Press

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook has known that its app, Instagram, can be toxic to its younger users, especially teen girls. The report revealed some frightening statistics found in internal Facebook presentations. 

This week, Christina Caron of  The New York Times interviewed The Social Institute’s founder and CEO, Laura Tierney, and other experts in the field to provide families with advice on how to help students develop a healthier relationship with Instagram and other social media apps.

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“If the last school year taught us anything, it’s that technology-enabled teaching is here to stay. And when it’s done well it can be transformative for any classroom. And when it’s done poorly? Well, the results are devastating learning loss,” Katelyn Donnelly, Investor, Avalanche VC, writes in her recent round-up of pedagogy-powered EdTech solutions. Check out what she has to say about The Social Institute.

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From gaming and social media to online classes, children are more connected to the digital world than ever before. This gives them access to information, entertainment, and opportunities parents never even dreamt of at their age. However, access comes with the risk of objectionable content, phishing scams, bullying, and grooming, so teaching kids how to face these very real dangers is key. Laura Tierney, CEO and Founder of The Social Institute, shares some advice on ensuring students have a healthier and safer online life.

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The pandemic has caused a spike in screen time, accelerating a trend of more students using technology. A pre-pandemic 2019 Common Sense Media report showed that students spent an average of 7.5 hours consuming digital media each day. A recent Nielsen survey found that daily average screen time among adults surged from 10 hours to 13.5 hours from fall 2019 to spring 2020. The Social Institute’s Annual Student Survey found that 42% of fifth graders own a phone, a number that skyrockets to 94% by the time they enter eighth grade.

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Students today are more connected than ever. Since the pandemic began, more schools are adopting 1:1 device programs and embracing new technology platforms. Students as young as second grade are now using laptops and submitting work digitally, and according to an Axios report, children ages six through twelve say they are spending at least 50 percent more time in front of screens than they did before the pandemic.

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