Covid-19: Here’s how teens are using social media, technology to support each other amid social distancing
4 years, 6 months ago

Covid-19: Here’s how teens are using social media, technology to support each other amid social distancing

Hindustan Times  

According to a recent report based on youth making excessive use of social media,researchers found that with or without physical separation due to COVID-19, youth are using social media to connect and support each other. In the position paper Ito, Odgers, and Schueller highlight the need to move beyond the simple question of whether more time spent using social media causes mental health problems in adolescents. A number of relevant findings, opportunities, and benefits are outlined in the paper, including: - Evaluating claims about whether social media use is leading to greater vulnerability for mental health problems for youth, including harassment and bullying, sleep disruption, and exposure to idealized images that may lead to envy. - Describing ways to provide online mental health support to youth, especially those who are difficult to reach through more traditional clinical supports.For example, one student interviewed shared how they experienced a supportive community online, saying: “I think a lot of my mutuals on Instagram, they’re very open to being emotionally vulnerable on Instagram, so they’ll actually say, ‘I’m not doing fine.’ I like it because it’s a very nice community, just spreading love whether it be through comments or someone will actually say through messages like, ‘Are you okay?’“ A freshman adjusting to life away from family shared how online connections made her feel close to them: “My mother just started using Messenger.

Health Social Media Youth Support Media Social Wellbeing Online Mental Young People Instagram Schueller  heres  mental  wellbeing  distancing  media  teens  social  online  youth  covid19  technology  support  paper  using  health  amid

History of this topic

D66 calls for social media age limit of 15 to cut addiction
3 weeks, 3 days ago

D66 calls for social media age limit of 15 to cut addiction

Dutch News  

Teenagers under the age of 15 should not be allowed to use social media because it is addictive and affecting their sleep and school performance, says the Dutch Liberal democratic party D66. “Tech giants are harming children’s health because social media channels have been designed to be extremely addictive,” D66 MP Hanneke van der Werff told RTL Nieuws. Research has …

Family ties to friendship: Here's why older people are among biggest users of social media
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Family ties to friendship: Here's why older people are among biggest users of social media

Hindustan Times  

The Australian government’s recent decision to ban under 16s from social media has focused attention on the harms it can cause – especially for young people. Social media, in particular, works by: Maintaining family ties : Social media provides older adults with a virtual seat at the family table. Building new communities: Social media groups dedicated to specific interests such …

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites
1 month ago

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember …

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts
1 month ago

Cut risks, not potential, of social media for young with Instagram Teen Accounts

India Today  

Being a great communication and learning tool for teenagers, managing the use of social media by them is becoming increasingly important. The idea behind Instagram Teen Accounts is to place teens in built-in protections and reassure parents that their children are having safe experiences. “Parents and educators play a vital role in managing teenagers’ social media experiences. Using these features, …

Is social media making you anxious? How using it smarter can boost your mental health
1 month, 1 week ago

Is social media making you anxious? How using it smarter can boost your mental health

Hindustan Times  

We all know using social media is considered bad for you. Using social media for maximum benefit In our six-week study, 393 Canadian young adults with some mental health symptoms and concerns about social media’s impact on their lives were split into three groups: ● A control group that continued their usual routines ● An abstinence group asked to take …

Australia BANS social media for kids under 16: A global first in online safety
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia BANS social media for kids under 16: A global first in online safety

India TV News  

Australia has become the first country to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. The rule aims to address the rising concerns about the mental health risks which are associated with excessive social media usage, which further includes addiction, cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content. Image Source : FILESocial …

Psychologist reveals intriguing reason why we obsessively stalk our own social media profiles
3 months, 1 week ago

Psychologist reveals intriguing reason why we obsessively stalk our own social media profiles

Daily Mail  

If you've ever been tempted to scroll though your own social media profiles, imagining what others might think of your life, you're not alone. And when this feedback isn't immediately available, Ms Skinner explained to Mashable, we try to imagine what it may be by examining what others would see when looking at our social media profiles. Stalking one's own …

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction
4 months ago

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction

ABC  

Regular use of some social media platforms is negatively impacting the life satisfaction of Australian teenagers, according to the latest findings from the nation's largest survey of young people. Non-binary students who regularly use social media reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction, particularly for those who use Discord. "While we know that young people face many challenges that could …

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’
4 months, 1 week ago

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’

LA Times  

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield had spent her day with a group of high school students when a startling revelation came up that compelled her to go home and ask her two sons, then about 14 and 20, a question: “Is BDSM really a trend?” “Oh, yeah, choking is what we’re told girls want,” she recalled one of her sons saying …

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR
5 months ago

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Rates of depression and anxiety have risen among teens over the last decade. Amid this ongoing mental health crisis, the American Psychological Association issued guidelines for parents to increase protection for teens online …

When should teenagers get a phone and how can families delay their child joining social media?
5 months, 1 week ago

When should teenagers get a phone and how can families delay their child joining social media?

ABC  

Aalia Elachi was eight when some of her friends started getting smartphones, prompting her to ask her parents for one, too. Now nearly 15, Aalia still doesn't have a phone or use social media, something she and her parents say they're grateful for. Professor Haidt, whose latest book is The Anxious Generation, argues that children old enough to have progressed …

The Surgeon General Proposed Warning Labels On Social Media. Will They Do Anything?
6 months, 3 weeks ago

The Surgeon General Proposed Warning Labels On Social Media. Will They Do Anything?

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A source recently let me know that the responses to an article I had written were a bit mean-spirited. In a New York Times essay published June 17, Murthy wrote, “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.” In the Youth Risk Behavior Survey published …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Associated Press  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
7 months ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

The Hindu  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

How parents and schools can help teens navigate social media safely? Insights and strategies from experts
7 months ago

How parents and schools can help teens navigate social media safely? Insights and strategies from experts

Hindustan Times  

Ahmed Othman isn't on TikTok and doesn't want to be. Othman's parents took a middle ground approach that a growing number of experts say is the most realistic and effective way of teaching children about social media: Rather than an outright ban or allowing free reign, they recommend a slow, deliberate onboarding that gives children the tools and information they …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
7 months ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Associated Press  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

Staying off social media can be challenging. These teens also find it liberating
7 months ago

Staying off social media can be challenging. These teens also find it liberating

Associated Press  

WESTPORT, Conn. — Kate Bulkeley’s pledge to stay off social media in high school worked at first. “Social media is now the air kids breathe,” says Rich, who runs the hospital’s Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders. WHEN IT’S EVERYWHERE, IT’S HARD TO AVOID At school, on the subway and at dance classes around New York City, Gabriela is …

In their own words: What young people wish they’d known about social media
7 months ago

In their own words: What young people wish they’d known about social media

Associated Press  

Get off your phone. But the things that people post on social media, it’s just the highlight reel, like the 1% of their life that they want to showcase to other people.” BAO LE, 18, a freshman at Vanderbilt University Doreen Malata, 22, a senior at University of Maryland, poses for a photo on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in College …

Opinion: Does social media rewire kids’ brains? Here’s what the science really says
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Opinion: Does social media rewire kids’ brains? Here’s what the science really says

LA Times  

A new book argues that the mental health crisis in young people can be traced to smartphone use. America’s young people face a mental health crisis, and adults constantly debate how much to blame phones and social media. A new round of conversation has been spurred by Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation,” which contends that rising mental health issues …

Excessive screen time is harming teenagers’ social skills, warns US surgeon-general
9 months, 1 week ago

Excessive screen time is harming teenagers’ social skills, warns US surgeon-general

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age

Hindustan Times  

In today’s time, the rise of social media platforms has brought about unprecedented connectivity and communication and India, being the most populous country with the second-largest number of global Internet users, boasts a highly attractive and competitive Internet market. Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age It is almost a …

Most teens report feeling happy or peaceful when they go without smartphones, Pew survey finds
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Most teens report feeling happy or peaceful when they go without smartphones, Pew survey finds

Associated Press  

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. teens say they feel happy or peaceful when they don’t have their phones with them, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. Despite the increasing concerns, most teens say smartphones make it easier be creative and pursue hobbies, while 45% said it helps them do well in school. — Roughly 4 in 10 …

What parents worry about and what teens say concern them are worlds apart
10 months ago

What parents worry about and what teens say concern them are worlds apart

ABC  

More than half of Australian parents with teenagers say social media use is their top concern when it comes to their child's wellbeing. "We're hearing that young people are using social media in positive ways to get support," she says. Fifty-nine per cent of parents said young people's social media usage was of concern. Of the parents and carers surveyed …

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely
1 year ago

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely

Deccan Chronicle  

A new study reveals what was always self-evident since the rise of the internet and the preponderance of social media platforms. The study finds small reductions in social media use are linked to improvements in health and well-being. All heavy users of the social media, particularly young people for whom its use may have become addictive, would have been aware …

Too much social media linked to harmful behaviours in teenagers, study suggests
1 year, 1 month ago

Too much social media linked to harmful behaviours in teenagers, study suggests

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Frequent use …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

How FOMO might lurk behind teen social media anxiety
1 year, 3 months ago

How FOMO might lurk behind teen social media anxiety

Hindustan Times  

Headlines that say using social media is safe bring tangible sighs of relief from parents worldwide. A recent paper has found that FOMO — or fear of missing out — is linked to whether teens find using social media increases their anxiety or relieves it. The research looked at the impact of social media use on anxiety symptoms in 951 …

Avoid helicopter parenting in the age of digital surveillance
1 year, 3 months ago

Avoid helicopter parenting in the age of digital surveillance

Live Mint  

Last spring, my tween was begging for more freedom, starting with being allowed to walk home from school alone. “The culture of surveillance is shaping our children’s sense of identity and independence—and impacting our mental health, our family’s connectedness, and our ability to self-define in adulthood," Heitner writes. The solution, therefore, is simple: Parents just need to be more on …

Increased social media use ‘linked to rise in teenage binge drinking’
1 year, 3 months ago

Increased social media use ‘linked to rise in teenage binge drinking’

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Teenagers spending half an hour or more on social media each …

Teens know how social media affects mental health. So they created resources to help
1 year, 3 months ago

Teens know how social media affects mental health. So they created resources to help

LA Times  

A pamphlet designed by a youth group in the Teens Leading Change initiative is seen at the Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library. She continued with another question: “What is something important that you have learned during your time with this project?” “When you’re on social media, making sure you’re constantly on guard,” Angelina said. “Not everything you see is real.” For …

How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health
1 year, 4 months ago

How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health

Wired  

If you give a kid a smartphone, they’re going to want a social media account. “It’s really about how people come to use social media, in what ways, and what kinds of supports they have to navigate it in a way that’s right for them.” “Don’t assume that your kid isn’t already on social media.” Linda Charmaraman, director and founder …

How therapy can address problematic social media use
1 year, 4 months ago

How therapy can address problematic social media use

Live Mint  

In recent years, excessive social media has been linked to a decline in mental health. In 2022 it was estimated that 4.59 billion people globally used at least one form of social media which has significantly changed how people communicate, according to the University London College’s press statement. The new study, by researchers from UCL, suggests techniques such as limiting …

Therapy for ‘problematic’ social media use could help ease depression
1 year, 4 months ago

Therapy for ‘problematic’ social media use could help ease depression

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Doctors should offer depressed patients therapy to help overcome “problematic” social …

Passive scrolling on social media leads to anxiety and depression – new study
1 year, 6 months ago

Passive scrolling on social media leads to anxiety and depression – new study

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Young adults who use social media to browse content of other …

Children of the web
1 year, 6 months ago

Children of the web

The Hindu  

It was during the peak of the pandemic that Instagram reels became ‘dopamine’ for Anika*, 16, a Delhi-based student. The advisory cited two studies that found frequent users of social media “can experience changes in brain structure similar to changes seen in individuals with substance use or gambling addictions”. Excessive social media use could be associated with changes in the …

How limiting social media use reduces anxiety and loneliness
1 year, 6 months ago

How limiting social media use reduces anxiety and loneliness

Live Mint  

Last month, U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy warned in a press statement that social media is an important driver of youth mental health crisis and it should be urgently addressed. In a two-week experiment involving 230 college students, the researchers asked half to limit their social media usage to 30 minutes a day and received automated, daily reminders, according to …

Experts on harmful effects of social media overuse in teens, suggest ideal screen time
1 year, 7 months ago

Experts on harmful effects of social media overuse in teens, suggest ideal screen time

Hindustan Times  

Social media use in teenagers can have profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents, said US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy in a new advisory urging parents, policymakers and technology companies to address the growing mental health crisis. Health experts in an interview with HT Digital talk about harmful effects of social media …

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory

Hindustan Times  

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy in a new advisory released on Tuesday has warned about risks associated with social media use in teenagers, and said that social media can have "profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents." The advisory says that at this time, there isn't enough evidence to determine if social …

8 tips for parents and teens on social media use — from the US surgeon general
1 year, 7 months ago

8 tips for parents and teens on social media use — from the US surgeon general

Associated Press  

The U.S. surgeon general is calling for tech companies and lawmakers to take “immediate action” to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health on social media. TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS — Create a family media plan: Agreed-upon expectations can help establish healthy technology boundaries at home – including social media use. A family media plan can promote open family discussion …

America's top doctor says social media presents 'profound risk of harm' for kids
1 year, 7 months ago

America's top doctor says social media presents 'profound risk of harm' for kids

Daily Mail  

America's top doctor has said social media presents a 'profound risk of harm' for children and has called for 'immediate action to protect kids now'. US surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy said in an urgent health advisory published Tuesday that the country is experiencing 'a national youth mental health crisis' and pointed towards social media as one of the main …

Car seats and baby formula are regulated. Is social media next?
1 year, 7 months ago

Car seats and baby formula are regulated. Is social media next?

Associated Press  

The U.S. surgeon general is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for children and teens — and is calling on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now.” With young people’s social media use “near universal” but its true impact on mental health not fully understood, Dr. Vivek …

‘Protect kids now.’ Social media may not be safe for young people, surgeon general warns
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Protect kids now.’ Social media may not be safe for young people, surgeon general warns

LA Times  

A teenager holds her phone. The U.S. surgeon general is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for young people — and is calling on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now.” The U.S. surgeon general is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media …

Top US health official warns of social media’s risk to children
1 year, 7 months ago

Top US health official warns of social media’s risk to children

Al Jazeera  

US surgeon general calls for tighter regulations and greater research on minors’ use of social media websites. Washington, DC – The United States surgeon general has warned that social media can have a “profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children”, calling for more regulations and research on minors’ use of internet platforms. The advisory highlighted …

8 tips for parents and teens on social media use, from the U.S. surgeon general
1 year, 7 months ago

8 tips for parents and teens on social media use, from the U.S. surgeon general

LA Times  

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health from the harms of social media. “Our children and adolescents don’t have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media’s impact,” the surgeon general said in an advisory released Tuesday. …

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns

NPR  

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Social media can present a real risk to the mental health of children and teenagers because of the ways their brains are affected by the amount of time they spend using it, the U.S. surgeon general warns …

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them
1 year, 7 months ago

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them

NPR  

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them Enlarge this image toggle caption Rose Wong for NPR Rose Wong for NPR "What advice would you give to young people who are new to social media?" About 95% of U.S. teens today use some type of social media, and about a third say they use it …

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids
1 year, 8 months ago

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids

NPR  

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids Enlarge this image toggle caption martin-dm/Getty Images martin-dm/Getty Images For the first time, the American Psychological Association has issued recommendations for guiding teenager's use of social media. The report, he says, marshals the latest science about social media to arm people "with the information that they need to be …

Discover Related