Serendipity35

I wrote here about the open-source software called Elgg almost two decades ago. (Not to be confused with elgg.net, a social networking site for educators back around 2006, which no longer exists.)  Elgg is open-source social networking software that provides individuals and organizations with the components needed to create an online social environment. It offers blogging, microblogging, file sharing, networking, groups, and a number of other features. It was also the first platform to bring ideas from commercial social networking platforms to educational software. It was founded in 2004 by Ben Werdmuller and Dave Tosh

I view those older posts and many of the ones on this site that date back almost 20 years as historical documents of a sort. I'm sometimes tempted to update them, and I do sometimes fix a broken image or a proofreading mistake, but they may have some value as documentation of another time in edtech history.

How many of the alternatives to commercial course management systems from my 2006 list still exist? I looked up Elgg to see if it was still in use. The Wikipedia entry shows an impressive list of sites that are using Elgg. The list includes Oxfam, the Australian, Dutch, Canadian, and British Governments, New Zealand Ministry of Education, State of Ohio, USA, The World Bank, UNESCO, and the United Nations Development Programme.

Here is one of those old posts - now just historic.

Elgg is software for building a personal learning landscape. The software is from the United Kingdom. I first saw it mentioned on the Moodle site and thought it was a kind of plug-in to Moodle. It uses blogs, e-portfolios, shared files, RSS feeds, and other "social networking" tools. I thought it had been designed for educational use, but looking through the users, it has a good number of general users.

Their site has a demo community set up, and their resources/links are set up using an embedded wiki. You can create a free user account and get space for a blog, RSS feeds, an aggregator to read other people's content, and space to store your own resources (files). As a guest, you can still view items made public in user profiles - here's mine

Since their new release is version 0.601, this is obviously new beta software. So does this replace a Moodle or Blackboard, or supplement it, or serve a different purpose?

My collaborator here, Tim Kellers, installed the Elgg software here at NJIT, so drop by and register if you want to try it out. I also suggest you go to the elgg.net site and create an account so you can become part of that educator community. I have made some interesting contacts outside the United States from there. Right now, I am just having this blog's content mirrored to my Elgg blog account by using an RSS feed (yeah, there are some formatting & image issues doing that).

http://webapps.saugus.k12.ca.us/community - California's Saugus Unified School District uses it, and as you can see, it is a secure environment with user id and password access. However, take a look at their user introduction pdf document. It's a nice 9-page intro with screenshots. Another K12 district getting ahead of the colleges!

Ready for the test question? Elgg is to Elgg.net as ____ is to Wikipedia. (Answer: Mediawiki)

Well, to deal with that confusion (or further confuse you), elgg.net will now be edufilter.org.

Here's an email that went out to users from the Elgg folks:

Changes are afoot at Elgg.net!
Actually, you've been accustomed to change throughout the existence of the site since we started it in 2004. New features pop up all the time, and we think you'll be pleased to hear that this isn't going to stop soon.
However, we're going to change the name. Next Wednesday, Elgg.net will become Edufilter.org.
This is because, for a lot of people, Elgg.net is Elgg. Granted, it's a confusing name. But Elgg is a free, open source, white label social networking framework that anyone can install on their own servers. Want it running at your institution? Point your elearning folks at http://elgg.org.
Elgg.net, meanwhile, is a social network for education - and therefore, we think Edufilter is probably a better name.
You've probably got concerns, so let's deal with the most important:
#1: We're not going to break any of your links. While the front page of Elgg.net will forward to the main Elgg software homepage, anyone visiting elgg.net/your-username will still get to your page. We have no plans to end this, so if your address is printed on materials, don't worry. Everything's fine.
#2: The site will not be discontinued. It continues to be our flagship installation.
Furthermore, making the site overtly educational means we can give you more directed content and features. Sponsorship opportunities are available; if you'd like to promote your product or service available to some of the world's leading lights in elearning, let us know.
Best regards,
The Curverider team

 

A Few Other Posts About This

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/489-Putting-All-Your-Educational-Eggs-In-One-Basket.html

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/83-More-of-the-Competition-in-the-CMS-Market.html

https://serendipity35.net/index.php?/archives/265-A-directory-to-Web-2.0-Companies.html

 

Typepad was a blogging service that was launched back in 2003. I used it for years as a fast blogging platform. I was less and less serious about using it as I  moved to other, more robust platforms such as Wordpress, Blogger and Serendipity (used for this blog) emerged.

I don't think I posted anything there in the past year, but I happened to click the bookmark for my site this past week and found that the URL was replaced with networksolutions.com/typepad, which told me that "Typepad has closed—your next chapter starts here. Your previous provider has shut down, but your online presence can still thrive. Partner with Network Solutions to keep your domain, website, and brand moving forward. Unfortunately, you can no longer access your files, and there will be no extensions beyond the end of service date. All of the blog data will be purged."

The platform had been through some changes over the years and stopped accepting new signups at the end of 2020. In August 2025, Typepad announced it would be shutting down on September 30, 2025.

I'm not very upset about the shutdown because I wasn't really using it. I have 10 other blogs that I post to. (Yes, that is ridiculous. Take a look here.) What does upset me about it shutting down is that it's a reminder that all the content you're posting online (particularly on a platform you don't own and control) can go away quickly - "purged" as in the case of Typepad.
.
Typepad's shutdown can be attributed to several factors that often affect online services. While there isn't a single definitive cause, here are some probable reasons.

Changing market landscape: The blogging and website hosting space has become increasingly competitive, with many platforms offering free or low-cost services. This shift likely put pressure on Typepad to adapt and stay attractive to users.

Ownership changes: Typepad changed hands over the years, moving from its original owners to Endurance International Group and then to SAY Media. Such transitions can sometimes lead to changes in strategy or resources allocated to the platform.

Technical issues and support challenges: Some users reported issues with the platform, including difficulties with importing content to other services and concerns about support responsiveness. These challenges might have contributed to a decline in user satisfaction.

Business model sustainability: Like many businesses, Typepad needed to balance its offerings with revenue. As the market evolved, maintaining a viable business model might have become increasingly difficult.

For context, similar challenges are not unique to Typepad. Many businesses face hurdles such as adapting to market changes, managing growth, and ensuring customer satisfaction. A broader look at common reasons for business failures includes factors like lack of market demand, insufficient capital, and inability to pivot in response to changing conditions.

Australia implemented a world-first nationwide ban on social media access for children under 16, effective December 10, 2025. The law, passed in November 2024 under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill, requires major platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. This includes age verification methods like behavioral inference (analyzing online activity), facial age estimation (e.g., via selfies), ID uploads, or linking bank details.

Millions of accounts are expected to be affected as companies, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X, face fines of up to $33M for serious or repeated noncompliance. The law places responsibility on companies rather than families, and platforms must demonstrate that they have taken “reasonable steps,” such as implementing age checks and removing suspected underage accounts.

The measure is cast as a child-protection and mental health safeguard, citing research showing 96% of 10- to 15-year-olds use social media, with many encountering harmful content, grooming, or cyberbullying. Critics say the law is difficult to enforce. It may even push teens onto harder-to-monitor platforms. Another criticism is that it may pose privacy risks.

Read the research from Australia used to create this ban
https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/the-online-experiences-of-children-in-australia/report-digital-use-and-risk-among-children-aged-10-to-15

Other countries have taken similar steps, such as strict youth modes or time limits.
https://studyinternational.com/news/countries-social-media-ban-children/

Australia’s nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16 takes effect today, making it the first country to prohibit underage users from major platforms outright. It is a noble and probably necessary thing, but I cannot believe it is doable.

Millions of accounts are expected to be affected as companies, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X, face fines of up to $33M for serious or repeated noncompliance. However, the law places responsibility on companies rather than families, and platforms must demonstrate that they have taken “reasonable steps," such as implementing age checks and removing suspected underage accounts.

I suspect the companies will say these things have already been put in place. (Have you noticed the increase in ads on TV and in your Instagram feed about their teen accounts?) And how will Australia monitor this? Critics say the law is difficult to enforce. It might push teens onto harder-to-monitor platforms. Enforcement may pose privacy risks. We know that many children who create accounts have already lied about their age. Can that be determined?

The research shows 96% of children aged 10 to 15 had used social media, and a majority had used a communication platform to chat, message, call, or video call others (94%). Anecdotally. many of them report encountering harmful content, grooming, or cyberbullying.

• Australia may have been the first country to pass a social media ban bill to stop children under 16 from accessing the platforms, but 7 other countries have taken similar steps, such as strict youth modes or time limits.
  https://studyinternational.com/news/countries-social-media-ban-children/  
• Read/download the Australian research report
  https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-07/Digital-use-and-risk-Online-platform-engagement-10-to-15.pdf