Providing information and resources for parents, youth workers and educators to help kids navigate their digital world.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Teens and young adults commonly post things online that will come back to haunt them. Read the article here.
#dropboxlinks has gone viral after hundreds of users posted memes about the tag’s concerning material. Read the article here.
Research suggests link between social media use and depressive symptoms was stronger for girls compared with boys. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
Tony Reinke provides parents with tips on how to steward teens in the digital age. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many teens are drawn to social media stars as their role models instead of to their own parents. Read the article here.
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.
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 $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.
What Matters and What Doesn’t for These Digital Natives. Read the report from eMarketer here.
Dating culture is thriving on Instagram and other platforms popular with youth. Read the article here.
TV might have killed the radio star, but is texting killing the art of communication? Read the article here.
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 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.
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.
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.
Some U.S. holiday wish lists crisscross all generations and some, well, don’t. Read the article here.
85% of teens surveyed said they use Instagram at least once a month, compared to 84% for Snapchat. Read the article here.
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.
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.
Some doctors refer to behaviors resulting from overexposure to digital devices as “virtual autism.” Read the article here.
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.
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.
A new study advises limits on screen time for children and teenagers to help boost their well-being. Read the article here.
Sexting is a growing trend among American teenagers, according to recent data. Read the article here.
As millennials become parents, the family dynamic is completely shifting again. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
So which video games are gamers most anxious to sink their teeth into this year? Read the report from Nielsen here.
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.
Despite a ‘no nudity’ policy, porn is thriving on Instagram. Why is this the case? Read the article here.
Harassment on the platform can be uniquely cruel, and for many it feels like there’s no escape. Read the article here.
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.
Your teens calculator app? It could be a digital safe, hiding photos they don’t want you to see. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 for mobile devices, Family Link, will now help parents of teenagers, too. Read the article here.
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.
Tony Reinke gives practical advice for parenting digital natives. Listen to the podcast episode here.
How exactly can we warn against pornography without traumatizing our child? Read the article here.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Child psychiatrists have expressed alarm over a sharp rise in self-harm among teenagers since the advent of social media. Read the article here.
Many parents think teens are too absorbed by screens. Teens agree. Read the article here.
Parents are trying to limit the amount of time their teens spend on their phones, with mixed results. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Kids aren’t the only ones struggling to self-regulate their screen time. Read the article here.
Nearly 40 percent of teen drivers in the United States say they text while driving, a new survey finds. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
Under new legislation, French students will be prohibited from using smartphones and tablets while at school. Read the article here.
High-schoolers today are texting, scrolling and using social media instead of reading books and magazines. Read the article here.
The horrific “Momo” WhatsApp ‘suicide game’ linked to the death of at least one teen has appeared in “Minecraft.” Read the article here.
It seems like teenagers would appreciate taking a break from their smartphones, if only they knew how. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This year’s hottest social media can fill the school day with drama and distraction. Read the article from Common Sense Media here.
Tbh, a former Facebook owned app, created private Instagram accounts, then followed teen users to trigger their curiosity. 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.
What can be done to overcome anxiety? And why parents may be contributing to the problem. Read the article here.
Streaming service spotted the demand when viewers accessed its catalogue of classic romantic comedies. Read the article here.
A new phenomenon called Snapchat dysmorphia has popped up. Read the article here.
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.
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.
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.