Why do so many people participate in social media challenges?

Last week, we talked about the Momo Challenge how it made sense that some parents were concerned about it. Even though it was a hoax, many feared that people online were taking advantage about how often children and adolescents use the Internet to an extreme.

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Using Social Media at Night

It may be hard for some to remember the last time that they got a proper, full night’s sleep. Schoolwork, jobs, and extracurricular activities are just a few things that can contribute to an adolescent’s hectic and busy schedule. Simply put, there aren’t enough hours in the day for people to do everything that they want, and they often sacrifice the time they should be using sleeping to get everything else done.

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Social Media as an Archive

Social media has been around for a really long time. You may have forgotten just how many accounts you have and on what kinds of websites you used to go on. Even sites like Xanga and random forums technically count as social media, because you interacted with others online. The Facebook account you used to use once upon a time is still there, even if it’s collecting dust, with all the old posts and photos you’ve forgotten that you posted.

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When Did You Give Your Child Their First Phone?

It’s difficult to truly disconnect from technology today. Even if you take a break from your phone, lock up your tablet to let it collect dust, or haven’t watched a show on an actual TV in months, screens are still everywhere. There’s electronic billboards, signs with pleasant robotic voices that dictate when the next bus or train is about to arrive, and TVs in stores displaying fashion shows, music videos, and anything else related to the content that they’re selling.

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Does Your Child Use Their Phone in School?

 

It’s well known by now that the majority of adolescents either own, or at least have access to a smartphone. Similarly, it’s also well known that adolescents spend a lot of their time using their phones and know it, using it more than other technology such as tablets and laptops.

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Is Technology Use Really that Bad?

There’s a lot of back and forth about the impact of technology on people, particularly adolescents. Children and young adults are constantly connected to screens, and Generation Z (those born in between the mid-90s and early 2000s) are the first group to have Internet their entire lives. Continue reading Is Technology Use Really that Bad?

Why has JUUL Attracted so Many Adolescents?

Photo by Sarah Johnson at Blacknote

Chances are, you’ve heard of JUUL. Like any phenomenon and trend, the word itself may cause an immediate response: recognition, mocking, maybe even confusion. But like any phenomenon or trends, especially one that’s mostly popular with teenagers and young adults, everyone has an opinion on them.

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Apps Monitoring Mental Health

Studies may differ when reporting just how many teenagers and young adults use smartphones – some list 89%, others say 95% – but it goes without saying that it’s almost impossible to see one without a phone in their hand or close to them. As the number of youths using smartphones increases, just like the number of youths being diagnosed with mental illnesses, some researchers are trying to see if one can help the other.

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