Research + News

The Hottest Chat App For Teens Is… Google Docs

How a writing tool became the new default way to pass notes in class. Read the article here.

Is Porn Making Young Men Impotent?

Up to a third of young men now experience erectile dysfunction. Some are turning to extreme measures such as penile implants – but is kicking their pornography habit the only solution? Read the article here.

Parents’ Ultimate Guide To TikTok

Is TikTok safe? How does it work? And can I do a duet with my kid? Everything you need to know about this popular musical singing and sharing app. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.

Discover What Americans Are Watching, Reading, Playing, Buying And More

These Top 10 lists from Nielsen are compiled on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. View the lists here.

Will The #trashtag Challenge Really Get ‘Bored Teens’ Offline And Cleaning Up The Planet?

Oftentimes, news stories with the words “teenager” and “challenge” reveal some dangerous thing teens are daring each other to do, all for views online. This is not one of those stories. Read the article here.

US eSports Ad Revenues Will Grow 25% In 2019

Competitive video gaming is a rapidly growing, multibillion-dollar industry, presenting new opportunities for marketers to reach and engage with fans worldwide. Read the report here.

Is Higher Ed Ready For The Tech Expectations Of The Teens Of 2022?

What will these teens expect of tech based on their current experiences? Read the article here.

I Ditched My Phone, Moved To Nepal, And It Changed My Life

Culture shock can be an instigator of change. Read the blog post here.

Less Tech = Fewer Regrets

“In a tech-ubiquitous world, I fear our reality is becoming more ‘tech’ and less ‘world.'”  But how do you fight that? Read the rest of the article here.

Game On! Newsletter from Nielsen – March 2019

Fortnite vs. Apex, video game tracking, and top 10s. Read the report here.

Meet The Female Esports Fan

Females are engaging with esports, and at increasing rates. According to a recent Nielsen Esports Fan Insights survey, 22% of esports fans around the world are female. Read the article here.

‘Pocket’ Offers A Glimpse Into A 15-Year-Old’s iPhone

Imagine you’ve hacked into someone else’s phone and are consuming all his texts, videos, Snapchats, and Instagrams in real time. Now imagine that someone is a 15-year-old boy, and you’re watching his life unfold entirely through the lens of an iPhone. That’s the premise behind Pocket, a captivating new short film starring the former Nickelodeon actor Mace Coronel. Read the article here.

How Do Teens Spend Their Time With Technology Plus Best Parental Control Apps

It will come as no surprise that teenagers today spend their time differently than a decade ago. The common answer will be that teens devote all their hours awake looking at a screen. While this may be partly true, a recent Pew Research Center analysis shows that teens are “devoting more time to sleep and homework, and less time to paid work and socializing.” Read the article here.

Hashtag Missions: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conferences

Gen Z’s digital natives bring followers along for the experience. Read the article here.

Stop Blaming Teens’ Mental Health Issues On “Screen Time”

How much screen time teens are getting is the wrong question. Read the article here.

TikTok: Record Fine For Video Sharing App Over Children’s Data

Short-form video sharing app TikTok has been handed the largest ever fine for a US case involving children’s data privacy. Read the article here.

Parents’ Ultimate Guide to “Apex Legends”

Did your kids make the sudden switch from “Fortnite” to this new battle royale romp? Common Sense Media provides helpful info you need to know about the popular video game. Read their article here.

TikTok Has Created A Whole New Kind Of Cool Girl

From the article:

As much as TikTok is about memes, it’s also about just looking cool, being funny, and getting likes. Somewhere in that mix of teenage yearning for identity and the drive for likes, the egirl was born. And she’s cooler than you.

Read the rest of the article here.

Should Parents Limit Their Teens’ Access To Social Media?

With countless news stories, pictures, and articles detailing social media’s hazards, parents in increasing numbers, are trying to understand the digital generation and are concerned about their teens’ use of social media. Read the article here.

Have Smartphones Really Destroyed A Generation?

Scientists need to ask better questions — and big tech needs to help. Read the article here.

What Data Tells Us About The Future Of ESports

Globally, the esports audience continues to broaden—and with this, the characteristics and motivations of the “average” fan continue to be moving targets. Read the article here.

Tinder And Seven Other Dating Apps Teens Are Using

When you ask a couple how they met, it’s pretty common for them to answer, “On the Internet”. So, it’s no surprise that online dating has trickled down to teens. Read the article here.

YouTube Under Fire For Recommending Videos Of Kids With Inappropriate Comments

From the article: “More than a year on from a child safety content moderation scandal on YouTube and it takes just a few clicks for the platform’s recommendation algorithms to redirect a search for “bikini haul” videos of adult women towards clips of scantily clad minors engaged in body contorting gymnastics or taking an ice bath or ice lolly sucking “challenge.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Study Looks At Whether Teens Are Getting High On Social Media

In a groundbreaking study, a University of California San Diego psychiatrist is investigating whether social media affects the adolescent brain in the same way as cannabis. Read the article here.

Parents’ Ultimate Guide To TikTok

Is TikTok safe? How does it work? And can I do a duet with my kid? Everything you need to know about this popular musical singing and sharing app. Read the breakdown from Common Sense Media here.

Game On! Newsletter – Apex Legends: The New Challenger To Fortnite

Newsletter from Neilsen highlights the rising popularity of the battle-royale game Apex Legends. Read the newsletter here.

Teens Don’t Use Facebook, But They Can’t Escape It, Either

While a few teens told WIRED they’re concerned about broader privacy issues and the impact Facebook is having on society, most are worried about what their parents post about them. Read the article here.

200 Secret Internet Terms Teenagers Use – And Parents Need To Know

Police have revealed more than 200 terms teenagers have been using online to communicate – many of which will be unknown to parents. Read the article here.

Facebook’s ‘Deeply Invasive’ Research App Draws Questions From Senate

A recent report that Facebook collected a trove of data from teens as young as 13 is sparking a new round of bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Read the article here.

Using Screens In The Dark Can Hinder Preteens’ Sleep

Preteens who look at a phone or television screen in the dark an hour before bed are at risk of not getting enough sleep compared to those who use these devices in a lighted room or do not use them at all before bedtime, according to a new study by U.K. and Swiss researchers. Read the article here.

Instagram Rolls Out Sensitivity Screens In The Wake Of Teen Suicide

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.

Esports Playing In The Big Leagues Now

In 2018, esports captured the attention of nearly 400 million viewers worldwide—and cable and OTT platforms took note, with media rights revenues topping $180 million. Read the report here.

No Harm In Looking, Right?” A Study Of Porn’s Impact On Self-Esteem

Many scholars have recognized and studied the links between various sources of appearance-related pressure (e.g., media and interpersonal pressures to be mesomorphic) and men’s body image and well-being. Pornography is another medium of appearance-related pressure that is very rarely considered in this research. Read more here.

Press Play: Attitude And Behavior Of Kids Toward Technology

There’s no escaping technology. Kids of today’s generation are raised around and with smart devices. View an infographic about the topic here.

Selfie Harm: How Teens Edit Their Own Images To Be ‘Social Media Ready’

Teens were asked to use an app to edit and filter their images. Thankfully a majority of the students said they actually preferred their original portraits. Read the article here.

A League Of Their Own – Retailers Open E-Sports Arenas Inside Their Stores

As younger Millennials and especially Gen Zs embrace this activity to fit their digital-first lives, the global eSports market is projected to reach $1.65 billion in revenue by 2020. Read the article here.

Ban Phones In Schools, Says Minister for School Standards in England

Nick Gibb spoke out ahead of the government publishing new guidance for schools, expected to address internet safety, social media and online gaming. Read the article here.

Screen Time Inhibits Toddler Development, Study Finds

A study has found that kids 2-5 years old who engage in more screen time received worse scores in developmental screening tests. Read the article here.

10 Facts About Americans And Facebook

Here are 10 facts about Americans and Facebook, based on Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2018. Read the article here.

Kraft Heinz’s Devour Advertises On Pornhub As Part of Super Bowl Campaign

At a time when many marketers obsess about appearing only in uncontroversial “brand-safe” environments, Kraft Heinz Co.’s Devour frozen food brand ran ads on pornography website Pornhub on Monday, part of a campaign built around a Super Bowl commercial with a food porn theme. Read the article here.

YouTube, Instagram Among Most Popular Social Video Platforms For Gen Z, Millennials

Where do millennials and Gen Z get their social video content? Increasingly, it is on YouTube or Instagram. Read the article here.

Scientists Link Selfies To Narcissism, Addiction & Mental Illness

The growing trend of taking smartphone selfies is linked to mental health conditions that focus on a person’s obsession with looks. Read the rest of the article here.

Instagram Meme Accounts Are Pretty Now

Teen girls are using a new format to express themselves and forge connections online. Read the article here.

Facebook Is Paying Teens To Install A ‘Research’ App That Lets It Monitor Their Phones

Facebook has stealthily launched a service similar to Onavo Protect, its vampiric psuedo-VPN that claims to protect users’ privacy but actually collects and analyzes their data. Read the article here.

Instagram ‘Implicated’ In Teen Suicides As It Prepares To Merge With Facebook

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.

Faking It: How Selfie Dysmorphia Is Driving People To Seek Surgery

Filters have never been more prevalent – and it’s leading some people to have fillers, Botox and other procedures. What’s behind the obsessive pursuit of a flawless look? Read the article here.

Negative Experiences On Social Media Tied To Loneliness

Using social media does not appear to reduce feelings of loneliness. In fact, it can make you feel more lonely, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. Read the article here.

More Than Half Of Kids Ages 8-12 Experience Cyberbullying

Bark’s 2018 Children & Teen Cyber Fact Sheet provides a collection of data analyzed from over 900 million messages across texts, email, social media, and school-issued Google and Microsoft accounts of 2.6 million children ages 8-17. Read the article here.

Snapchat’s Place In The Social Matrix

In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” analyst Debra Aho Williamson talks about the underlying reasons internet users pick different social networks, and how Snapchat fits in, both in the US and around the world. Listen to the eMarketer podcast here.

5 Gaming Myths Debunked

Games represent the largest category of apps available for download, according to research from Google and Ipsos Mori. Read the article here.

As Parents, We Need To Teach Our Teenagers About Social Media Safety

You can only teach when you understand the perils yourself. Read the article here.

A Letter To Teens About The Science Of Popularity… And The Best Ways To Use Social Media

An excerpt from the book “Popular: Finding Happinessand Success in a World That Cares Too Much About the Wrong Kinds of Relationships.” Read the excerpt here.

Study Shows Screen Time Has Little Impact On Mental Health?

Using phones, tablets and laptops is no worse for teenagers’ mental health than eating more potatoes, a new scientific study has claimed. Read the article here.

Graphic Pornography Is Making Teen Boys ‘Impotent’

Teenage boys as young as 16 are experiencing symptoms of erectile dysfunction due to excessively viewing violent and hardcore pornography, an expert has revealed. Read the article here.

Teens On YuBo App Ignore Risks To Gain Followers

Sharing personal information with strangers to gain new followers is a risk teenagers are taking on an app with similar features to Tinder. Read the article here.

Tweets Can Haunt Teens, Young Adults Years Later

Teens and young adults commonly post things online that will come back to haunt them. Read the article here.

Teens Are Spamming Instagram To Fight An Apparent Network Of Child Porn

#dropboxlinks has gone viral after hundreds of users posted memes about the tag’s concerning material. Read the article here.

Depression In Girls Linked To Higher Use Of Social Media

Research suggests link between social media use and depressive symptoms was stronger for girls compared with boys. Read the article here.

Esports Business Poised For Expansion In 2019

The esports phenomenon is set to expand even further in 2019, with Deloitte predicting the U.S. esports business will expand by 35%. Read the article here.

Social Media Use And Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From The UK Millennium Cohort Study

This paper i) assesses whether social media use is associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms, and ii) investigates multiple potential explanatory pathways via online harassment, sleep, self-esteem and body image. Read the research here.

Top YouTube Stars ‘Encourage Children To Use Gambling Site’

Vloggers popular with youngsters, including Jake Paul and Morgan “Morgz” Hudson, have promoted a “mystery box” site where customers pay to try to win computer games, trainers, toys or other items. Read the article here.

Twelve Tips For Parenting In The Digital Age

Tony Reinke provides parents with tips on how to steward teens in the digital age. Read the article here.

Worry Less About Children’s Screen Use, Parents Told

Most of the evidence in the review was based on television screen time, but also included other screen use, such as phones and computers. Read the article here.

How Much Screen Time Is Too Much? New Research Shows Just How Bad Screens Can Be For Kids’ Brains

The physical formation of kids’ brains is being altered by smartphone, tablet and video game use, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health. Read the article here.

Digital-Only Festivals Redefine Immersive Entertainment

Recently, brands are bundling aspects from both music and video games into can’t-miss digital-only festivals where participants tune in for immersive entertainment from the comfort of their consoles. Read the article here.

Teen Girls And Their Moms Get Candid About Phones And Social Media

NPR sat down with teen girls and their mothers to get a snapshot of what it’s like to grow up with smartphones right now. Read the article here.

Depression In Adolescents And Young Adults Is Rising: Are Phones And Social Media To Blame?

Some experts are debating whether the phenomenon of smartphones, tablet computers and social media is responsible for the rising rates of depression among children and young adults. Read the article here.

Teens Are Looking To Social Media Stars As Role Models, Survey Says

Many teens are drawn to social media stars as their role models instead of to their own parents. Read the article here.

Groundbreaking Study Examines Effects Of Screen Time On Kids

60 Minutes goes inside a landmark government study of young minds to see if phones, tablets and other screens are impacting adolescent brain development. Read the article and view the video here.

Technology & Christmas: Tips For Monitoring Devices

Here are some key statistics and helpful tips to make yours a tech-wise home for the holidays. Read the article from Barna here.

The NIH Is MRI-ing Kid’s Brains While They Instagram To Study The Effects Of Screen Time

The $300 million study follows 11,000 children at 21 testing sites across the country to assess how screen time, which includes mobile phone apps and video games, impacts their brain development and mental health. Read the article here.

US Kids and Digital 2018

What Matters and What Doesn’t for These Digital Natives. Read the report from eMarketer here.

How Teens Turned Instagram Into A Dating App

Dating culture is thriving on Instagram and other platforms popular with youth. Read the article here.

How Can Texting Affect Your Teenagers Grammar

TV might have killed the radio star, but is texting killing the art of communication? Read the article here.

Teens, Technology, Parenting and a Podcast

We are raising a generation of kids who are using devices and connecting with each other through technology in a way we didn’t—and in some ways, still don’t—experience. Read the article here.

Teens’ Social Media Habits And Experiences

Teens credit social media for helping to build stronger friendships and exposing them to a more diverse world, but they express concern that these sites lead to drama and social pressure. Read the Research from Pew here.

Emotional Competency, Communication, And Bullying In Adolescent Technology Use

Research shows that the abuse of technology is a damaging behavior and might cause psychological problems, social problems, or school problems. Read the article here.

As “Fortnite” Blows Up, Parents Need To Up Their Game

A new survey confirms what most parents already know: Kids are going crazy for “Fortnite.” Here are some practical tips to manage it. Read the tips from Common Sense Media here.

Fortnite ‘V-Bucks’ More Popular Than Cash On Teens’ Holiday Wish Lists

Some U.S. holiday wish lists crisscross all generations and some, well, don’t. Read the article here.

Instagram ‘Edges’ Snapchat As U.S. Teenagers’ Favorite Social App

85% of teens surveyed said they use Instagram at least once a month, compared to 84% for Snapchat. Read the article here.

Most Parents Let Their Kids Watch Videos On YouTube

Some 81% of U.S. parents with children 11 years old or younger let their kids watch videos on YouTube, with 34% letting them watch “regularly,” according to a new report from Pew Research Center. Read the article here.

How To Protect Your Kid From ‘Fortnite’ Scams

The popular game has become an easy way for scammers to trick kids into sharing way too much information. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.

Digital Media Is ‘Like Cocaine’ For Babies’ Developing Brains

Some doctors refer to behaviors resulting from overexposure to digital devices as “virtual autism.” Read the article here.

Many Teens Are ‘Sextortion’ Targets

Sextortion is threatening to share sexually explicit photos without consent if a person doesn’t agree to certain demands, such as sexual favors or money. Read the article here.

How To Host A Social Media Detox For Your Teen Or Tween

GMA provides a guide to follow if you want to try a social media detox with your own family or community. Read the article here.

Too Much Screen Time Is Affecting The Well-Being Of Children And Teens, Says Study

A new study advises limits on screen time for children and teenagers to help boost their well-being. Read the article here.

Parents And Teens Discuss The Dangers Of Sexting

Sexting is a growing trend among American teenagers, according to recent data. Read the article here.

Millennial Parents: TV Becomes The ‘Good Screen’

As millennials become parents, the family dynamic is completely shifting again. Read the article here.

The Smart Speaker Series: Kids & Teens

Nearly One-In-Five Teens Can’t Always Finish Their Homework Because Of The Digital Divide

Some 15% of U.S. households with school-age children do not have a high-speed internet connection at home, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of 2015 U.S. Census Bureau data. Read the article here.

Teens And Their Smartphones: Too Much Of A Not-Always-Good Thing?

Many teens regard their cohort’s smartphone usage as an ‘addiction.’ Read the rest of the article here.

Instagram Remains Popular With Teens, Their Most Used Platform

Marking a major shift in social media trends, Instagram has overtaken Snapchat as the most used platform among U.S. teens. Read the article here.

My Child’s Friend Has A Problem With Pornography! What Should I Do?

You’re probably taking great steps to safeguard your kids against pornography. Have you thought about how pornography may be affecting their friends? Read the article from Protect Young Minds here.

Teens Turning Off Cable In Favor Of YouTube

Teens are embracing streaming video — in particular Google’s YouTube platform — and are increasingly spurning linear pay TV services, according to Piper Jaffray’s 2018 “Taking Stock With Teens” survey. Read the article here.

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.