Publications - Internet and Media Safety

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. ”

Why people share murder, rape on Facebook, by Doug Gross, CNN, Aug 9 2013.

“Social media exposes the crimes, along with the poster's need to feel important or powerful,' said Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Cener at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. 'However, in most cases, it appears that the need for bravado is much greater than any concerns about getting caught. ”

Facebook Use Leads to Depression? No, Says Study, by ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily , Jul 9 2012.

“A study of university students is the first evidence to refute the supposed link between depression and the amount of time spent on Facebook and other social-media sites. ”

Validation: How Parents Can Help Their Children Cope with Bullying, by Karyn Hall, Psychology Today, Mar 3 2012.

“The recent shootings in a school in Ohio may or may not have been about bullying or teens feeling alienated and left out socially. But the tragedy of young lives ended too soon is a reminder that parenting today has challenges that have not been faced before, at least not in the same ways that today's parents face them. ”

Trying to Find a Cry of Desperation Amid the Facebook Drama, by Jan Hoffman, New York Times , Feb 23 2012.

“Specialists in adolescent medicine and mental health experts say that dark postings should not be hastily dismissed because they can serve as signs of depression and an early warning system for timely intervention. Whether therapists should engage with patients over Facebook, however, remains a matter of debate. ”

Seeing Social Media More as Portal Than as Pitfall, by Perri Klass, New York Times , Jan 9 2012.

“Though there are certainly real dangers, and though some adolescents appear to be particularly vulnerable, scientists are now turning to a more nuanced understanding of this new world. ”