The Sift: Social media’s mental health risks | TikTok ban?

Social media features like infinite scrolling are “particularly risky” for kids whose brains are developing and more vulnerable to addictive experiences, according to a new American Psychological Association report. Although social media companies have taken some steps to protect youth mental health, the report’s authors say more needs to be done. The report states that social media is designed for adults, and it calls for AI-recommended content on platforms to “be designed to prioritize youth safety and welfare over engagement.”

• Discuss: Are current restrictions — like age requirements or platform “nudges” to close an app — effective at protecting kids’ mental health? What features make social media feel addicting? Should teens wait until a certain age to have social media accounts? Why are young people more vulnerable to addictive and distracting notifications on smartphones?
• Idea: Have students review the APA report and consider how they use social media in their lives. Ask students to make a list of pros and cons for using social media. Have them reflect on its effects on relationships, mental health, sleep, time, brain development, schoolwork and more.
• Resource: “Introduction to Algorithms” (NLP’s Checkology^® virtual classroom).
• Related: 
  • “Dermatologists say girls are getting rashes and worse from beauty products pitched by influencers and that it ‘needs to be addressed’” (Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune).
  • “What the evidence really says about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health” (Eric Levitz, Vox).

NPR has faced pushback for coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, with critics claiming its reporting on the conflict is biased. Some NPR listeners and a former editor have complained that the broadcaster draws more attention to the suffering of Palestinians than Israelis. In a column analyzing NPR’s Gaza news coverage, the network’s public editor, Kelly McBride, outlined underlying journalism principles of reporting on the war and responded to claims of bias. McBride acknowledged that there is more coverage of Gaza than Israel because there is more suffering in Gaza amid a humanitarian crisis and ongoing attacks. She added that a complete picture of the war is difficult to capture with many journalists in the region dead and others restricted from accessing the conflict area.

McBride also noted that journalists can no longer allow their work to speak for itself and need to show the public how editorial choices are deliberated and thoughtfully considered.

• Discuss: What other criticisms and responses did McBride outline in her column? Do you agree or disagree with them? What does it mean for reporting to be fair? Are there degrees of bias in news coverage? What can journalists do to minimize the influence of personal biases? What challenges do journalists face covering the war in Gaza?
• Resources:
  • “Understanding Bias” (Checkology virtual classroom).
  • Infographics: “In brief: News media bias” and “Breaking news checklist” (NLP’s Resource Library).
  • “Special issue: Israel-Hamas news tips” (The Sift).
• Related: 
  • “Leaked NYT Gaza memo tells journalists to avoid words ‘genocide,’ ‘ethnic cleansing,’ and ‘occupied territory’” (Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim, The Intercept).
  • “The chilling effects of trying to report on the Israel-Gaza war” (Dannielle Piper and Vinita Srivastava, The Conversation).
  • Video (link warning: violent images and sexual violence): “Middle East: Western Lens” (Hari Sreenivasan, PBS).

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