NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS DOING TO TEENS
Late last month, the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory—a format reserved for public-health issues that demand the nation’s immediate attention. “Nearly every teenager in America uses social media,” the report read, “and yet we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it is sufficiently safe for them.” In response, the Biden administration announced a new interagency task force that has been given a year to come up with a slate of policy recommendations that will help “safeguard” children online.
THE ATLANTIC
How anonymity on social media influences online behavior, harassment
When Tionna Haynes was a college student, she became a target of harassment on an anonymous messaging platform after organizing racial injustice protests on campus. She spoke with student reporter Bridgette Adu-Wadier about how the design of social media platforms can influence people’s online behavior, as part of the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ series “Moments of Truth.”
PBS
What healthy social media use looks like
Based on my interactions with those under 35, I have made the following generalization. Young people today are increasingly eschewing meaningful friendships, intimate relationships, having a steady job, and being connected to a religion and a community in favour of spending a lot of time on social media.
THE SPEC
Why Canada needs the Online News Act
Digital Content Next represents more than 60 media companies, including Bloomberg, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. We support Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which aims to level the playing field between the duopoly of Google and Facebook and Canadian news businesses.
THE RECORD
Virtually try on clothes with a new AI shopping feature
When you try on clothes in a store, you can immediately tell if they’re right for you. And if they’re not, a sales associate can swap them out for pieces with different colors, styles or price points that better match what you’re looking for. Before you know it, you’re leaving with an outfit you love.