#Pew research on teens and the media

[carolinemillerbooks]

New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller

New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/one-true-thing-about-democracy/

One True Thing About Democracy

Many artists have recorded the song “You’ve Got to be Taught” from the musical South Pacific. Barbara Streisand is among them. It’s a song about hate. Actor John Kerr in the original film version explains. ”It happens after you’re born.” The philosopher John Locke would have agreed. He believed human nature began as a blank page upon which experience imprinted its truths. Hate wasn’t innate. His older contemporary, Thomas Hobbes demurred. Humankind was born with a brutish nature, he insisted.  The 2022 election has reopened the question. A recent study of outcomes revealed a stunning fact. A large swath of voters across the political spectrum favored uncompromising leaders who were decisive.  What’s more these voters would abandon democracy if autocracy protected people like themselves from groups that threatened their values or status. As evidence of this truth, the American electorate sent more than 100 incumbent and newly elected members to Congress who cast doubts about the electoral process, and who affirmed the 2020 election was “rigged.”   Equally troubling is the plethora of Internet hate sites that continue to grow. A recent Pew Report noted that 46% of teens use the web “almost constantly,” giving a boost to fearmongers and misogynists like Andre Tate. Tate describes himself as a “life coach.” One of his messages to impressionable minds is that women bring rape upon themselves.    Do Tate’s remarks and those of others like him prove humans have a dark nature? The prevalence of psychopaths in our society might give us pause. Or, do we learn from the example of tyrants?  Vladimir Putin is one.  His Ukraine invasion has decimated many cities, reducing their schools, libraries, and hospitals to rubble. What lesson does he teach? He owns many palaces while nightly, newscasters show us images of his victims–Ukranian mothers with babies slung on their hips pleading for food.  Is Putin incapable of remorse? Has he reduced his life to a game of winning and losing?  And, is that enough?  One Russian mercenary thinks it is. He makes headlines by beating his chest and challenging Ukraine’s president to a duel.  Tomorrow, I will fly a MIG-29. If you so desire, let’s meet in the skies. If you win, you take Artyomovsk (Bakhmut).  If not, we advance till (the river) Dnipro. Does brutish sentiment reflect a diminished intellect? Do people who behave like an animal think like an animal? History suggests otherwise. Tyrants like Caligula, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and Hitler aren’t counted as fools. Studies suggest wrong-doing may be an offshoot of creativity. It’s a talent that allows reprobates to offer excuses to assuage their conscience. Why did Putin invade Ukraine?  To rid the country of Nazis.     Despite Locke and Hobbes, we humans know little about our nature. We enter the world with two fears, a fear of falling and loud noises.  Do we extrapolate other fears from those? Or is fear more biological than philosophers imagined? Studies suggest it is innate, a neurological response to threat.  What we do know is that it promotes violence and hatred.  To those who would throw away our democracy, I ask that first, they appreciate its value as a bulwark against fear. To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity are the opening lines of the U. S. Constitution.  They hold the promise of universal suffrage and equal justice under the law. The ambition is noble and represents the best that is in us. Preserving that ambition exacts a price, however. We are obliged to make room for diversity and to respect habits that to some seem foreign. Yet to deprive equality to any individual or group destroys our mutual protection. As a consequence, we abandon ourselves to the law of the jungle. Or, we surrender our freedom to a dictator. Whether hate must be taught or is part of our brutish nature, we transcend both when we hunger for justice. One day, we may prove to be worthy of the democracy we have fashioned. Till then, we must guard against fear.  Democracy demands resilience. That is its one true thing. 

[robpegoraro]

Weekly output: teen social-media use, Google Maps Timeline privacy, journalism as a career, spam texts, Google Groups to dump Usenet

The last more-or-less full work week of the year is about to start, and I know I’ll be working the week after that to meet the last deadlines I have in 2023. 12/11/2023: Teens Are Online ‘Almost Constantly,’ Usually on These Apps, PCMag I got an advance look at this Pew Research Center study on teenage social-media use and found it enlightening–including the part where the teenagers in the study…

[mariacallous]

Squander enough time on TikTok these days and the signs of creative deceleration are everywhere.

“Try-hard” slang is spreading. Competitive aging is a thing. Classic episodes of The Sopranos are fed to you in polished 25-second bites. Last October, the 2004 cult teen comedy Mean Girls was portioned into 23 parts to unanimous celebration. (Did I mention pirated content is on the rise?) Everyone, it seems, wants to revisit the world as it was two decades ago, of all places, on the so-called app of the future.

Relics of the New Millennium are again in vogue, and especially on TikTok, where you get the sense that everyone is chasing the fantasy of youth. Except, it’s just that—a fantasy.

“I keep getting served TikToks on [high-yield savings accounts] and 401ks,” one of my colleagues commented in Slack recently. “I believe the olds are in charge now.”

She’s right, of course. Millennials are currently outpacing Gen Z in the adoption of TikTok in the US, according to Pew Research Center data, which shows that the app's 30-49-year-old demographic is growing faster than its 18-29-year-old user base.

Such is the way on the social internet; still, the enshittification of TikTok continues.

One tell-tale sign of late-stage social media is the endless vomit of nostalgia regifted in pretty packaging. Tastes have aged, and the user experience is no longer one of giddy revelation—at one point, the only reaction the app seemed to generate among new users—but one of odd comfort.

It was inevitable, of course. Seasons change, apps pivot, and users learn to chase the adrenaline of the future through new and exotic machines of possibility.

When TikTok gained mass popularity in 2020 during the first outbreak of Covid-19, it signaled a reorientation of where we place value. Tastes were being reengineered. The app’s offerings were as robust as they were confounding: dance challenges, beauty recommendations, racial appropriation, expert sleuthing, and more fed its algorithmic churn. It wasn’t just endless but entertainingly so, earning a reputation for setting trends and establishing itself as an unofficial headquarters for Gen Z influencers—and, because the internet is a repeated comedy of errors, later platforming de-influencers.

Today, TikTok operates as the ideal precursor to AI and what the next digital revolution is ushering in—a blurring of realities, a blotting out. Ownership over “the sense organs of the public,” as Nicholas Carr phrased it, is the endpoint, the very future that companies like Meta and Apple want to build. And so TikTok persuades as the perfect tonic: a world of cyclical multimedia that lets you create, live in, or simply spectate at will. A 60-second harbinger of all that is coming, delivered on demand.

For many people, the sensations of digital life feel most alive on such an app. With art, suggests Jackson Arn, extreme sensation is a fraught strategy because of what it pulls off: As the artwork seduces, it also disgusts.

I now wonder if that was the point of socially-oriented technologies all along. They make you feel a little more alive. Again and again, they unlock dormant sensations: excitement, awe, satisfaction. Even disgust has the capacity to captivate. Because even in disgust there is a need to share, comment on, or understand the nature of spectacle, and how it functions. Only, the seduction of TikTok captivates a little too well, and as you age, carrying the experience of life on your shoulders while trying not to be crushed by it, you find yourself craving those sensations all the time.

That seems especially true for millennials, who were guaranteed a future that never arrived. They were dealt a bad hand—several bad hands—and saddled with the failures of those who came before them without a blueprint for a path forward. In February, I received a text from a family member. He'd applied for the SAVE Plan, and we exchanged mutual angst over our financial misfortunes, how so many friends are in the same bind, bonding over the recognition of unnatural loss, of another future we’ll never know.

Last week at the barbershop, I watched as a young man in his early thirties thumbed from video to video, his neck craned into his iPhone, blitzing through TikTok. He sat in the chair for about 40 minutes, and as the barber worked around him, not once did he glance away from his screen, except, to exclaim, “Look! You gotta see this one.”

So when I hear that millennials are usurping Gen Z as TikTok's leading demographic, I'm not shocked. The organs of our digital existence, like the body, are connected, flowing as they should even when complete comprehension evades reasoning. All of it is intertwined. The increasing thirst for mixed reality. Gen Z abandoning the rituals of digital life altogether for a more analog experience. The decline of TikTok as millennials eclipse the platform. The previous world is ending. So is social media as we knew it. And we again want to feel something—even if, and only for a little while, that something is 2004.

[beardedmrbean]

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. teens say they feel happy or peaceful when they don't have their phones with them, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.

In a survey published Monday, Pew also found that despite the positive associations with going phone-free, most teens have not limited their phone or social media use.

The survey comes as policymakers and children's advocates are growing increasingly concerned with teens' relationships with their phones and social media. Last fall, dozens of states, including California and New York, sued Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children. In January, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about their platforms' harms to young people.

Despite the increasing concerns, most teens say smartphones make it easier be creative and pursue hobbies, while 45% said it helps them do well in school. Most teens said the benefits of having a smartphone outweigh the harms for people their age. Nearly all U.S. teens (95%) have access to a smartphone, according to Pew.

Majorities of teens say smartphones make it a little or a lot easier for people their age to pursue hobbies and interests (69%) and be creative (65%). Close to half (45%) say these devices have made it easier for youth to do well in school.

The poll was conducted from Sept. 26-Oct. 23, 2023, among a sample of 1,453 pairs of teens with one parent and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

[and-then-there-were-n0ne]

We launched the After Babel Substack eleven months ago, on Feb 1, 2023. We’ll have a post next February reflecting on our first year and looking ahead to our second. In this post, we highlight a few of our 31 posts that readers seemed to enjoy most, and that we believe are the most essential readings for those following this Substack. 

The central question animating the After Babel Substack is this: Why does it feel like everything has been going haywire since the early 2010s, and what role does digital technology play in causing this social and epistemic chaos? We explore the chaos in two primary domains: adolescent mental health (which has been our focus this year, as we worked on The Anxious Generation), and liberal democracy (which will become increasingly important in late 2024, as we begin to work on the second part of the Babel project, a book tentatively titled Life After Babel: Adapting to a world we can no longer share). 

The main line of our work so far can be summarized like this: We have shown that there is an adolescent mental health crisis and it was caused primarily by the rapid rewiring of childhood in the early 2010s, from play-based to phone-based. It hit many countries at the same time and it is hitting boys as well as girls, although with substantial gender differences.

Here is that main line in five posts, with a figure from each post:

Social Media is a Major Cause of the Mental Illness Epidemic. Here’s the Evidence. By Jon Haidt

This post frames the research debate and then summarizes the empirical evidence showing that heavy social media usage is a major cause, not just a correlate, of adolescent mental illness and suffering. (I also wrote a response to skeptics who critiqued this post.)

Figure 1. Percent of UK adolescents with “clinically relevant depressive symptoms” by hours per weekday of social media use. Haidt and Twenge created this graph from the data given in Table 2 of Kelly, Zilanawala, Booker, & Sacker (2019).

Here are 13 Other Explanations for the Adolescent Mental Health Crisis. None of them Work. By Jean Twenge 

Jean Twenge, who was among the first to diagnose the problem in 2017, raises 13 alternative theories that we often hear and shows why they don’t fit the facts. They certainly can’t explain why the crisis hit so many countries in the years around 2013. Figure 2 shows Twenge’s response to alternative #4, that it was caused by the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. It wasn’t:

Figure 2. Technology adoption, teen depression, and national unemployment, 2006-2019. Sources: National Survey of Drug Use and Health, Monitoring the Future, Pew Research Center, Bureau of Labor Statistics. See also Figure 6.39 in Generations.

The Teen Mental Illness Epidemic is International, Part 1: The Anglosphere. By Zach Rausch and Jon Haidt

This is Zach’s first post in a series exploring the crucial question: Did the adolescent mental health crisis just arise in the U.S., which would guide us to investigate causes within American society? Or did it happen in many other countries at the same time, which would point us to causes with transnational reach, such as digital technology? The answer so far: It hit big in countries that are wealthy and individualistic, such as all five Anglosphere nations. Part 2 shows the same trends in the five Nordic nations. A subsequent post shows that the international problems go beyond depression and anxiety—Gen Z girls’ suicide rates are up across the Anglosphere. (Zach is currently working on a post showing that the worsening trends are widespread across Western Europe).

Figure 3. Since 2010, rates of self-harm episodes have increased for adolescents in all five Anglosphere countries, especially for girls. For data on all sources, and larger versions of the graphs, see Rausch and Haidt (2023).

Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest. By Jon Haidt

This post picks up the analysis offered in The Coddling of the American Mind, whose subtitle is “How good intentions and bad ideas are setting up a generation for failure.” The post shows how three very bad ideas were nurtured on Tumblr, around 2013, and then escaped into progressive online communities (and ultimately into progressive real-world communities such as university campuses), leading to a sharp rise in signs of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness that was most pronounced in young women on the left. Just as Greg Lukianoff had predicted, these ideas amounted to performing “reverse CBT” on those who embraced them.

Figure 4. Self-derogation scale, averaging four items from the Monitoring the Future study, e.g., “Sometimes I think I am no good at all,” and “I feel that my life is not very useful.” The scale runs from 1 (strongly disagree with each statement) to 5 (strongly agree). 

Why I am Increasingly Worried About Boys, Too. By Jon Haidt

If you only look at published studies on social media and mental health, you’ll conclude that this is mostly a girl problem. Girls use social media more than boys and are more affected by it. But as Zach assembled all the research we could find about boys’ mental health, we found that boys are suffering just as much as girls, though in different ways. Boys’ sense of meaning and purpose collapsed as they retreated from the ever less appealing real world into an ever more immersive and addictive virtual world of video games, porn, social media, and online forums.

Figure 5. Percent of U.S. 12th graders who agreed with the statement: “People like me don’t have much of a chance at a successful life.” Source: Monitoring the Future 1977-2021, 2-Year Buckets, Weighted).

[newstfionline]

Friday, December 15, 2023

Few US adults would be satisfied with a possible Biden-Trump rematch in 2024, AP-NORC poll shows (AP) It’s the presidential election no one is really jazzed about. Relatively few Americans are excited about a potential rematch of the 2020 election between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, although more Republicans would be satisfied to have Trump as their nominee than Democrats would be with Biden as their standard-bearer, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. “Probably the best way to put it is, I find it sad for our country that that’s our best choices,” said Randy Johnson, 64, from Monett, Missouri. Johnson, who is a Republican, said he wishes there were a third legitimate option for president but that the political system does not make that viable and added: “We’re down to the lesser of two evils.”

House votes to formalize Biden impeachment inquiry (CNN) The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to formalize its impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Lawmakers voted along party lines to back a resolution that Republicans say will give them more power to gather evidence and enforce legal demands. Three Republican-led House committees allege bribery and corruption during Biden's time as vice-president.

Prisoners Sue Alabama, Calling Prison Labor System a ‘Form of Slavery’ (NYT) A group of current and former prisoners sued Alabama on Tuesday, saying that the state’s system of prison labor is a “modern-day form of slavery” that forces them to work, often for little or no money, for the benefit of government agencies and private businesses. In the lawsuit, the 10 plaintiffs, who are all Black, say the state regularly denies incarcerated people parole so that they can be “leased” out to produce hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for local and state agencies and businesses every year. According to the lawsuit, the system effectively resurrects Alabama’s notorious practice of “convict leasing,” in which Black laborers, from 1875 until 1928, were forced to work for private companies, who in turn paid substantial fees to state and county governments. Since 2018, about 575 companies and more than 100 public agencies in Alabama have used incarcerated people as landscapers, janitors, drivers, metal fabricators and fast-food workers, the lawsuit states, reaping an annual benefit of $450 million.

YouTube tops teens’ social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly (AP) Teen usage of social media hasn’t dropped much, despite rising concerns about its effects on the mental health of adolescents, a survey from the Pew Research Institute found. But the data also found that roughly one in six teens describe their use of two platforms—YouTube and TikTok—as “almost constant.” Seventy-one percent of teens said they visit YouTube at least daily; 16% described their usage as “almost constant” according to the survey. A slightly larger group—17%—said they used TikTok almost constantly. Those figures for Snapchat and Instagram came in at 14% and 8% respectively.

Anxiety and resignation in Argentina after Milei’s economic shock measures (AP) Julia González wonders how she will afford the three bus rides and train trip to her job in downtown Buenos Aires. Lucía Pergolesi regrets her best friend has been fired from her job in a government ministry. Hilario Laffite admits he will have to increase prices in the shop where he works. These are some of the faces of anxiety that Argentines are dealing with after President Javier Milei’s administration announced economic shock measures aimed at tackling the country severe crisis, including a sharp devaluation of the peso by 50%, cuts to subsidies and the closure of some ministries. Milei himself has warned people that these steps will cause some pain, but he insists they are needed to curb triple-digit inflation and have sustainable economic growth in the future.

As Russia Gains Confidence, a New Urgency Grips Ukraine (NYT) Ukraine faces dwindling reserves of ammunition, personnel and Western support. The counteroffensive it launched six months ago has failed. Moscow, once awash in recriminations over a disastrous invasion, is celebrating its capacity to sustain a drawn-out war. The war in Ukraine has reached a critical moment, as months of brutal fighting have left Moscow more confident and Kyiv unsure of its prospects. The dynamic was palpable last week, as Vladimir V. Putin announced plans to run for six more years as president of Russia. He declared that Ukraine had no future, given its reliance on external help. That air of self-assurance contrasted with the sense of urgency in this week’s trip to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who pressed Congress to pass a stalled spending bill that includes $50 billion more in security aid for Ukraine.

The E.U. agreed to discuss membership with Ukraine (Foreign Policy) European Union leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday agreed to open talks on Ukraine’s EU membership bid. Opening accession talks has long been one of Kyiv’s top priorities, especially as it prepares for another harsh winter of fighting against Russia. Although Ukraine’s accession to the EU is realistically still many years away, the decision to begin talks represents a major step forward and a big win for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Japan Wants a Stronger Military. Can It Find Enough Troops? (NYT) After 75 years of peace, Japan is facing immense challenges in its rush to build a more formidable military. To understand why, consider the Noshiro, a newly commissioned navy frigate equipped with anti-ship missiles and submarine-tracking sonar. The vessel was designed with an understaffed force in mind: It can function with about two-thirds of the crew needed to operate a predecessor model. Right now, it puts out to sea with even fewer sailors than that. On the ship’s bridge, tasks that previously occupied seven or eight crew members have been consolidated into using three or four. The ship’s nurse doubles as dishwasher and cook. Extra sprinklers were installed to compensate for the smaller staff onboard to fight fires at sea. The slimmed-down crew on the Noshiro nods to the stark demographic reality in Japan as it confronts its gravest security threats in decades from China’s increasingly provocative military actions and North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. As the population rapidly ages and shrinks—nearly a third of Japanese people are over 65, and births fell to a record low last year—experts worry that the military simply won’t be able to staff traditional fleets and squadrons.

Torrential rains in Gaza bring flooding and disease to displaced population (Washington Post) Heavy rains pummeled southern Gaza on Wednesday, bringing mud, flooding and in some cases disease to the thousands of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift tents in this corner of the besieged enclave. “We didn’t get our winter clothes from Gaza City when we left more than a month ago,” Ramzi Mohammed, 31, told The Washington Post in a phone call. Mohammed is staying in Rafah with his wife and three children. “The only thing we do during the night, we cuddle each other to warm up,” he said. Roughly 1.9 million people in Gaza—or 90 percent of the territory’s population, per United Nations data—have been displaced. Many now live in tents draped with whatever blankets or clothes they can find. “Blankets are not available in the market to buy,” Mohammed said. “But [even] when it’s available, I can’t afford the price.”

Images of stripped and humiliated Palestinians draw condemnation (Washington Post) The images of the Palestinian men, stripped to their underwear, forced to kneel, some bound, some blindfolded in the custody of Israeli soldiers, were certain to provoke extreme emotions. As photos and video spread on X, Facebook and other platforms last week, they were picked up by Israeli media. “Images circulate of dozens of Hamas terrorists surrendering in Gaza,” the Jerusalem Post trumpeted in a typical headline. Israel’s military, which censors the Israeli media, did not object to the characterization or prevent the images’ spread. Many in Israel viewed the images as evidence of victory over the militants who rampaged through Israeli communities on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people. Or righteous vengeance. Quickly, though, claims that the detainees were Hamas militants were challenged. Palestinians in Gaza identified relatives who they said were not fighters. Some of them were released. The images, rights activists say, began to convey something different, and darker: an attempt to humiliate and dehumanize Palestinians. This week, the United States, Israel’s closest ally, called the images “deeply disturbing.” Now they are an enduring cause for rage among Palestinians and anger in the region. For some, they stir echoes of the tableaus of torture that emerged during the Iraq War from the U.S.-run detention center at Abu Ghraib prison.

Support for Hamas grows among Palestinians in West Bank (BBC) Since the war in Gaza began, Israel’s military operations in the occupied West Bank have become more frequent, and more forceful. Here in the West Bank, 271 Palestinians, including 69 children, have been killed since the attacks—more than half the total number for the year. Almost all of them have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the United Nations. An opinion poll carried out between 22 November and 2 December by a respected Palestinian think-tank, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), found that support for Hamas had more than tripled in the West Bank compared to three months ago. Supporters of Hamas were still in a minority, but 70% of the respondents said armed struggle was the best means of ending the Israeli occupation. By contrast, support for President Abbas had dropped sharply following the Hamas attacks, the survey found, with more than 90% of Palestinians in the West Bank calling for his resignation. Raed Debiy, a political scientist and youth leader for the West Bank’s ruling party, Fatah, said the attacks were “a turning point” for Palestinians, just as they were a shocking turning point for Israelis. “The people, especially the new generation, are backing Hamas now, more than at any other moment,” he told me. Even his 11-year-old nephew, he said, had little respect for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but idolises Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida “because he protects us���.

The World’s Poorest Countries Buckle Under $3.5 Trillion in Debt (Bloomberg) At Manhattan’s luxe Pierre hotel on a late September morning, Adebayo Olawale Edun, the finance minister of Nigeria, tried to soothe the jitters of Wall Street bankers, pledging that his country would cut spending and collect more in taxes to make the crushing debt payments owed to foreign investors. But new documents show that Nigeria’s 2022 debt payments, the equivalent of $7.5 billion, surpassed its revenue by $900 million. In other words, it had been borrowing more just to keep paying what it already owed. A debt crisis is brewing across the developing world as a decade of borrowing catches up with the world’s poorest countries. In 2024 these nations, known to rich-world investors as “frontier markets,” will have to repay about $200 billion in bonds and other loans. The bonds issued by Bolivia, Ethiopia, Tunisia and a dozen other countries are either already in default or are trading at levels that suggest investors are bracing for them to miss payments.

[allthenewzworld]

Teens and parents agree on at least one thing: kids had it easier 20 years ago than they do today.

A whopping 69% of parents who have kids ages 13 to 17 say growing up is harder today than it was in 2004, according to Pew Research Center. And 44% of people between ages 13 and 17 say the same.

What they don't totally agree on is why it's more challenging to navigate adolescence now compared to back then. Parents blame social media, but kids name "more pressures and expectations" as the culprit. #allthenews

[tramngo]

Social Media Governance: The Social Problem of Social Media Threatening Youth Mental Health

In today’s hyper-connected world, social media has become integral to daily life, especially for the younger generation. With its rapid digital transformation, Vietnam saw approximately 70 million social media users in January 2023, accounting for 71% of the country's total population (Kemp, 2023). Among these users, 64.40 million were aged 18 and older, representing 89% of the population aged 18 to 25 (Kemp, 2023). This surge in social media use, particularly among Generation Z, brings to light significant concerns about its impact on mental health.

The Problem: Social Media and Youth Mental Health

While social media undoubtedly has its benefits, excessive use of these platforms is taking a toll on the mental health of younger generations. The phenomenon of social media addiction is real and can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness and isolation. A Pew Research study found that 45% of teens are online “almost constantly" (Anderson & Jiang, 2018). This constant need to stay connected breeds FOMO (fear of missing out), leading to higher stress levels and emotional instability (Sharma & Gupta, 2021).

Cyberbullying adds another layer to this issue, significantly impacting the mental health of young people. Cyberbullying can lead to psychological and behavioral disorders and even suicide (Garett et al., 2016). ISTAT data reveals that 76% of young internet users aged 11 to 17 have experienced bullying through SMS, email, chat, or social networks (Garett et al., 2016).

Who's Affected?

The Young Generation

Adolescents, aged 15 to 23, are particularly susceptible to the negative impacts of social media. Their emotional instability makes them more vulnerable to harmful content and online interactions. This age group needs the support and understanding of their families and schools to help them navigate these challenges.

Educators

Educators are indirectly affected by this issue. They teach and mentor students between the ages of 12 and 21, witnessing firsthand the impact of social media on their students' mental health. It's crucial for educators to recognize signs of mental health issues and provide the necessary support. By doing so, they can create a positive and supportive learning environment.

Families

Families play a vital role in supporting adolescents. Parents often struggle to understand and support their children while managing their own stress. Adolescents with mental health issues may need specialized care, and families need to prioritize their well-being. With the right care and attention, young people can overcome these challenges and thrive.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Develop School-Based Mental Health and Digital Literacy Programs

A study by the American Psychological Association found that schools with integrated mental health programs and digital literacy education saw a 25% reduction in students’ reports of anxiety and stress related to online activities (Abrams, 2022). Additionally, research by the Digital Futures Commission indicates that digital literacy education can significantly improve students' ability to manage online risks and maintain mental well-being (Mcguire, 2022)

Recommendation 2: Establish Robust Online Support Networks and Resources for Users

The Family Online Safety Institute reports that platforms with comprehensive support resources, including access to mental health services and user support hotlines, have seen a 30% decrease in incidents of online harassment and bullying (UNICEF, 2021). Instagram’s introduction of its “Safety Center” provides users with access to mental health resources, reporting tools, and support hotlines (Samhsa, 2024). This feature has been effective in providing users with the necessary tools to address issues related to online harassment and mental health. Implementing similar online support networks for Vietnamese social media platforms, including easy access to mental health resources and user support services, can enhance user well-being and provide timely assistance to those affected by negative online experiences.

Empowerment through education and support can transform the digital landscape into a safe haven for youth, fostering resilience and well-being in an ever-connected world.

References

Abrams, Z. (2022). Student Mental Health is in crisis. Campuses are Rethinking Their Approach. [online] American Psychological Association. Available at: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/10/mental-health-campus-care.

Garett, R., Lord, L.R. and Young, S.D. (2016). Associations between social media and cyberbullying: a review of the literature. mHealth, [online] 2(46), pp.46–46. doi:https://doi.org/10.21037/mhealth.2016.12.01.

Kemp, S. (2023). Digital 2023: Vietnam. [online] DataReportal. Available at: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-vietnam.

Mcguire, M. (2022). Empowering Digital Learners to Create a Brighter Future: A New Brunswick Digital Literacy Framework. [online] Available at: https://centresofexcellencenb.ca/digitalinnovation/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/01/EECD-NB-Digital-Literacy-Framework.pdf.

Samhsa (2024). KOHS Report: Online Health and Safety Resources. [online] Samhsa. Available at: https://www.samhsa.gov/kids-online-health-safety-task-force/kohs-report-safe-internet-use/resources [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024].

UNICEF (2021). Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it. [online] www.unicef.org. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/endviolence/cyberbullying-what-it-and-how-stop-it.

[nayaninarayana-mga2023mi5019]

Research: Body Image on Social Media - Negative Effects

Unrealistic beauty standards

Social Media users often use filters and photo editing tools to enhance their appearance and feature images with seemingly perfect faces and bodies which can leads to the creation of unrealistic beauty standards resulting in body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem in people.

Social media filters have led to a condition known as “snapchat dysphoria,” in which people become desperate to look like the filtered version of themselves. The authors of a 2018 research paper state that several plastic surgeons have shared that they’ve encountered people requesting to look like a “filtered” Snapchat picture.

Comparison and Competition

People tend to compare their own lives and appearances to the seemingly perfect images other people post online. However, those flawless images maybe not always be an accurate representation of people's everyday life. Seeking validation from strangers and basing you self-worth on the amount of likes, comments and followers could negatively impact one's self esteem and body image and even lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety when the expected validation is not received.

Cyberbullying

Social media can definitely be a breeding ground for, the modern problem of, Cyberbullying people based on their body size, shape or appearance. This will lead to negatively effecting the self-esteem and body image of people.

Cyberbullying might particularly be more challenge to deal with in comparison to physical bullying which happens outside of social media, as victims are more reachable to the bullies who can operate anonymously and make harmful comments without any concern for consequences.

A 2018 Pew Research Center survey found that 59% of U.S. teens have personally experienced cyberbullying. This includes offensive name calling and the spreading of false rumors, among other types of bullying.

Idealizing dangerous habits

Social media has the possibility of making people feel inadequate, which may negatively affect people with eating or body-image disorders, such as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

A 2022 study on TikTok and diet culture found that popular TikTok content often promotes disordered eating habits to viewers, presenting thinner body types as more ideal and preying on the viewers’ insecurities around their bodies.

A 2024 study noted that “thinspiration” or “fitspiration” is likely to trigger poor body image and eating disorders, especially in young people who are prone to these behaviors.

[brownrice03]

Navigating the Social Media Jungle: Tips for Teens  

Teens are particularly active on social media, with 95% of 13-17-year-olds reporting they use a social media platform, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. Furthermore, 45% of these teens are almost constantly online. While social media can be a great tool for connecting with friends, staying informed, and expressing yourself, it can also present challenges and risks.

[masonrxpharmacy]

Hey there, beauty squad! Let's talk about something real: the filter frenzy.  According to a recent Pew Research Center, over 80% of teens in the US use social media, and a significant portion use filters to "enhance" their appearance in photos and videos.  We get it – wanting to look your best is natural. But here at Mason Rx Pharmacy, we believe true beauty radiates from within.

Why Ditch the Filters? 

Filters are fun, but they can create unrealistic beauty standards.  Studies show constant exposure to filtered images can lead to lower self-esteem: and a distorted perception of beauty.  Wouldn't you rather rock your natural glow with confidence? ‍♀ 

Mason Rx: Your Partner in Inner & Outer Beauty 

At Mason Rx, we believe beauty starts from within. That's why we offer a massive selection of over 450+ health and beauty supplements designed to help you achieve a radiant complexion, healthy hair, and strong nails – all naturally! 

Here are some Mason Rx must-haves to ditch the filters and embrace your natural beauty: 

1. Suave Moisturizing Body Wash - Cocoa Butter & Shea (15 Fl Oz): Pamper your skin with this luxurious body wash infused with nourishing cocoa butter and shea butter, leaving you feeling soft and smooth. 

User Testimonial -

"I used to be so self-conscious about dry skin, but since using Suave Moisturizing Body Wash, my skin feels amazing! It's helped my confidence soar." - Sarah K., College Student 

2. White Diamonds Body Radiance Perfumed Body Powder (2.6 OZ): Keep things fresh and fragrant with this classic, light-scented body powder.

User Testimonial -

"This body powder is a lifesaver in the summer heat! It keeps me feeling cool and confident all day long." - Emily J., Marketing Professional 

3. Neutrogena - Beach Defense - Water + Sun - SPF 70 (1.0 FL OZ): Sun protection is essential for healthy, glowing skin. This broad-spectrum SPF 70 sunscreen provides powerful protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays. 

[learningworldblog]

Social media companies in the US get $11 billion in advertising revenue

Social media companies generated more than $11 billion in total ad revenue from minors in the U.S. last year, according to a Harvard University study

Related Article:

How to Delete a Page in Microsoft Word

Top 2 Technology Blogs for Latest Tech Updates, News & Information!

T.H. social media companies generated more than $11 billion in total advertising revenue from minors in the U.S. last year, according to a Harvard University study. Chan School of Public Health announced Wednesday. Researchers say the findings demonstrate the need for government regulation of social media, as companies that use their platforms to make money off children are failing to engage in meaningful self-regulation. That's what it means. They believe that such regulation and increased transparency from tech companies can help reduce the negative impact on young people's mental health and curb potentially harmful advertising practices that target children and teens. It points out that there is a possibility. To arrive at the revenue numbers, researchers estimated the number of users under 18 on her Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Pew Research. We then use data from research firm eMarketer (now called Insider Intelligence) and parental control app Qustodio to estimate each platform's 2022 U.S. ad revenue and how much each day children spend on each platform. estimated the time. The researchers then said they used that data to create a simulation model that estimates how much ad revenue the platform generates from U.S. minors.

Read more

[nghialtrn]

WEEK 10: Online harassment, uncontrolled language, and death threats. One-click from an anonymous through the screen

From bullying to slander and insults in cyberspace, 'online toxicity' is a fact of life for everyone, in which women, and teenagers... are the most victims easily targeted.

According to a nationally representative Pew Research Center online survey of over 10,000 American adults conducted in September 2020, 41% of Americans have at least once been the victim of online harassment in one of six categories: being called derogatory names, being deliberately embarrassed, being stalked, being physically threatened, being harassed for an extended period, or being sexually harassed (Bertazzo, S 2021). The Center's 2017 poll on the subject yielded a comparable proportion, but more recent data indicates a rise in claims of more serious offenses including sexual harassment and stalking. Even if there may not be a general increase in online harassment, the problem is becoming worse. It is evident that an increasing number of individuals have either encountered or are now enduring violent threats, stalking, persistent harassment, and sexual harassment, among other more severe forms of conduct.

According to recent research, over half of the questioned teens reported experiencing significant harassment online, and around two-thirds of individuals under 30 reported having encountered online abuse. Out of ten adult LGBTQ people, seven have been the victim of abuse online, with 51% being the subject of more serious kinds of harassment. In general, males report experiencing online harassment at a higher rate than women (43% versus 38%), while the rates of more severe kinds of online abuse are comparable for men and women. Additionally, studies show that women are twice as likely as males to report that they were very or severely disturbed by online abuse.

People's ability to engage with their communities through the internet and digital tools is becoming more and more dependent on them. These tools are used for everything from information sharing and searching to entertainment and sensitive question solving, education, and access to the outside world. The internet is predicated on the notion of free speech as well as the unrestricted exchange of information. Aside from emails, posts, chats, and livestreams on social media, the proliferation of the internet has also led to a diversification of targeting methods. Online harassment has become a common problem due to several factors, including the rising use of cell phones, extensive internet coverage, and more affordable costs. The majority of harassers, it is noteworthy, either deliberately ignore or are oblivious to the significant "real" implications of their actions. People can express themselves and seek information about their sexual orientation and identity on the internet, but many are attacked for doing so. These attacks can take many different forms, such as sexual assault, the disclosure of personal information, and image manipulation that is then used for extortion and reputational harm. Research indicates that political opinions, gender, attractiveness, and ethnicity are the most often targeted human or physical attributes in online abuse (Maeve Duggan 2017). Online harassment may take many different forms, such as doxing, online sexual harassment, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and stalking.

Effective social media management strategies necessitate a thorough comprehension of the numerous harms connected to distinct types of online harassment. Cyberbullying may have serious, perhaps irreversible effects on a victim's physical and emotional health. The nature of the action itself might have repercussions, even if the impact of harassment can differ based on its particular form. Devastating results can result from persistent harassment; many victims, particularly women, have spoken out about being the target of unwanted attention regularly when using the internet (Massanari, A 2016).

With a single click, online bullies, who are frequently geographically scattered and challenging to locate, may harass and abuse their victims in front of an infinite number of people. This typically presents serious obstacles for victims who want to take legal action. Additionally, a lot of young people make the mistake of thinking that since the internet gives them total anonymity, there won't be any repercussions for their horrible actions. The growing number of incidents of online harassment indicates that insufficiently strong safeguards are in place to stop online abuse. The term “anonymity” describes the practice of posting anonymous comments on chat rooms and social media sites that cannot be linked to a particular person. A person may choose a pseudonym rather than their own name if they wish to be incognito. Bullies may decide to use a pseudonym as a means of hiding their true identity when harassing others online. In fact, the victim might never find out who the bully is. The bully may hide in quiet places, even their own house, and act in ways they wouldn't otherwise be able to since they can stay unknown. Because they are anonymous, invaders can intimidate, threaten, or degrade others without worrying about repercussions or being recognized.

Therefore, we need to equip ourselves with the necessary skills to deal with these issues:

Block social media accounts with malicious intent: One of the common but insidious forms of online bullying is sending threatening messages. Bullying messages are not always explicit. Indeed, with such a message, you may never truly understand the sender's intentions. If this information frightens you, perhaps you should consider whether it could escalate into action. The best way to prevent online bullying is to block social media accounts deliberately sending threatening emails and messages. This prevents malicious individuals from accessing you further.

Preserve evidence: Evidence of threats, harassment, provocative messages, and harmful comments should be documented in real-time. In addition to keeping digital records, print them out when necessary.

Talk to a trusted person: Speaking to parents is not easy for everyone. But when faced with unresolved issues, you should talk and seek advice from your parents.

Limit the disclosure of personal information on social media: New users of social media often do not realize the risks when personal information is made public on online platforms. When something bad happens, users can become excessively stressed. That's why it's important to learn how to use social media correctly and know what information should be shared. Sometimes, you may not realize that you are sharing unwanted personal information online.

Report to authorities: In severe cases, report to the nearest law enforcement agency for legal processing. Strict compliance with the provisions of the Cybersecurity Law is also a way to protect yourself from cyberbullying. The difference between freedom of speech and personal insult is clear. Taking decisive action to end online bullying.

Avoid provoking the perpetrator: A strong reaction can exacerbate the situation and anger the bully. Depending on the situation, you may consider ignoring online provocative behavior and blocking or reporting such behavior to the website or social media platform. Usually, bullies are more interested when victims respond. If you receive emails or text messages from strangers, consider switching to a different email address, phone number, or social media account.

Conclusion

Digital technologies and the internet are playing a bigger role in communication and social interaction, but they also create more avenues for abuse and harassment online. Many victims of online harassment suffer severe psychological and bodily suffering in addition to being inconvenienced, with long-lasting effects. Even if there are several ways to deal with online harassment, to properly handle this issue, the community and authorities must agree and show support.

In this situation, it is crucial to have a thorough awareness of the different types of online harassment and to implement the necessary safety precautions. The most crucial thing, though, is to provide a kind and safe online space where individuals may communicate constructively without worrying about danger or injury. Technology leaders and the online community face a big problem here, but there's also a chance to create a safer and more pleasant social media environment for everybody.

Reference list

Bertazzo, S 2021, ‘Online Harassment Isn’t Growing—But It’s Getting More Severe’, pew.org, viewed <https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trust/archive/spring-2021/online-harassment-isnt-growing-but-its-getting-more-severe>.

Maeve Duggan 2017, ‘Online Harassment 2017’, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, viewed <https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/07/11/online-harassment-2017/>.

Massanari, A 2016, ‘#Gamergate and the Fappening: How Reddit’s algorithm, governance, and Culture Support Toxic Technocultures’, New Media & Society, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 329–346, viewed <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1461444815608807>.

Mishna, F, Saini, M & Solomon, S 2009, ‘Ongoing and online: Children and youth’s Perceptions of Cyber Bullying’, Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 1222–1228, viewed <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740909001200>.

[beardedmrbean]

A greater share of young adults say they believe in a higher power or God.

About one-third of 18-to-25-year-olds say they believe—more than doubt—the existence of a higher power, up from about one-quarter in 2021, according to a recent survey of young adults. The findings, based on December polling, are part of an annual report on the state of religion and youth from the Springtide Research Institute, a nonpartisan nonprofit.

Young adults, theologians and church leaders attribute the increase in part to the need for people to believe in something beyond themselves after three years of loss. 

For many young people, the pandemic was the first crisis they faced. It affected everyone to some degree, from the loss of family and friends to uncertainty about jobs and daily life. In many ways, it aged young Americans and they are now turning to the same comfort previous generations have turned to during tragedies for healing and comfort. 

Believing in God “gives you a reason for living and some hope,” says Becca Bell, an 18-year-old college student from Peosta, Iowa.

Ms. Bell, like many in her age group, doesn’t attend Mass regularly as she did as a child because of studies and work. But she explores her faith by following certain people on social media, including one young woman who talks openly about her own life and belief, which Ms. Bell, who was raised Catholic, says she finds more meaningful and relevant. 

The Springtide survey uses the term “higher power,” which can include God but isn’t limited to a Christian concept or specific religion, to capture the spectrum of believers. Many young adults say they don’t necessarily believe in a God depicted in images they remember from childhood or described in biblical passages, but do believe there is a higher benevolent deity. 

Other polls, including Gallup, ask specifically about believing in God and show a decline in young adults who believe in God.

The Rev. Darryl Roberts, pastor of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., says the pandemic, racial unrest, fears of job loss and other economic worries, stripped away the protective layers that many young people felt surrounded them. No longer feeling invincible, he says, some are turning to God for protection.

“We are seeing an openness to transcendence among young people that we haven’t seen for some time,” says Abigail Visco Rusert, associate dean at Princeton Theological Seminary and an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church.

At the same time many young adults say they feel disconnected from organized religion over issues like racial justice, gender equity and immigration rights. And belief in God or a higher power doesn’t necessarily translate into church attendance or religious affiliation. 

A Wall Street Journal-NORC poll published last month found that 31% of younger Americans, ages 18 to 29, said religion was very important to them, which was the lowest percentage of all adult age groups. A Pew Research Center study also released last month found that 20% of 18-to-29-year-olds attend religious services monthly or more, down from 24% in 2019.

Desmond Adel, 27, describes himself as an “agnostic theist,” which is someone who believes in one or more deities but doesn’t know for sure if they exist. He attended church every Sunday as a child, but doesn’t recall “which subset of Christianity” it represented, and quit going as a teen. He says he’s not 100% convinced there is a higher power, but “leans towards” the existence of one that isn’t tied to one denomination.

“I don’t think it’s like any Gods described by major religions,” says Mr. Adel, of Carmel, Ind.

Nicole Guzik, a rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, says she’s observed more young adults coming to Friday night services at the synagogue as well as monthly events that might include hikes and yoga in the park.

 “I think this demographic has a need to connect socially and spiritually,” she says. 

Christian Camacho, 24, was raised in a conservative Catholic household and says he has had doubts about God when his parents were going through a divorce and when he was dealing with depression. “How could God allow something like this to happen?” he would ask.  

Over the years, his image and perception of God has changed, from a judgmental punitive God of his childhood to a more accepting one. He thinks this belief is common among his generation, who don’t associate God with a specific organized religion.  

“A lot of people are turned off by the institutions,” says Mr. Camacho, who lives in Minneapolis and is studying to join a religious order. 

Courtney Farthing, 26, who works as a customer-service representative for a call center, attended Baptist and Pentecostal churches growing up and identifies as Christian. Ms. Farthing, who lives in Richmond, Ky., believes in God but says she questioned that belief as a teen.

Now, she says, she chooses to believe. 

“If I ever started to doubt, or believe there wasn’t a God, it would send me into a spiral of ‘What ifs,’ things that I would rather not get into.” 

Alora Nevers, a 29-year-old stay at home mom of four in Sidney, Mont., has always believed in God. She no longer goes to her Catholic church, where, she says, they talked too much about making donations. 

“I would rather praise God the way I do with my family. We pray every night.” 

[latinomuslims]

Despite negative headlines and growing concerns about social media’s impact on youth, teens continue to use these platforms at high rates – with some describing their social media use as “almost constant,” according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens....

[latinodawah]

Despite negative headlines and growing concerns about social media’s impact on youth, teens continue to use these platforms at high rates – with some describing their social media use as “almost constant,” according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens....