Last week, Harvard rescinded the acceptances of 10 incoming freshmen for posting racist, sexually offensive material in a Facebook messaging group titled “Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teens.” As intense as the consequence may seem, this is an important reminder that nothing on the web is private, even private chat groups.
A person is responsible for what they post, a lesson our kids and teens might not always appreciate. According to a 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center, 88% of teens surveyed believe that people share too much information about themselves on social media. I am definitely going to ask my teens what they feel is too much information. Also, 75% of teens said they either “frequently” or “occasionally" see people “stirring up drama on social media.” That is a lot of posts and messages that are all about drama!
We know it is popular for teens to have a main Instagram account and then a separate one, that is thought to be private, for closer friends--called a Finsta account. This is a great time to talk about these alternative accounts. Are they really as private as one might think? For some, they create a supportive small group so I would start with the positive—why might a person want a Finstagram?
In talking with younger kids I learned a cool analogy from a teacher I met while doing screenings in Hong Kong. He tells his 1st-grade students to think of the web as the ocean and when you are in it, how important it is to wear your swimsuit.
The action taken by Harvard is a great way to remind your teens about what they choose to post on social media. The students involved probably had no idea their posts would be seen by anyone but themselves, they were in a private chat. But “private chat” is a misnomer. These kids are the cream of the crop, and they didn’t have the wisdom to keep inappropriate messages out of the conversation.
For this week’s TTT, let's talk about posts and privacy. Below are some questions. These discussions work best when adults share their experiences and observations--not just asking youth about their experiences. We are all in this together.
** A little tip, I generally print out the TTT to bring to the dinner table since we do not use tech during dinner.
We would love for you to share this TTT any way that works for you, whether that’s on social media or via a newsletter. If you want to send it out in your newsletter we just ask that you credit us and link to our website, and let us know at lisa@screenagersmovie.com.
HOST A SCREENING to help spark change.
FIND EVENT LISTINGS
Do you organize professional development in schools? We now have a 6-hour, 3-part training module. Request more information here Professional Development.
Stay in touch with the Screenagers community on Facebook, Twitter and leave comments below.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Last week, Harvard rescinded the acceptances of 10 incoming freshmen for posting racist, sexually offensive material in a Facebook messaging group titled “Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teens.” As intense as the consequence may seem, this is an important reminder that nothing on the web is private, even private chat groups.
A person is responsible for what they post, a lesson our kids and teens might not always appreciate. According to a 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center, 88% of teens surveyed believe that people share too much information about themselves on social media. I am definitely going to ask my teens what they feel is too much information. Also, 75% of teens said they either “frequently” or “occasionally" see people “stirring up drama on social media.” That is a lot of posts and messages that are all about drama!
We know it is popular for teens to have a main Instagram account and then a separate one, that is thought to be private, for closer friends--called a Finsta account. This is a great time to talk about these alternative accounts. Are they really as private as one might think? For some, they create a supportive small group so I would start with the positive—why might a person want a Finstagram?
In talking with younger kids I learned a cool analogy from a teacher I met while doing screenings in Hong Kong. He tells his 1st-grade students to think of the web as the ocean and when you are in it, how important it is to wear your swimsuit.
The action taken by Harvard is a great way to remind your teens about what they choose to post on social media. The students involved probably had no idea their posts would be seen by anyone but themselves, they were in a private chat. But “private chat” is a misnomer. These kids are the cream of the crop, and they didn’t have the wisdom to keep inappropriate messages out of the conversation.
For this week’s TTT, let's talk about posts and privacy. Below are some questions. These discussions work best when adults share their experiences and observations--not just asking youth about their experiences. We are all in this together.
** A little tip, I generally print out the TTT to bring to the dinner table since we do not use tech during dinner.
We would love for you to share this TTT any way that works for you, whether that’s on social media or via a newsletter. If you want to send it out in your newsletter we just ask that you credit us and link to our website, and let us know at lisa@screenagersmovie.com.
HOST A SCREENING to help spark change.
FIND EVENT LISTINGS
Do you organize professional development in schools? We now have a 6-hour, 3-part training module. Request more information here Professional Development.
Stay in touch with the Screenagers community on Facebook, Twitter and leave comments below.
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.
