Publications - Internet and Media Safety

Kids’ Declining Mental Health Is the ‘Crisis of Our Time,’ Surgeon General Says, by Caitlynn Peetz , EducationWeek, Apr 25 2023.

“In a conversation with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders livestreamed on Twitter, Murthy called the increase in youth mental health needs “the defining public health crisis of our time,” and underscored that kids’ mental health has taken a hit as they turn to social media more often and at younger ages. The increased use has led to more feelings of isolation, stress, and inadequacy as they constantly compare themselves to others, he said. It also keeps kids awake well into the night when they should be getting much-needed rest and makes it harder for young people to focus.  The most recent results of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed an alarming increase of self-reported mental health challenges, most notably among girls and children who identify as LGBTQ+. The survey was conducted in 2021, when many schools were still in remote or hybrid learning, but illustrates how sharply children’s mental health needs have increased in recent years. In 2021, for example, 42 percent of high school students said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year, according to the report. This was a 13.5 percent increase from 2019 and a 50 percent increase from 2011. Nearly one in five high school students had seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous year, while 18 percent made a suicide plan, and 10 percent attempted suicide. The CDC’s report does not explore what is driving the increased challenges. The rates were higher among girls and students who identify as LGBTQ+. ”

For adolescents, social media might be a brain-changer, researchers say, by Madeline Holcombe, CNN, Jan 3 2023.

“Frequent use of social media could be reshaping how adolescents’ brains develop, a new study found.  Those who checked their platforms more often were more likely to be sensitive to general social rewards and punishments, according to the study published Tuesday. ”

Justice Department warns of dramatic increase in ‘sextortion’ schemes targeting boys, by Holmes Lybrand, CNN, Dec 19 2022.

“At least 3,000 minors, mostly boys, have been targeted by financial “sextortion” schemes this year, a dramatic increase from previous years, the Justice Department announced in a public safety alert on Monday.  Using social media platforms, predators will, in some cases, start communicating with the targeted minor before moving the conversation to a different platform that primarily uses direct messaging, according to the department. Victims are tricked into providing explicit material, and then the perpetrators will demand money – sometimes thousands of dollars – threatening to release the images to family members and friends of the victim, the department says.  “The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys — and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.  At least a dozen victims have died by suicide as a result of these crimes, according to the department.  The schemes, which have primarily targeted boys ages 14 to 17 – though some as young as 10 – largely originated from West African countries, including Nigeria and the Ivory Coast, according to the department. It’s unclear if these cells of perpetrators are connected.  Wray said that the FBI needs “parents and caregivers to work with us to prevent this crime before it happens and help children come forward if it does.”  “Victims may feel like there is no way out – it is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone,” the director said. ”

Facebook will try to 'nudge' teens away from harmful content, by Susan Cornwell, Reuters, Oct 11 2021.

“WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - A Facebook Inc (FB.O) executive said Sunday that the company would introduce new measures on its apps to prompt teens away from harmful content, as U.S lawmakers scrutinize how Facebook and subsidiaries like Instagram affect young people's mental health. Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, also expressed openness to the idea of letting regulators have access to Facebook algorithms that are used to amplify content. But Clegg said he could not answer the question whether its algorithms amplified the voices of people who had attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. ”

How to Detect Your Child’s Emotional Distress Before the School’s AI Does, by Julie Jargon, The Wall Street Journal, Sep 18 2021.

“School districts use artificial-intelligence software that can scan student communications and web searches on school-issued devices—and even devices that are logged in via school networks—for signs of suicidal ideation, violence against fellow students, bullying and more. Included in the scans are emails and chats between friends, as well as student musings composed in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Many school districts have used monitoring software over the past three years to prevent school shootings, but it has evolved to become a tool to spot a range of mental-health issues, including anxiety, depression and eating disorders. School administrators say such surveillance is more important than ever as students return to the classroom after 18 months of pandemic-related stress, uncertainty and loss. Critics say it raises questions about privacy, misuse and students’ ability to express feelings freely or search for answers. ”

Social Media Hurts Girls More Than Boys, by Jamie Ducharme, Time, Aug 13 2019.

“The public and experts alike have blamed social media for a long list of mental health issues, including rising rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior among America’s youth. But research on the subject is conflicting. ”

Video Games Aren’t Why Shootings Happen. Politicians Still Blame Them., by Kevin Draper, New York Times, Aug 5 2019.

“After two mass shootings over the weekend that killed 31 people and wounded dozens more, powerful Republicans, including the president, blamed video games. ”

Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, by Patti Neighmond, NPR, Nov 14 2017.

“A study published Tuesday in the journal Clinical Psychological Science finds that increased time spent with popular electronic devices — whether a computer, cell phone or tablet — might have contributed to an uptick in symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts over the last several years among teens, especially among girls. Though San Diego State University psychologist Jean Twenge, who led the study, agrees this sort of research can only establish a correlation between long hours of daily screen time and symptoms of alienation — it can't prove one causes the other — she thinks the findings should be a warning to parents. ”

Facebook artificial intelligence spots suicidal users, by Leo Kelion, BBC, Mar 1 2017.

“Facebook has begun using artificial intelligence to identify members that may be at risk of killing themselves.  The social network has developed algorithms that spot warning signs in users' posts and the comments their friends leave in response.  After confirmation by Facebook's human review team, the company contacts those thought to be at risk of self-harm to suggest ways they can seek help.  A suicide helpline chief said the move was "not just helpful but critical". ”

Addiction may explain the link between social media and depression, by Rob Goodier, Reuters, Apr 5 2016.

“Studies have linked the use of social media to depression, but addiction to social media, rather than use alone, may explain the connection, new research suggests. “We believe that at least having clinicians be aware of these associations may be valuable to them as they treat patients with depressive disorders. For example, they may wish to inquire about social media use patterns and determine if those patterns are maladaptive,” coauthor Ariel Shensa of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine told Reuters Health by email. ”

New Apps Give Teens Easier, Persistent Access To Mental Help, by Lorraine Sanders, NPR , Jan 13 2015.

“A growing technology sector is creating coaching, counseling and monitoring services for teens and young adults fighting eating disorders, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. The programs promise to open new avenues for those who want or need more mental health care but - because of high service costs, logistical hassles, struggles with stigma or other obstacles - would not otherwise get it. Many focus on crisis intervention - including DoSomething.org's Crisis Text Line, which provides teens free, round-the-clock access to trained counseling and referrals - as well as Mood 24/7, which lets people send a daily text message about how they feel to a doctor, therapist or loved one. ”

Have you had the 'sext' talk with your kids?, by Geetha Parachuru, CNN , Jun 30 2014.

“It’s called sexting, the act of sending and/or receiving sexually explicit text or photo messages via your mobile phone. And one in five middle school-aged students are doing it, according to a new study published in the medical journal Pediatrics. Among the 1,285 Los Angeles students aged 10 to 15 surveyed for the study, 20% reported having received at least one sext, while 5% reported having sent at least one sext. ”

Phone app keeps recovering alcoholics from falling off the wagon, by Deborah Kotz, Mar 27 2014.

“Recovering alcoholics who used an experimental smart phone app had a far easier time avoiding alcohol for up to a year after they left rehab compared to those who didn’t use the app. That’s based on a new trial involving nearly 350 recovering alcoholics, which found that those randomly assigned to use the app had an average of 1.4 binge drinking days per month - consuming three or four alcoholic beverages in two hours - compared to 2.8 days for those who didn’t get the app. The users of the app, called A-CHESS, were also 22 percent more likely to maintain their abstinence from alcohol, according to the study published on Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. ”

Less Sleep, More Time Online Raise Risk For Teen Depression, by Maanvi Singh, NPR , Feb 6 2014.

“The teenage years are a tumultuous time, with about 11 percent developing depression by age 18. Lack of sleep may increase teenagers' risk of depression, two studies say. Teenagers who don't get enough sleep are four times as likely to develop as their peers who sleep more, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. ”

Social Media Is Redefining 'Depression', by Anne-Sophie Bine, The Atlantic, Oct 28 2013.

“This online cultivation of beautiful sadness is easy to join: anyone can take a picture, turn it black and white, pair it with a quote about misunderstood turmoil, and automatically be gratified with compassion and pity. And this readily accessible sea of dark poetry could easily drown out those whose suffering has reached the clinical level. During the vulnerable years during which adolescents seek out self-affirmation and recognition from others, this new, easy promise of being recognized as strong, beautiful, and mysterious by Tumblr followers can be very tempting, says Dr. Mark Reinecke, chief psychologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. ”