Social Media Harms
Social Media Harms
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    • Home
    • About Us
    • References
      • Adult- Depression/Anxiety
      • Teens 14-18 Years
      • Tweens 10-13 Years
      • Children 9 & Younger
      • Online Exploitation
      • AI
    • Media
      • Medium Blog
      • Podcasts
      • Videos - Social Media
      • Articles-Youth
      • Articles-Youth Up to 2023
      • Articles- Perspectives
      • Articles - Technology
      • Articles - Mental Health
      • Articles-Politics
      • Books
      • Videos - Technology
    • Activist Links
      • Activist Orgs
      • Tech-Trust & Safety
      • White Papers
  • Home
  • About Us
  • References
    • Adult- Depression/Anxiety
    • Teens 14-18 Years
    • Tweens 10-13 Years
    • Children 9 & Younger
    • Online Exploitation
    • AI
  • Media
    • Medium Blog
    • Podcasts
    • Videos - Social Media
    • Articles-Youth
    • Articles-Youth Up to 2023
    • Articles- Perspectives
    • Articles - Technology
    • Articles - Mental Health
    • Articles-Politics
    • Books
    • Videos - Technology
  • Activist Links
    • Activist Orgs
    • Tech-Trust & Safety
    • White Papers

Youth Mental Health/exploitation & Tools to Prevent Harms

  1. First Judicial District Court Kathleen Vigil Clerk of the court county New Mexico Attorney General Lawsuit Against Meta Sexual Exploitation (2023, Dec), https://nmag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-12-05-NM-v.-Meta-et-al.-COMPLAINT-REDACTED.pdf
  2. Schmill, D. (2023, Nov 18), Safety should come first on social media platforms, Kids Online Safety Act, pending in Congress, is the answer, Commonwealth Beacon,   https://commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/safety-should-come-first-on-social-media-platforms/  
  3. Associated Press (2023, Nov 26), Court document claims Meta knowingly designed its platforms to hook kids, reports say, https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-underage-users-meta-04c8797da2c7ff2021931536d324faea
  4. Molly Rose Foundation (2023, Nov), Preventable yet pervasive, https://mollyrosefoundation.org/resources/online-safety/
  5. Kerr, D. (2023, Nov 7),  Meta failed to address harm to teens, whistleblower testifies as senators vow action, NPR, https://www.npr.org/2023/11/07/1211339737/meta-failed-to-address-harm-to-teens-whistleblower-testifies-as-senators-vo
  6. Amnesty International (2023, Nov), Driven Into the Darkness - How TikTok's "For You" Feed Encourages Self Harm and Suicidal Ideation, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/POL40/7350/2023/en/
  7. Loffhagen, E (2023, Nov 15) Goodbye Omegle: how the anonymous chatroom traumatized our teen years, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/nov/15/omegle-closing-random-video-chat
  8. Feiner, L. (2023, Oct 24), Meta sued by 42 attorneys general alleging Facebook, Instagram features are addictive and target kids, CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/24/bipartisan-group-of-ags-sue-meta-for-addictive-features.html
  9. Rothwell, J. (2023, Oct 13), Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day, Gallup, https://news.gallup.com/poll/512576/teens-spend-average-hours-social-media-per-day.aspx
  10. Moody, C. (2023, Oct 2),‘IDK what to do’: Thousands of teen boys are being extorted in sexting scams, The Washington Post,  https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/10/02/teen-boys-sextortion/
  11. Common Sense Media (2023, Sep 25), Teens Are Bombarded with Hundreds of Notifications a Day on Their Smartphones, New Report Reveals, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/teens-are-bombarded-with-hundreds-of-notifications-a-day#:~:text=The%20data%20revealed%20that%20teen%20participants%20checked%20their%20phone%20on%20an%20average%20of%20over%20100%20times%20per%20day.
  12. Marquez-Garrett, L. (2023, Sep 5), The (Revised) Kids Online Safety Act protects LGBTQ+ Youth, https://www.losangelesblade.com/2023/09/05/the-revised-kids-online-safety-act-protects-lgbtq-youth/
  13. Geschu, M. (2023, Aug 24), How big tech exploits the LGBTQ+ community to avoid regulation, Washington Blade, https://www.washingtonblade.com/2023/08/24/opinion-big-tech-lgbtq/
  14. Jeff Horwitz & Katherine Blunt (2023, June 7), “Instagram Connects Vast Pedophile Network,” Wall Street Journal, https://www.wsj.com/articles/instagram-vast-pedophile-network-4ab7189 
  15. Hewett, H. (2023,  June 9), Why we should ban smartphones in schools, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/09/ban-smartphones-k12-schools/
  16. McCarthy, L. (2023, June 9) A Wellness Chatbot Is Offline After Its ‘Harmful’ Focus on Weight Loss, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/us/ai-chatbot-tessa-eating-disorders-association.html
  17. Haidt, J. (2023, June 6), Get Phones Out of Schools Now, The Atlantic,  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/ban-smartphones-phone-free-schools-social-media/674304/
  18. Kerr, D. (2023, Jun 2), One mom takes on YouTube over deadly social media blackout challenge, NPR, https://www.npr.org/2023/06/01/1179347910/one-mom-takes-on-youtube-over-deadly-social-media-blackout-challenge
  19. Mion, L. (2023, May 27) Virginia middle school students created 'fight club,' with some parents hosting: principal, FoxNews,  https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-middle-school-students-created-fight-club-some-parents-hosting-principal?ref=dispatch.techoversight.org
  20. U.S. Public Health Service (2023, May 23), Social Media and Youth Mental Health, The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html
  21. Pearson, C. & Richtel, M. (2023, May 23) Social Media Can Be a 'Profound Risk' to Youth, Surgeon General Warns, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/well/family/social-media-mental-health-surgeon-general.html
  22. Glorioso, C. (2023, May 10), Fentanyl Deaths Are Soaring. So What Happened to the NYPD's Overdose Squads?, NBC 4 New York, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/i-team-fentanyl-deaths-are-soaring-so-what-happened-to-the-nypds-overdose-squads/4319902/
  23. Kim, H. (2023, May 2), 'I found myself doing CPR on him:' Dad's warning about deadly challenge, Fox 13 Seattle, https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/i-found-myself-doing-cpr-on-him-dads-warning-about-deadly-challenge
  24. Doucleff, M. (2023, April 25), The Truth About Teens, Social Media and the Mental Health Crisis, NPR, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/04/25/1171773181/social-media-teens-mental-health
  25. Bronstein, R. (2023, April 13), An Open Letter to Snap, Inc. Founder & CEO on Putting Profits Above Children’s Safety, Medium.com, https://medium.com/@RoseBronstein/an-open-letter-to-snap-inc-founder-ceo-on-putting-profits-above-childrens-safety-b907d07775a7
  26. Vogels, E., & Gelles-Watnick, R. (2023, April 24), Teens and social media:  Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/24/teens-and-social-media-key-findings-from-pew-research-center-surveys/
  27. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2023), LGBTQI+ Youth, Stopbullying.gov,  https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/lgbtq (accessed June 8, 2023)
  28. Nesi, J., Mann, S. and Robb, M.S. (2023), Teens and Mental Health: How girls really feel about social media;  Common Sense, San Francisco, CA
  29. St George, D. (2023, Mar 30), TikTok is addictive for many girls, especially those with depression, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/30/social-media-girls-teens-depression-tiktok/
  30. Nix, Naomi (2023, Mar 8) Meta doesn’t want to police the metaverse. Kids are paying the price, Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/08/metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-harassment/
  31. Reily, R. (2023, Feb 22), 'Imagine the panic': A teen was catfished, extorted and took his own life. Now, his father is speaking out, USA Today ,https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/22/mississippi-teen-sextortion-case-dangers/11324554002/ (Instagram)
  32. U.S.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023, Feb 13), Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Data Summary and Trends Report 2011-2021, https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf
  33. Gordon, A & Brown P. (2023, Jan 29), Surgeon General Says 13 too Young for Social Media, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/29/health/surgeon-general-social-media/index.html
  34. Johnson, G. (2023, Jan 8), Seattle schools sue tech giants over social media harm, Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/social-media-seattle-lawsuits-mental-health-965a8f373e3bfed8157571912cc3b542
  35. Orygen, Revolution in Mind (2023) #chatsafe: a young person's guide for communicating safely online about suicide, https://www.orygen.org.au/Training/Resources/Self-harm-and-suicide-prevention/Guidelines/chatsafe-A-young-person-s-guide-for-communicatin
  36. Carville, O. (2022, Dec 7), The TikTok challenge linked to 15 kids’ deaths,Financial Review,   https://www.afr.com/technology/profits-over-people-tiktok-s-algorithm-has-turned-deadly-20221205-p5c3v9
  37. Chang, E. (2022, Dec 16), Cyberbullying affects almost half of American teens. Parents may be unaware, The Washington Post,  https://wapo.st/3j3Y6R6
  38. Vogels, E. (2022, Dec 15), Teens and Cyberbullying 2022, Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/
  39. Strauss, V. (2022, Dec 13), News literacy lessons: ‘Shark Week,’ Stephen Curry video, toxic social media, https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/12/17/news-literacy-sharkweek-curry-socialmedia/
  40. Barrett D, (2022, Nov 30), Poison pill: How fentanyl killed a 17-year-old, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/11/30/fentanyl-fake-pills-social-media/ 
  41. Southern Poverty Law Center-American University (2022, Nov 17), Building Networks
    & Addressing Harm: A Community Guide to Online Youth Radicalization Resources for Trusted Adults, Mentors & Community Leaders,  https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/splc-peril-addressing-harm-community-guide.pdf
  42. Meaker, M. (2022, Oct 3), How A British Teen's Death Changed Social Media, Wired, https://www.wired.com/story/how-a-british-teens-death-changed-social-media/
  43. Crawford, A. & Bell, B. (2022, Sep 30), Molly Russell inquest: Father makes social media plea, BBC News,  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-63073489
  44. Milmo, D. (2022, Sep 29), Molly Russell inquest must lead to action on internet dangers, says coroner, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/sep/29/molly-russell-inquest-must-lead-to-action-on-internet-dangers-says-coroner
  45. Lorenz, T. (2022, Sep 23), The online incel movement is getting more violent and extreme, report says, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/22/incels-rape-murder-study/, editors note: this article documents the movement's support of child rape, https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CCDH-The-Incelosphere..pdf
  46. Quant Lab at CCDH (2022), The Incelosphere- Exposing pathways into incel communities and the harms they pose to women and children, Center for Countering Digital Hate, https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CCDH-The-Incelosphere..pdf
  47. Richtel, M. (2022, Aug 22), A Teen’s Journey Into the Internet’s Darkness and Back Again, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/22/health/adolescents-mental-health-technology.html
  48. Fowler, G. (2022, June 9), Your kids’ apps are spying on them, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/09/apps-kids-privacy/
  49. Mendez II, M. (2022, June 6), The Teens Slipping Through the Cracks on Dating Apps, The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/06/teens-minors-using-dating-apps-grindr/661187/
  50. Castleberry, C. (2022, May 25), The Kids Are Not Alright: Addressing The Mental Health Crisis Impacting Our Youth; Parents, experts and young people shed light on why suicide rates for  Black teens and young adults have been alarmingly high—even before the  pandemic, Essence, https://www.essence.com/health-and-wellness/youth-mental-health-crisis/
  51. Marks, J. & Schaffer, A. (2022, May 25), Virtual learning compromised kids’ privacy and security, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/25/virtual-learning-compromised-kids-privacy-security/
  52. Harwell, D. (2022, May 24), Remote learning apps shared children’s data at a ‘dizzying scale’, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/05/24/remote-school-app-tracking-privacy/
  53. Williams, R. (2022, April 26), The US now hosts more child sexual abuse material online than any other country-Experts predict that without new legislation, the problem will only grow, MIT Technology Review, https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/04/26/1051282/the-us-now-hosts-more-child-sexual-abuse-material-online-than-any-other-country/
  54. Fairplay (2022, April), Designing for Disorder: Instagram’s Pro-eating Disorder Bubble, https://fairplayforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/designing_for_disorder.pdf
  55. The LEGO Group (2022, April 25), GLOBAL ORGANISATIONS CALL FOR TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES TO PRIORITISE CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING, https://www.lego.com/en-gb/aboutus/news/2022/april/global-organisations-call-for-technology-companies-to-prioritise-children-s-well-being
  56. Internet Watch Foundation 2021 Annual Report on Online Child Sexual Abuse Material, https://annualreport2021.iwf.org.uk/
  57. Joseph, A. (2022, April 12), Driven by fentanyl, rates of fatal teen overdoses doubled in 2020, Stat, https://www.statnews.com/2022/04/12/driven-by-fentanyl-rates-of-fatal-teen-overdoses-doubled-in-2020/?utm_source=STAT+Newsletters&utm_campaign=c1baae03a5-Daily_Recap&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8cab1d7961-c1baae03a5-151146021
  58. Jargon, J. (2022, Apr 2) TikTok Brain Explained: Why Some Kids Seem Hooked
  59. on Social Video Feeds, Wall Street Journal, https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-brain-explained-why-some-kids-seem-hooked-on-social-video-feeds-11648866192
  60. Hawgood, A. (2022, Mar 5) What Is ‘Bigorexia’?, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/style/teen-bodybuilding-bigorexia-tiktok.html 
  61. Common Sense Media (2022, Feb 4), List of Social Media Harms, http://d2e111jq13me73.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/list_of_social_media_harms_formatted_edited.docx_.pdf?j=8777238&sfmc_sub=217737498&l=2048712_HTML&u=188941597&mid=6409703&jb=3009&utm_source=advocacy_nl_20220203&utm_medium=email
  62. 5Rights Foundation (2021) Pathways: How Digital Design Puts Children at Risk, https://5rightsfoundation.com/resource/pathways-how-digital-design-puts-children-at-risk/ 
  63. Haidt, J. (2021, Nov 21). The Dangerous Experiment on Teen Girls, The Atlantic,  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/facebooks-dangerous-experiment-teen-girls/620767/ (Facebook/Instagram)
  64. Doucha, M. (2021, Oct 17) 'They are being deceived to death': Mom's plea for safety after son dies from drugs he bought on social media, NBC12, https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/they-are-being-deceived-to-death-moms-plea-for-safety-after-son-dies-from-drugs-he-bought-on-social-media/75-3432bcde-5f7d-4c61-8f1f-3f1b4b7e7b5e 
  65. Flores, J. (2020, Oct 2), Ex-Facebook executive says company made its product as addictive as cigarettes, CBS News,  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-addictive-as-cigarettes-former-executive-says/
  66. Center for Countering Digital Hate (2021, Dec 30) Facebook’s Metaverse, One incident of abuse and harassment every 7 minutes, https://counterhate.com/research/facebooks-metaverse/
  67. Solon, D. (2021, Oct 1), When one pill kills, Eight parents mourn children poisoned by deadly pills bought on Snapchat, Eight parents mourn children poisoned by deadly pills bought on Snapchat, NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/pills-bought-on-snapchat-deadly/
  68. Wells, G., Horwitz, J. & Seetharaman, D. (2021, Sep 14),  Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show, The Wall Street Journal, https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739?mod=hp_lead_pos7&mod=article_inline
  69. Twenge, J. & Haidt, J. (2021, July 31), This is Our Chance to Pull Our Teens Out of the Smartphone Trap, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/opinion/smartphone-iphone-social-media-isolation.html
  70. Bahrampour, T. (2021, July 20), Teens around the world are lonelier than a decade ago. The reason may be smartphones, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/teens-loneliness-smart-phones/2021/07/20/cde8c866-e84e-11eb-8950-d73b3e93ff7f_story.html
  71. Caron, C. (2021, June 28), 8-Year-Olds in Despair: The Mental Health Crisis Is Getting Younger, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/28/well/mind/mental-health-kids-suicide.html?searchResultPosition=1
  72. Cain, C., Criezis, M., Hughes, B, Miller-Idriss, C., Bates, L. (2021, June), Building Resilience & Confronting Risk: A Parents & Caregivers Guide to Online Radicalization, Southern Poverty Law Center &  Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington D.C. https://www.splcenter.org/peril
  73. Fraga, J. (2021, Feb 26) Digital self Harm:  What to do when Kids Cyberbully Themselves, https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/02/26/self-cyberbullying-digital-self-harm/The Redemption of Mohammed Khalid (2021, February 8), Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2021/02/08/redemption-of-mohammed-khalid/?arc404=true
  74. Morris, B. (2018, Dec 21) How Fornite triggered an unwinnable war between parents and their boys, The Wall Street Journal, https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-fortnite-triggered-an-unwinnable-war-between-parents-and-their-boys-11545397200
  75. Kristof, N (2020, Dec 4) The Children of Pornhub, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/opinion/sunday/pornhub-rape-trafficking.html
  76. Bowles, N. (2018, Oct 26) The Digital Gap Between Rich and Poor Kids Is Not What We Expected, New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/26/style/digital-divide-screens-schools.html
  77. Dwoskin, E. (2018, Sep 25) Instagram has a drug problem. Its algorithms make it worse.       Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/instagram-has-a-drug-problem-its-algorithms-make-it-worse/2018/09/25/c45bf730-bdbf-11e8-b7d2-0773aa1e33da_story.html
  78. Garcia-Martinez, A. (2017, May 2) I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/02/facebook-executive-advertising-data-comment



Suggestions for Parents and Caregivers

Every Day:

  • Listen to what children/youth are saying about online activities; note any sudden changes in mood such as anger, depression or withdrawal
  • Ask Questions
  • Discuss online safety and privacy practices
  • Encourage youth/children to critically examine messages they receive
  • Talk over current news in an age appropriate manner

Responses to Concerns

  • Take It Seriously
  • Create a Record - file reports with school, school district or law enforcement agencies.
  • Block offensive users, but do not delete personal accounts – you will need user account(s) as evidence.
  • Get Help Now: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Exploitation Resources
  • Financial Sextortion, Child Sexual Abuse Materials, Child Endangerment, Text THORN to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor 24/7 for immediate assistance. 
  • Sextortion: Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/sextortion

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