Who hasn’t been tempted every once in a while to be a little bit of something they usually aren’t? A little bolder, better, more opinionated or clever than we might appear in our everyday lives? I remember prank phone calls being a typical middle school way to get into a little mischief and “be” someone else.
I also recall hearing that drivers sometimes act more aggressively behind the wheel than they might in person. There’s something about the anonymity of being surrounded by glass and operating a powerful machine that gets a person revved up.
But what about the anonymity, or just the virtual distance, of being online? The internet seems to offer up the perfect forum to enhance or alter yourself a little. In Screenagers, girls talk about how they touch up their Instagram and Facebook photos before they post. Witty retorts in group texts or in social media comments can also earn you positive social media points.
In video games, players often create an avatar, which is their character in the game. You create your avatar’s look and choose your avatar’s accessories, weapons or car, for example.
And texting isn’t usually anonymous, but even when recipients know it’s you, the medium can embolden some people to behave differently than they might in person.
Here’s some food for thought to chew on with the family this week:
· Have you ever texted, emailed or made a social media comment that you would not say in person?
· Have you received texts, emails or online comments that you think wouldn’t have happened if you were face to face?
· Are you a different person in different online settings — more outrageous, more reserved, sillier, more serious, more confident, more attractive?
· What do you think about creating an online persona that’s different from your real-life personality?
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Who hasn’t been tempted every once in a while to be a little bit of something they usually aren’t? A little bolder, better, more opinionated or clever than we might appear in our everyday lives? I remember prank phone calls being a typical middle school way to get into a little mischief and “be” someone else.
I also recall hearing that drivers sometimes act more aggressively behind the wheel than they might in person. There’s something about the anonymity of being surrounded by glass and operating a powerful machine that gets a person revved up.
But what about the anonymity, or just the virtual distance, of being online? The internet seems to offer up the perfect forum to enhance or alter yourself a little. In Screenagers, girls talk about how they touch up their Instagram and Facebook photos before they post. Witty retorts in group texts or in social media comments can also earn you positive social media points.
In video games, players often create an avatar, which is their character in the game. You create your avatar’s look and choose your avatar’s accessories, weapons or car, for example.
And texting isn’t usually anonymous, but even when recipients know it’s you, the medium can embolden some people to behave differently than they might in person.
Here’s some food for thought to chew on with the family this week:
· Have you ever texted, emailed or made a social media comment that you would not say in person?
· Have you received texts, emails or online comments that you think wouldn’t have happened if you were face to face?
· Are you a different person in different online settings — more outrageous, more reserved, sillier, more serious, more confident, more attractive?
· What do you think about creating an online persona that’s different from your real-life personality?
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
I decided to re-visit this blog from the archives because our last podcast on how to have healthier parent-child conflicts was so popular, that I wanted to provide more help on this same topic. Here, I focus on the powerful parenting approach called the nurtured heart approach. Complimenting this blog, we posted a wonderful podcast episode from our archive that also examines this approach and provides many concrete action steps.
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The current surge in conversation and scrutiny concerning the impact of screen time on youth mental wellbeing, catalyzed by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's media tour for his new book, "Anxious Generation," is truly fantastic. This increased dialogue is crucial for understanding screen time risks and determining the best ways to support our children's mental health. Let’s not let this attention for the need for solutions die down! In today’s blog, I weigh in on four key points Haidt makes to keep the momentum in full swing.
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Snapchat has some pitfalls. I talked to two young adults about things to be aware of when using the app, including exposure to illicit content, the pressure of Snap Scores, and ads for platforms like OnlyFans. I also offer advice on how to help your teen manage their Snapchat usage.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
