Techdirt What An Actual Expert Thinks About Kids & Social Media
Jun 18, 2024
Candace Odgers, a Professor at UC Irvine specializing in adolescent mental health and technology, discusses the complex relationship between kids and social media. She highlights the gap between research findings and public perception, advocating for a nuanced view of teen mental health. Odgers critiques the moral panic surrounding youth online behavior and emphasizes the need for careful dialogue. She argues against oversimplifying the impact of social media, calling for tailored approaches that consider individual usage patterns to support families in navigating digital challenges.
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Research vs. Public Perception
- Research shows tiny correlations between teen mental health and technology use, both positive and negative.
- Public narratives exaggerate these correlations into significant causal links, creating a disconnect between research and public perception.
Moral Panic and Tech's Rapid Evolution
- The discrepancy between research and public narrative is partly due to a moral panic, romanticizing the past and demonizing youth's technology use.
- It also stems from the rapid evolution of technology and legitimate concerns about its impact, amplified by this moral panic.
Teen Mental Health: A Broader Perspective
- Teen mental health has been a concern long before smartphones, with about one in five struggling with persistent mental health problems.
- While increases in mental health issues exist today, there are multiple contributing factors beyond just technology.