Blog Posts About: Explanation

New Video: Privacy Online

We just published a new video and thought you'd like to know. This one explains a subject that touches us all: privacy online.

What it teaches:

This video helps students understand the reality of using today's Internet in terms of privacy. It explains how our actions online are tracked and used. It teaches:

  • Why privacy online is different than it is in the real world
  • How nearly everything we do online is documented and analyzed by companies
  • Why our data is important to the success of online companies
  • How our data enables websites to be free
  • What we can do to understand how our data is being used and make choices to protect it.

Watch the full video now

Save 15% on Explainer Academy Courses

We're in the process of developing self-paced, online courses that will teach explanation and media creation skills (pretty much everything we've learned).

If you're a subscriber to the Academy Newsletter (view a recent example), you'll get 15% when the Academy launches.

Sign-up for the newsletter at explaineracademy.com.

 

New Video: Bias Detection

It's back-to-school time and we just published a video that's perfect for helping students navigate the wild world of media. It's all about understanding and detecting bias.

Here are the highlights:

Learn how to make ExplainerGIFs like the one above with our FREE GUIDE.

What it Teaches:

Building on the example of sports fans, this video illustrates how bias is a common and sometimes productive part of how we communicate. It also shows how bias can cause problems when it’s hidden or not detected. This video teaches:

  • Why bias is a common and expected part of communicating
  • Why high-quality information needs to be unbiased
  • What problems occur when bias is ignored
  • What to look for - common signs of bias in media

Watch the full video now

Coming Soon: Our Secrets, Revealed

Our big focus this fall is getting the Explainer Academy ready for prime time. For the first time, we'll show you every step we take in making a Common Craft video from scripts to storyboards and production.

In fact, we recently filmed a whole video shoot to document how the videos come together.

You can learn more and sign-up for updates at explaineracademy.com.

New Video: Account Security (Why Strong Passwords are Not Enough)

Our latest video explains why a strong password is not enough and what we can do to prevent problems with access to our sensitive accounts.

It's called Account Security - Explained by Common Craft.  

Here are the highlights:

Learn how to make ExplainerGIFs like the one below with our FREE GUIDE.

Watch the full video.

About this video:

From email to bank accounts and healthcare information, a lot of our sensitive information now lives online. Along with strong passwords, there are many things we can do to prevent access to this information. This video explains:

  • The risk of others having access to your accounts
  • How to be responsible with login information
  • What to consider when using public computers
  • Two-Step Verification
  • Password Manager Apps

How to Use This Video

This video is part of our Net Safety series and is designed to help your audience understand ways they can be more safe and secure online. It can be used in corporate or educational situations. 

Watch the full video.

ExplainerGIFs - A Free Guide to Creating Useful Animated GIFs Using Common Tools

Our free, self-paced guide will teach you how to create useful animated GIFs using common tools like PowerPoint and screencasting software.

I’m quite sure you’ve seen animated GIFs on the web. Usually, they are short, looping clips of hilarious cats, or scenes from TV shows. GIFs have a long, wonderful history of being entertaining.

We believe the format is capable of so much more. GIFs can be useful.

In fact, I believe that animated GIFs have the potential to become a new kind of explainer experience; one that plays reliably across the web - and in email.  We call them ExplainerGIFs and our free guide will show you exactly how to create them using common tools. 

What you’ll learn in the ExplainerGIFs guide:

  • GIF Format - what it is, where it came from and how it works
  • Constraints - how technical limitations influence GIF use
  • Utility - the rise of useful animated GIFs
  • Tools - creating and recording ideas as animations
  • Conversion - how to turn video clips into animated GIFs
  • Optimizing and Sharing - Get the most from your ExplainerGIFs

Here are the sections of the guide:

Common Craft ExplainerGIF Index

Here’s an example that I made using PowerPoint animations and screencasting software:

Common Craft ExplainerGIF Intro

 

Go to the free guide now

New Video: Encryption on the Web

For our latest video, we’re going behind the scenes of the Internet and taking a look at encryption and how “keys” help keep our sensitive information secure as it travels from computer to computer. 
 
Here are the highlights as an ExplainerGIF:
 
Encryption GIF
 
Do you want to learn to make animated GIFs like the one above? We'll teach you.  
 

About This Video:

Encryption is a fundamental part of using the Internet securely, but it is mostly invisible to the user. This video explains the basic idea of encryption and specifically the two types of keys that are used online: symmetric and public. It teaches:
  • Why encryption matters on the Web
  • An example of encryption used in history
  • The basics of private key encryption
  • The basics of public key encryption
  • How public key encryption works when using a bank website

How to Use This Video

This video is designed to serve as an introduction -- it creates a solid foundation for deeper learning. Use it to kick-off a class or session on the Internet, technology, e-commerce, communications, etc.  
 

Recently Published Videos:

 

Net Neutrality - Explained by Common Craft

Today we've published a new video that explains Net Neutrality. 

Note: This video release is special. For the first time in about four years, we're publishing a version of a new video on our website and YouTube so that it can be shared easily.

Why? Because it's about a complex and important subject that could impact all US internet users. This subject deserves to be understood by everyone, so we want to make that easy by making it more sharable. 

Watch the video now on YouTube or Common Craft.

About This video:

The debate on Net Neutrality is about the future of the Internet and outcomes that could impact every US internet user. This video explains what net neutrality is and why it matters, by focusing first on the idea of neutrality.

What it teaches:

  • What neutrality means outside of the Internet 
  • Why utilities, like providers of electricity, are designed to be neutral
  • Why the internet is currently similar to a utility
  • How the internet experience could change without neutrality
 
Watch it on YouTube or Common Craft.
 
Thanks to: Jay Fienberg, Boris Mann, Darren Barefoot, Duncan Rawlinson and Tony Wright for reviewing and providing feedback on multiple versions of this video.