Research + News

Parents’ Ultimate Guide To Fortnite

Are your kids caught up in the Fortnite frenzy? Here’s everything you need to know about this popular video game. Read the helpful articles from Common Sense Media here.

50 Media Hours Per Week

A new survey estimates that consumer time spent with media worldwide, including all digital and traditional media combined, is on pace to grow 2.1% to an average of 50.9 hours per week (HPW) in 2018. Read the article here.

Holiday 2018: The Most Anticipated Video Games

So which video games are gamers most anxious to sink their teeth into this year? Read the report from Nielsen here.

Phantom Community: What’s The Power Of Talk In A Digital Age?

A digital “sense” of connectedness is replacing or impeding our ways of “being” incarnate (“in the flesh”) with one another. Read this blog post from Fuller Youth Institute here.

If Instagram Has A Strict ‘No Nudity’ Policy, Why Is There So Much Porn On The App?

Despite a ‘no nudity’ policy, porn is thriving on Instagram. Why is this the case? Read the article here.

Teens Are Being Bullied “Constantly” On Instagram

Harassment on the platform can be uniquely cruel, and for many it feels like there’s no escape. Read the article here.

A Majority Of Teens Have Experienced Some Form Of Cyberbullying

59% of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, and a similar share says it’s a major problem for people their age. At the same time, teens mostly think teachers, social media companies and politicians are failing at addressing this issue. Read the research here.

Is Your Teen Hiding Sexting Photos In A Fake Calculator App?

Your teens calculator app? It could be a digital safe, hiding photos they don’t want you to see. Read the article here.

‘Pocket Slot Machines’: Smartphone Apps Turn Users Into Addicts, Says Google Study

Research from two Google employees found that the “trigger, action, reward” design of popular apps has conditioned mobile phone owners to the extent that they feel “phantom” cues in which they imagine they have received a message even if the phone has not issued an alert. Read the article here.

Parents’ Ultimate Guide To Esports

Now that esports is in high schools across the country, your teen gamer can justify gaming as “training” — and maybe even win a college scholarship. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.

Is Technology Going Too Far In Measuring Student Performance?

In thousands of schools across the country, students are strapping on heart monitors and being judged by the rate of their pulse. Read the article here.

Can Too Much Screen Time Dumb Down Your Kid?

If you’re worried that too much “screen time” could be sapping your child’s intelligence, new research suggests you might be right. Read the article here.

More Millennials, Gen Z Are Using Social Apps

Of the 1,000 US internet users surveyed, more than half (56%) of Gen Zers, ages 16 to 24, said they had increased their use of Snapchat in the past year, and another 55% of respondents said they are using Instagram more. Read the article here.

Teens Sleeping Too Much, Or Not Enough? Parents Can Help

Of parents who tell pollsters their teens have trouble sleeping, 23 percent say the kids are waking up at night worried about their social lives. Read the article here.

Google’s Parental Control Software Family Link Expands To Teens

Google’s parental control software for mobile devices, Family Link, will now help parents of teenagers, too. Read the article here.

More Than Half Of Parents Of Sleep-Deprived Teens Blame Electronics

Fifty-six percent of parents of teens who have sleep troubles believe the use of electronics is hurting their child’s shut-eye. Read the article here.

12 Priorities For Parents In The Digital Age

Tony Reinke gives practical advice for parenting digital natives. Listen to the podcast episode here.

How To Warn Against Porn Without Scaring Your Child

How exactly can we warn against pornography without traumatizing our child? Read the article here.

Pornhub Wants To Be A Lifestyle Brand

Pornhub is already the biggest porn distribution platform ever, but now it wants to become a brand that anyone would talk about out loud, and just maybe, someday, wear on a T-shirt. Read the article here.

The Average Child Spends Just 7 Hours A Week Outside, But More Than Twice That Playing Video Games Inside

The survey also found that 40 percent of parents have to force their children to leave the house in order to spend time outdoors. Read the article here.

Teens Are Over Face-To-Face Communication, Study Says

Most teens now say their favorite mode of communication is texting (35%), according to a new survey released Monday from Common Sense. Read the article here.

More Teens Are Getting Plastic Surgery Because Of Social Media, Study Suggests

A study suggests social media has also increased the number of teenagers going under the knife. Read the article here.

Social Media, Social Life: Teens Reveal Their Experiences (2018)

Social Media, Social Life: Teens Reveal Their Experiences from Common Sense Media sheds light on teens’ changing social media habits and why some kids are more deeply affected by — and connected to — their digital worlds. Access the findings of the report here.

The 10 Most Followed Celebrities On Instagram

These 10 celebs have totally cashed in on the platform’s popularity. Here are the 10 most followed people on Instagram. Read the list here.

Here Is How Much Sexting Among Teens Has Increased

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics revealed that sexting (which is the electronic sharing of sexually explicit images, videos, or messages) has increased among teenagers since 2009. Oh, and the number of teenagers with smartphones has also increased since 2009. Coincidence? Read the rest of the article here.

Self Harm Triples Among Children And Young Adults Post-Social Media

Child psychiatrists have expressed alarm over a sharp rise in self-harm among teenagers since the advent of social media. Read the article here.

Phones Are Changing The Texture Of Family Life

Many parents think teens are too absorbed by screens. Teens agree. Read the article here.

This Is What Happens When You Take Phones Away From Teenagers

Parents are trying to limit the amount of time their teens spend on their phones, with mixed results. Read the article here.

What Teenagers Need To Know About Cybersecurity

Now that school is back in session, many high schoolers have new phones, new computers and new privileges for using their devices – and new responsibilities too. Read the article here.

Logged Off: Meet The Teens Who Refuse To Use Social Media

Generation Z has grown up online – so why are a surprising number suddenly turning their backs on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat? Read the article here.

Which Social Media Site Is Tops Among Teens? Not Facebook

Among kids 12-17, Facebook usage has actually been on the decline since at least February. This group favors another social channel above all others — Snapchat. Read the article here.

How Big A Problem Is Teens’ Screen Usage?

In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” eMarketer’s Mark Dolliver discusses how teens indulge in too much screen time, and the extent to which they and their parents see this excessive usage as a problem. Listen to the podcast here.

BTS Set 24-Hour YouTube Debut Record With ‘Idol’

BTS extend their global victory lap once more, as their latest single “IDOL” has dethroned Taylor Swift to earn the highest 24-hour music video debut in YouTube history. Read the article and view the top 10 list here.

The Media Universe: More Options, More Time, More Reach

In just the few months since the end of the third quarter of last year, U.S. consumers 18 and older increased their time with media by more than a full half hour. Read the article and research from Nielsen here.

UK Youth Abandons Facebook, Flocks To Snapchat

Snapchat is set to overtake Facebook among UK users aged 18-24 years old this year, as the video messaging platform continues to surge in popularity. Read the article here.

Teens’ Screen Addiction Might Be Contagious, And Parents Are Patient Zero

Kids aren’t the only ones struggling to self-regulate their screen time. Read the article here.

2 In 5 Teens Text While Driving, Survey Shows

Nearly 40 percent of teen drivers in the United States say they text while driving, a new survey finds. Read the article here.

Posting Instagram Sponsored Content Is The New Summer Job

While some teens spent the summer of 2018 babysitting, bagging groceries, or scooping ice cream, thousands of others made hundreds of dollars—and in some cases, much more—the new-fashioned way: by doing sponsored content on Instagram. Read the article here.

Tinder Is Rolling Out A College-Only Service, Tinder U

The functionality is exactly the same as regular Tinder, although the UI looks slightly different: a badge depicting users’ universities will be displayed on their main profile image. Read the article here.

How Teens And Parents Navigate Screen Time And Device Distractions

54% of U.S. teens say they spend too much time on their cellphones, and two-thirds of parents express concern over their teen’s screen time. But parents face their own challenges of device-related distraction. Read the research from the Pew Research Center here.

France Bans Smartphones In Schools

Under new legislation, French students will be prohibited from using smartphones and tablets while at school. Read the article here.

Yes, Teens Are Texting And Using Social Media Instead Of Reading Books

High-schoolers today are texting, scrolling and using social media instead of reading books and magazines. Read the article here.

Sick WhatsApp ‘Momo Suicide Game’ Infiltrates ‘Minecraft’

The horrific “Momo” WhatsApp ‘suicide game’ linked to the death of at least one teen has appeared in “Minecraft.” Read the article here.

The Love-Hate Relationship Between Teens And Their Smartphones

It seems like teenagers would appreciate taking a break from their smartphones, if only they knew how. Read the article here.

Parents Hiring Fortnite Coaches To Improve Play, Help Children Level Up

As Fortnite Battle Royale continues to dominate the world of video games, parents are starting to invest in coaches in the same way they would for sports or academics. Read the article here.

Do Teens Use Facebook? It Depends On Their Family’s Income

While only one-third of kids from families with higher incomes said they are on Facebook, Pew reported recently, a much larger share of teens from lower-income backgrounds said that they still use the platform. Read the article here.

The TV Set Reigns Supreme At The Top Of The ‘Hierarchy Of Screens’

When asked which screen was their favorite, 70% of 6- to 44-year-olds across 14 countries chose the TV set – followed by laptop/desktop computers (22%), tablets (4%) and smartphones (4%). Read the article here.

Over Half Of Millennials Say They Waste Too Much Time On Smartphones

According to new data from YouGov Omnibus, more than a third of Americans say they couldn’t go more than a few hours without their smartphones. Read the article here.

Apps Stirring Up Trouble In Schools

This year’s hottest social media can fill the school day with drama and distraction. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.

An Internal Email Shows How Facebook Learned Of A ‘Psychological Trick’ To Get Teens To Try A New Product

Tbh, a former Facebook owned app, created private Instagram accounts, then followed teen users to trigger their curiosity. Read the full article here.

Momo Challenge: 5 Fast Facts You Need To Know

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.

Technology, Dating, College, Career: Here’s Why Today’s Teens Are The Most Anxious Ever

What can be done to overcome anxiety? And why parents may be contributing to the problem. Read the article here.

Netflix Targets Teens With Rom Coms – A Genre That Has Faded From Theatres

Streaming service spotted the demand when viewers accessed its catalogue of classic romantic comedies. Read the article here.

Teens Are Seeking Out Plastic Surgery To Look Like Snapchat Filters, Doctors Warn

A new phenomenon called Snapchat dysmorphia has popped up. Read the article here.

Studies Reveal Revenge Porn Survivors Suffer Similar Trauma As Sexual Assault Survivors

Nonconsensual pornography is a relatively new phenomenon that has grown substantially in the past few years and involves uploading nude or semi-nude images/videos of a person online without their consent. Read the article here.

How Do Photo Retouching Apps Affect Impressionable Teens On Social Media?

Facetune and Facetune 2, which can instantly zap away perceived imperfections on any photo, have together been downloaded a whopping 50 million times since the first one was launched in 2013. Read the article here.

Facebook Falls In BrandIndex Global Brand Health Ranking

Google has retained its top spot in YouGov’s BrandIndex global brand health ranking – while Facebook falls two places to fifth in the list. Read the article here.

Depressed Teens Turn To Social Media To Cope, Survey Finds

Despite fears that digital tech may worsen depression, most teens and young adults surveyed said it did not make a difference. Read the article here.

One In 10 Millennials Would Rather Lose A Finger Than Give Up Their Smartphone

Many also would give up other things as well, including one of their five senses. Read the full article here.

We Have Some Bad News For You About Porn

Internet filtering tools, like parental controls, are largely unsuccessful in preventing young people from watching porn online, according to new research from the Oxford Internet Institute. Read the article here.

Around 60% Of Teens Feel Pressure To Look ‘Perfect’ On Social Media – And Influencers May Be To Blame

A survey by YMCA of 1,000 Brits aged 11-16 about body image expectations revealed that 58 per cent say celebrities are responsible, while 52 per cent blamed people on social media. Read the article here.

5 Ways Kids’ Brains Are Super Susceptible To Porn

The brain’s natural safeguards are under construction during childhood and adolescence, and this has implications for the impact of pornography on young people’s brains. Read the article here.

Parental Controls Do Not Stop Teens From Seeing Pornogrpahy

New research has found that Internet filtering tools are ineffective and in most cases, were an insignificant factor in whether young people had seen explicit sexual content. Read the research here.

17 Apps And Websites Kids Are Heading To After Facebook

Social media apps that let teens do it all — text, chat, meet people, and share their pics and videos — often fly under parents’ radars. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.

More Screen Time For Teens Linked To ADHD Symptoms

A study published Tuesday in JAMA suggests that such frequent use of digital media by adolescents might increase their odds of developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Read the article here.

Cyberbullying Is Causing Teens Serious Emotional Harm

Bullying by cell phone or social media bears no relation to the schoolyard bullying you probably knew as a kid. It’s like comparing a paper airplane to a supersonic jet. Read the article here.

Taking Away The Phones Won’t Solve Our Teenagers’ Problems

If smartphones aren’t a direct cause of teenagers’ mental health struggles, their use might instead be a crucial way in which these struggles are expressed. This calls for a different set of solutions. Read the article here.

Teens And Tech

A summary of recent Pew Research Center findings. Read the article here.

Longer Hours On Social Media May Increase Teens’ Risk Of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying may be linked to higher use of social network sites by school children aged 14-17 years. Read the article here.

Esports Niche Getting Bigger; 62% Play At Least An Hour Per Week

New research from Parks Associates shows that 10% of U.S broadband households watch esports content on sites ranging from Amazon’s Twitch to YouTube, and 62% actually play an esports game for at least an hour a week. Read the article here.

Experts Warn Of Teen’s Secret Digital Lives

Today’s kids are meeting strangers, some of them adults, on a variety of apps. Read the full article here.

Should Parents Be Friends With Their Kids On Social Media?

The answer to this question about being friends with our kids probably depends on the personality and age of your child. Read the rest of the answer from Tim Elmore in his blog post here.

Set A Better Example For Gen Z On Social Media

Technology, especially social media, is one of the biggest “shapers” for Gen Z, the digital natives. In this podcast from Impact 360 Institute, Nikki Dutton and Jonathan Morrow discuss some practical ways that adults can set a good example for Gen Z on social media. Listen to the podcast here.

Teenage Girl’s Suicide In 2014 Shows Social Media Has Transformed The Way Kids Are Bullied

“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.

The Top 10 Video Games Of 2018 (So Far)

Police Warn Parents Of Social Media’s Role In Human Trafficking

Human trafficking doesn’t just happen in big cities, it happens everywhere and a big part, according to Michigan State Police, is because of social media. Read the article here.

MTV To Produce Reboots Of Classic Shows For Streaming Services

When MTV launched in 1981, it quickly established itself as the place where young viewers flocked to on TV. Now, of course, younger consumers favor streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu over bulky cable TV bundles. So MTV has decided that if millennials don’t “want their MTV” on the channel itself, they will deliver it to them wherever they are watching. Read the article here.

Constantly On: Teens And Social Media

The latest episode of eMarketer’s “Behind the Numbers” podcast digs into data about teens’ use of social media. Listen to the podcast here.

5 Things To Keep In Mind Regarding Teens, Technology And Digital Detoxing

Help your kids strike a healthy balance with tech use – something they (like you) actually crave. Read the article here.

Apps And Online Behaviors To Be Wary Of With Our Kids

Secret or hidden apps, enhanced password protection, and even apps that facilitate drug purchases have provided tweens and teens with seemingly unfettered access to content and behaviors that their parents would most likely never condone. Read the article here.

Fortnite Announces Competitive Season

In less than a year, Fortnite has grown to 125 million players. To celebrate the community and embrace competitive play, Epic announced they will be providing $100,000,000 to fund prize pools for Fortnite competitions during the 2018-2019 season. Read the announcement here.

The Dangers Of Distracted Parenting

When it comes to children’s development, parents should worry less about kids’ screen time—and more about their own. Read the article here.

Next Year, People Will Spend More Time Online Than They Will Watching TV. That’s A First.

In 2019, people are expected to spend an average of 170.6 minutes each day on online activities like watching videos on YouTube, sharing photos on Facebook and shopping on Amazon. They’ll spend slightly less time — 170.3 minutes —watching TV. Read the full article here.

What A New Study Reveals About Selfies And Teenage Body Image

From Facebook and Twitter, to Instagram and Snapchat, it’s no secret social media has become a common form of communication, but have you ever left your feeds feeling bad about yourself? If so, you’re not alone. Read the rest of the article here.

Parents’ Ultimate Guide To Snapchat

Is Snapchat safe for kids? How does it work? And what’s with Snapstreaks? Everything curious parents need to know about this ultra-popular app from Common Sense Media. Read the article here.

Ten Ways “Grown-Up” Christians Can Set A Better Example For Gen Z On Social Media

Dear Christians On Social Media, Gen Z Is Watching. Read this article from Jonathan Morrow for the Impact 360 Institute here.

Cyberbullying: The Risks And Helping Your Child Recover

Cyberbulling is on the rise, but our children’s ability to deal with it is not keeping pace. Read the article here.

Console Upgrades Continue To Drive Interest For U.S. Video Gamers

Change is inevitable, and nowhere is that more so than in video games, where transformation can happen in the blink of an eye, thanks to the velocity inherent in digital media. Read the article here.

This Study Reveals How Teens Can Become Desensitized To Pornographic Material Over Time

A new study published  aims to explore the frequency and intentional or unintentional nature of exposure to online sexual materials and its possible desensitizing effect on the perception of online sexual content over time. Read the article here.

Coaches: Youth Sports, Social Media, Parents Have Changed The Job

The impact of social media, and the role parents play in their children’s lives, has drastically altered the job of youth coaches. Read the article here.

Homework, Not Games, The Reason Why China’s Teens Go Online?

Homework, not gaming, was the top reason cited by teenage respondents for going online, according to a study by Tencent Holdings, which is facing public scrutiny over its role in policing gaming addiction among youths. Read the article here.

Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018

The latest report from the Pew Research Center says that YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat are the most popular online platforms among teens. Fully 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, and 45% say they are online ‘almost constantly.’ Read the report here.

U.S. Games 360 Report: 2018

For the ninth year in a row, Nielsen has conducted extensive research into how Americans feel about—and consume—gaming. Read the report here.

Seven Symptoms Of Too Much Social Media Use

Tim Elmore blogs on what happens to teens with too much social media exposure. Read his blog here.

Are Smartphones Causing More Teen Suicides?

Increases in depression and suicide appeared among teens in 2012 – the same time smartphone ownership became the norm. Read the article here.

I Wish My Mom’s Phone Wasn’t Invented, 2nd Grader Writes In School Project

Elementary school teacher Jen Beason said four of her students told her they wished phones were never invented after giving the class a writing prompt. Read the article here.

US Kids Say Social Media Stars Are More Influential Than Celebrities Or The President

There’s no denying the influence of social media celebrities on America’s youth as new research from Mintel reveals that more than one third (34%) of kids aged 6-17 consider social media stars* to be among their top role models, outranking the influence of musicians (33%), athletes (27%), actors (22%) and even the President (16%).

Read the full article here.

Fortnite On Android Is Coming This Summer

Epic has revealed that is planning to launch its battle royale shooter for Google’s mobile operating system this summer. Read the article here.

Facebook Launches Youth Portal To Educate Teens On The Platform, How Their Data Is Being Used

Facebook has released a new Youth Portal that offers some guidance to teens on how to navigate the service, how to stay secure, while also helping them understand how their data is used. Read the article here.

Battle Royale(ty) – Top Fortnite Players To Watch

With the game entering the cultural zeitgeist and players earning celebrity status—particularly among teen boys—here are a few gamers to keep an eye on. Read the article here.