Us. Set in a world undone by a fungal apocalypse, it follows a grizzled smuggler and his surrogate daughter.