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Teaching moments this week from Punch the Monkey, Meta scam alerts, and iPads popping up in Kindergarten

New scam alerts feature from Meta aims to help users better identify online frauds 

The Gist: Meta is rolling out new scam-prevention tools across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger to help users recognize suspicious activity before it leads to fraud. As online scams continue to evolve, these updates aim to give users a moment to pause and think before accepting friend requests, linking accounts, or responding to unexpected messages. For students who regularly connect with friends and various communities online, these changes raise an important question: how can we empower students to protect their privacy and spot potential scams before they engage with them, whether alerts are present or not?

What to Know: Meta recently announced new protections across several of its platforms designed to help users identify potential scams before engaging with them. According to reporting from Social Media Today, the updates include warnings on Facebook when a friend request may be suspicious, which could help users think twice before connecting with unfamiliar accounts.

On WhatsApp, users may now see alerts if someone attempts to link their account to another unauthorized device. These notifications give users the opportunity to review the request and confirm whether it is legitimate to prevent account hacking. 

Messenger is also introducing A.I.-powered scam detection tools that can identify messages that resemble common scams, such as fake job offers or requests for personal information. When these messages are flagged, users may receive a warning that encourages them to review the message carefully before continuing the conversation.

These features are part of Meta’s broader effort to reduce fraud across its apps and help users recognize suspicious behavior before it leads to harm. 

TSI’s Take: While tools like these can add an extra layer of protection, they also highlight the need to equip students with critical thinking skills to protect their privacy and avoid potential scams online. Fake accounts and scams can appear on nearly any platform and impact anyone navigating social media, no matter their age. So the key is to equip students early on with these skills. For students navigating social media, this means learning how to protect their privacy and make thoughtful decisions about who they connect with online. When students understand how scams work, they’re better equipped to recognize warning signs and stay in control of their online experiences. Students can strengthen these skills by:

• Thinking carefully before accepting friend requests from people they don’t know
• Avoiding sharing personal information such as their phone number, location, or passwords
• Pausing to evaluate unexpected messages, especially ones involving money, jobs, or urgent requests
• Reporting suspicious activity or accounts to a trusted adult or directly within the platform

To help students strengthen these skills, schools can explore the #WinAtSocial Lesson, A.I. Powered Scams, which helps students understand how emerging technologies are being used in scams and how they can recognize and avoid privacy risks online. 

Screens in Kindergarten: Helpful tool or growing concern?

The Gist: A recent report from The New York Times highlights growing conversations around how often devices like iPads and tablets are used during the school day. And they’re getting them as early as Kindergarten. As technology becomes more common in K–5 classrooms, students are expressing a desire to reduce digital distractions. Schools have a powerful opportunity to teach students how to strike a balance early, whether they are at home or school, to help create a culture where students show up ready to learn.

What to Know: Concerns about screen use in schools are gaining attention as devices become increasingly common in classrooms. The New York Times reports that some schools now incorporate tablets and other digital tools into lessons beginning as early as kindergarten, prompting parents and educators to question how screen time may impact young students’ focus, social development, and opportunities for hands-on learning during the school day. Dr. Michael Glazier, chief medical officer of Bluebird Kids Health, explained to The New York Times that “Screen time, when it’s purposeful, can augment the work of the teacher, and it can be wonderfully complementary.” However, he also noted that challenges arise when screens become the default activity rather than a tool used alongside hands-on learning and discussion.

While school communities field concerns from parents and educators about excessive screen time use, teens are sharing a desire to build healthy tech habits and reduce their time online. Axios reports a growing trend of students going back to using the iPod, which some Gen Z users say is an effort to help them focus and minimize the distractions caused by their iPhones. Together, these trends reflect a broader conversation about how students’ interactions with technology can impact things like sleep, making them show up to class tired and distracted.

TSI’s Take: Whether students are using tablets in the classroom or listening to music while studying, balance comes from learning when technology is helping them focus and when it might be distracting them.

To empower students to strike a healthy balance, educators can encourage students to:

• Check their screen time stats to understand when notifications or multiple apps start to distract them
• Have tech-free time: Set aside moments during the day to unplug and focus on schoolwork, hobbies, or time with friends and family
• Practice simple habits that help them stay focused on one thing at a time, like utilizing ‘do not disturb’ features or leaving devices in a separate room. 

Learning how to balance technology can start early. The Social Institute offers offline K–2 Lessons that help students practice modern life skills and explore ways to balance technology with real-world activities. 

Can Social Media Build Empathy? What new research and Punch, the viral monkey, reveal

The Gist: It’s not uncommon to hear about the negative impact social media can have on teen well-being, but new research suggests the relationship between technology and social development may be more complex, and not so negative. Researchers at Georgia State University found that teens who use social media frequently commonly show higher levels of empathy. As students continue to communicate, share stories, and respond to global events online, this research highlights how they can build their understanding of others and use their mic for good to make a positive change in their communities, online and offline.  

What to Know: A new meta-analysis involving more than 10,000 adolescents around the age of 16 found that teenagers who reported using social media more often showed slightly higher levels of empathy compared with those who used it less frequently. The researchers suggest that social media may provide opportunities for teens to encounter different perspectives and share personal experiences that strengthen skills that can positively impact their well-being, like empathy. 

One example of how online content can spark empathy is the viral story of “Punch the Monkey,” a rescued monkey whose unexpected friendship and recovery captured attention across social media. The story resonated with viewers and encouraged conversations about kindness toward animals and compassion more broadly.

TSI’s Take: Viral moments like the story of Punch the Monkey show how content online can spark empathy and remind people to care for others, including animals and the environment. Schools can equip students to use their mics for good and inspire positive change by:

• Sharing stories or content that highlight kindness, compassion, or helpful causes
• Supporting others online through encouraging comments or messages
• Thinking about how their posts might impact the people who see them
• Using their voice to spread awareness about issues they care about

To help students build these skills, schools can explore the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Help for Those in Need, in which students huddle about ways even the youngest can support others after a major natural disaster.

Social media updates that help students recognize scams and viral moments that spark worldwide empathy are reminders that success today requires more than reading, writing, and math. Students need modern life skills to fully engage with learning and navigate their everyday experiences. The Social Institute makes it easy to support students, educators, and families with the tools they need to build modern life skills through a turnkey, comprehensive approach designed for real-world impact. Request a demo today.

The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in equipping students to navigate learning & well-being in a tech-fueled world. Through #WinAtSocial, our interactive, peer-to-peer learning platform, we empower students, educators, and families to make high-character choices online and offline. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach essential skills while capturing student voice and actionable insights for educators. These insights help educators maintain a healthy school culture, foster high-impact teaching, and build meaningful relationships with families. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips students authentically, enabling our solution to increase classroom participation and improve student-teacher relationships. Through our one-of-a-kind lesson development process, we create lessons for a variety of core and elective classes while incorporating timely topics like social media, A.I., screen time, misinformation, and current events to help schools stay proactive in how they support student health, happiness, and academic success.