When Teenagers Catch Their Bad Behavior On Video
What happens when teens catch their own bad behavior on video? The answer is simple: they share it. On YouTube, on Facebook, on Snapchat, or by sending video files via text, instant/direct message, or email to their friends. Who then share it with their friends. Who, in turn, share it with their friends. And on […]
Common Sense Media: The Digital Census 2017
Children’s Screen Time 2011-2017 In the fall of 2013, the non-profit media research group Common Sense Media released a landmark study on children’s media use in America. It was the first large-scale survey on how our children use digital technology and media. Common Sense promotes safe and responsible use of media for children and families. […]
How to Help Your Teen Avoid Being Lured by an Online Predator
In late May, 2018, police in Sarasota County, Florida arrested 21 adult men on charges stemming from their intent to have sex with teenage boys and girls. A story in the Bradenton Herald details the outcome of Operation Intercept V, a police sting mounted by Sarasota County police to “protect children in Sarasota County from […]
Pushing Back: Is Technology Addiction Real?
The news media loves a crisis. That’s how they sell papers, increase viewership, and get website clicks. Big crises are easy to push: international incidents, natural disasters, and salacious scandals sell themselves because everyone wants to know what’s going on. But when there is no crisis, media outlets try to create one in order to […]
Long-Term Effects of Cyber and Traditional Bullying
The Negative Effects of Bullying The first scientific studies on bullying began to appear in the 1970s. Since then, the negative effects of bullying for both bullying victims and the individuals engaging in bullying behaviors have been well documented. A landmark study published in Children & Schools: A Journal of the National Association of Social […]
Teens Obsessed with Online Gaming: Do You Have a Problem or Just Love Video Games? Take the Test
It’s not easy to tell the exact moment when something you love turns into an obsession. Not that being obsessed with something is always a bad thing. A better word for something you’re completely into might be passion. Obsession has kind of a sinister ring to it. They do have similar meanings, though. An obsession […]
How Can I Tell if My Teen is Addicted to the Internet? Take the Online Test
The Digital Revolution changed the way we live our lives. It’s hard to believe that only twenty years ago, most people were just beginning to use email as a standard method of communication. The vast majority of us relied on old fashioned landlines and answering machines, and some of us still wrote actual letters with […]
Is My Teen Addicted to Their Cellphone? Is That a Problem?
When you were young, you probably heard this line about a thousand times from your parents: “Too much television is going to rot your brain.” Every time they said it, you’d roll your eyes – internally if you had strict parents – and think to yourself: “There’s no way something so good could be so […]
How to Talk to an Internet-Obsessed Teen About Sex
We’ll cut to the chase on this topic: the best way to talk to an internet-obsessed teen about sex is openly and honestly. This article will offer tips, advice, and introduce ideas to help you with the how and the what of your open and honest conversation. We’ll back up our suggestions with links to […]
Social Media: Can Teens Live Offline, Even for a Second?
The Social Impact of Social Media on Teens Social media impacts how teens look at friendship and intimacy in profound and sometimes disturbing ways. Internet culture pushes them to pursue likes, shares, comments, and retweets as a path to social connection. The problem with this phenomenon is that those virtual interactions give an illusion of connection, […]