Providing information and resources for parents, youth workers and educators to help kids navigate their digital world.
TikTok users are using secret codes in their videos and captions to convey they are struggling with depression and possibly contemplating suicide. Read the article here.
More than ever before, young people on smartphones immerse themselves in a digital atmosphere of high drama where a subculture of depressed and suicidal teenagers thrives, out of sight of most adults. Read the article here.
Underlying problems may make some young people particularly vulnerable to what they find on social media, an expert says. Read the article here.
Today’s cyberbullies no longer rely on chat-based venues, such as texting or instant messages. Instead, social media platforms, sometimes used anonymously, are employed to strengthen mob mentalities and the shame of victims. Read the article here.
The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced on Tuesday that company is implementing changes that it hopes will stop younger users from being exposed to inappropriate content relating to suicide and self harm. Read the article here.
It’s notable that until now, Instagram has managed to remain healthily detached from the issues that have plagued Facebook over the last twelve months. Read the full article here.
Parents are worried that a new challenge known as the Momo Challenge — rumored to be a suicide challenge on WhatsApp — might be the successor to the Blue Whale Challenge. Read the article here.
“The constant bullying is a factor in teen suicide, and with the 24-hour cycle of news and social media, there’s no getting away from it.” Read the rest of the article here.
Increases in depression and suicide appeared among teens in 2012 – the same time smartphone ownership became the norm. Read the article here.
Families and legislators have banded together to fight a scourge that is harming and even killing teenagers. Read the article here.