A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2023 post thumbnail

A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2023

I met Amelia when speaking at a high school in Central Florida, and was struck by her wide-angle view on the impact of social media in her life, and in the lives of her peers. I thought our readers could learn a lot from her insights, and so I asked her to provide this year’s […]

A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2022 post thumbnail

A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2022

Hey all, let me introduce you to Emily, a student I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with over the past year. I asked her to give you all an updated perspective on how she (and her peers) are using the most popular apps out there, and provide some self-reflective observations that can clue you into […]

A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2020 post thumbnail

A Teen’s View of Social Media in 2020

I recently met a high schooler named Eve, and appreciated our conversations about all things related to social media, identity, loneliness, affirmation, and purpose. I thought she would be an ideal person to share “A Teen’s Perspective on Social Media in 2020” and she happily obliged. Below are her thoughts; we both hope they give […]

A Teen’s Perspective on Social Media post thumbnail

A Teen’s Perspective on Social Media

Each year, we like to share a teen’s perspective regarding their social media use so that youth-serving adults can be “in the know” as to what adolescents are up to these days. I hope it updates you and provides an instructive viewpoint on the way in which teens approach technology use, friendships, online hate – […]

A Teen’s Thoughts on Social Media post thumbnail

A Teen’s Thoughts on Social Media

I get a chance to meet and hang out with a lot of youth as I help schools educate their faculty, staff, and students about promoting positive teen technology use. With some, I’ve developed a friendship and have met their parent(s), and it has provided me a sounding board off which I can bounce ideas, […]

Should You Give Your Kid Snapchat or Instagram? post thumbnail

Should You Give Your Kid Snapchat or Instagram?

Parents are constantly asking me about their kids and their social media participation. Among other things, they want to know what app or site they should start their child on.  I could recommend some that are specifically designed for young eyes and ears, but those aren’t as popular as the ones that the mass of […]

Teaching Snapchat Safety to Teens post thumbnail

Teaching Snapchat Safety to Teens

In my last blog entry, I sought to help readers unfamiliar with Snapchat with a primer on its background, use, and notable features. While emphasizing that the vast majority of youth use the app in positive ways (based on our extensive anecdotal observations), there are some negatives that may arise on rare occasions. It is […]

The Snapchat Revolution: Background, Basics, Pros, and Cons post thumbnail

The Snapchat Revolution: Background, Basics, Pros, and Cons

Snapchat. If you work with youth, you know it’s all the rage. And if you don’t, I bet you’re still hearing about it on a regular basis. Maybe you’ve taken the time to download it and use it. Maybe you have some familiar with how it operates, and why it is the next big thing. […]