Social Media
Distraction or learning tool? Learn more about how social media is used by students, teachers, and school systems
Student Well-Being
Pause Before You Post: A Social Media Guide for Educators in Tense Political Times
5 tips for educators and their students to avoid making harmful or false statements online that they later regret.
Teaching
How to Help Students Judge Fact From Fiction Around the Assassination Attempt on Trump
Conspiracy theories are almost certain to emerge on social media after a major news event, experts say.
Student Well-Being
Q&A
Why Educators Need to Better Understand What Drives Kids' Cellphone Addictions
As more school and day-to-day tasks are completed on smartphones and computers, teens struggle to manage their screen time.
Student Well-Being
Q&A
When Social Media and Cellphones Are Lifelines to Kids Who Feel Different
Like it or not, social media is an important venue for teens to find community and hone their identities.
Student Well-Being
Q&A
‘It’s OK to Not Be on Your Phone’: An 18-Year-Old on Teaching Cellphone Etiquette
Whether it's asking permission to take a photo of someone or dimming a screen in a movie theater, kids need lessons in cellphone etiquette.
Law & Courts
Student Says Snapchat Enabled Teacher's Abuse. Supreme Court Won't Hear His Case
The high court, over a dissent by two justices, decline to review the scope of Section 230 liability protection for social media platforms.
Federal
Social Media Should Come With a Warning, Says U.S. Surgeon General
A surgeon general's warning label would alert users that “social media is associated with significant mental health harms in adolescents.”
Ed-Tech Policy
When Schools Want to Ban Cellphones—But Parents Stand in the Way
Educating parents on the real threats cellphones pose to their children can help allay their concerns about safety.
Student Well-Being
Cellphone Headaches in Middle Schools: Why Policies Aren't Enough
Middle schoolers' developmental stage makes them uniquely vulnerable to the negative aspects of cellphones. Policies alone won't help.
Student Well-Being
Social Media Bans Alone Won’t Improve Mental Health, Say Student Advocates
Students need safe spaces and supportive leaders to talk openly about mental health in their schools.
Student Well-Being
Twice as Many LGBTQ+ Teens Find Affirmation Online as at Home
In a new survey, LGBTQ+ teens also say the political climate hurts their mental health.
Ed-Tech Policy
Biden Signs TikTok Ban Into Law. What That Means for Schools
Restricting the platform probably won't alleviate schools’ social media woes.
Classroom Technology
A Deep Dive Into TikTok's Sketchy Mental Health Advice
Students should apply the same media literacy skills to mental health information that they would to other content, experts say.
Classroom Technology
15 Reasons Teachers Say Social Media Isn't All Bad for Students
Many educators do see some positive impact from social media. For instance, the apps and platforms enable informal learning.