Does Social Media Cause Depression in Teens?
Conflict Over Screen Time May Cause More Problems Than Actual Screen Time Most parents of teens grew up in a time without the internet. But if you’re a teenager, you’re well aware. Your parents take every chance they get to remind you of the fact. Parents wax nostalgic about the days of buying vinyl albums […]
Teen Technology Use During COVID-19
Just when you thought your teen couldn’t spend more time online, COVID-19 struck. Researchers were already documenting unprecedented levels of teen screen time prior to the pandemic. Early data suggests those rates have increased significantly. In a report from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, sixty-three percent of parents reported their teens […]
Digital Self-Harm: What It Is and Why Teens Do It
Hannah Smith, fourteen years old, received waves of horrible, abusive messages on ASKfm, a social media site popular with teens. On August 6, 2013, she committed suicide. Her parents immediately blamed cyberbullies, until an investigation proved that the aggressive posts hadn’t come from peers: She wrote them herself. Self-Bullying Hannah is not the only one. […]
How to Parent a Young Activist
by Toby LaPlant Political engagement isn’t just for people above the voting age. Some of the most vocal and respected leaders of efforts to change public policy on education, climate change, LGBTQ rights, and more are people in their teens. Young people like Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, and Gavin Grimm have addressed governments, organized protests, […]
Why Do Teens Like ASKfm?
ASKfm is a question-and-answer site largely populated by teens. Almost half of its users are between thirteen and eighteen years old. Like many anonymous social media platforms, the site has become infamous for cyberbullying. In fact, several suicides have been linked to ASKfm. Articles in publications like The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and Business […]
How To Help Teens Resist Online Extremism
On average, teens spend more than 7 hours each day watching videos, reading posts, and sharing information on the internet. Cat videos can be completely harmless and fan forums for television shows and music can be great ways for young people to have fun and connect with friends. But your teen’s favorite apps and social […]
Parents: Do You Know the Dangers of OnlyFans?
There’s a new trend hitting Generation Z – and it’s a problem. It’s called OnlyFans. On this UK-based website, anyone can post explicit content and set up a paywall for “fans” to access it. While technically the site claims only individuals 18+ have access, many teens find ways to bypass the age restriction. Unfortunately, this […]
Teens, the Internet, and COVID-19
With the majority of the U.S. population now home due to COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, millions of teens are spending more time online. Almost all high schools have shifted their regular academic classes to Zoom or other digital platforms. Local governments have banned most forms of outside entertainment, which means teens are spending an increasing amount […]
Counterpoint – Study Shows Screen Time Does Not Predict Teen Mental Health Issues
A widely accepted public narrative exists about the relationship between technology use and mental health. It goes like this: the more time you spend looking at screens and using screen-based technology, the worse your mental health is. Most people think this is obvious. They tend to think it’s most obvious in teens and pre-teens – […]
Is it Okay to Track Your Teenager?
Many teens withdraw from their parents during adolescence. It’s a natural part of development. Teens want to search, learn, and experience the world all on their own. Privacy and independence become of paramount importance. However, these values often clash with parents’ desires to protect their children. As a parent, you want to know what your […]