Why We Must Involve Youth in Tech Discussions

Many teenage boys say they’re online almost constantly📱. Social media algorithms may feed them negative information about complex topics like masculinity, relationships, and consent. April Wilson, Ph.D. shares five research-backed ideas to help boys use tech in ways that are respectful. Read her blog for more information on each. 1.     Model and name the concepts of “harm” and “respect” daily. 2.     Tune their social media feeds. 3.     Build a pause-before-sharing habit. 4.     Set and maintain online guardrails. 5.     Develop upstander (not bystander) skills in boys. https://lnkd.in/gjy--a79

Scroll through Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat and you’ll see filters that smooth skin, enlarge eyes, or slim faces. These filters are not just changing appearances — they’re shaping how a generation sees itself, and how others see them. Why this matters • Research shows beauty filters increase appearance pressure and body dissatisfaction among teenagers. • A Computers in Human Behavior study found slimming filters heighten desire for thinness and self-objectification. • Beautifying AR filters lower self-esteem, especially among girls with low confidence (Computers in Human Behavior Reports). • Over 60% of teenagers say filters make them feel worse about their real appearance (MySocialife, 2024). The harm goes beyond body image. When filters se*ualise facial features or body shapes, they normalise the hyper-sexualisation of children and young people online. These distorted portrayals make minors appear older, blur boundaries between adolescence and adulthood, and can be exploited by online predators and abusers. What needs to be done ✅ Filter transparency – Platforms must label edited or AI-generated images and limit beautifying filters for minors. TikTok’s decision to block some filters for teens is a positive start. ✅ Digital literacy and safety – Parents, schools, and young people must understand how filters and grooming tactics work, and how to respond safely. ✅ Authenticity and empowerment – Encourage real, unfiltered images and promote representation that empowers rather than objectifies. ✅ Policy and accountability – Governments and tech firms must regulate tools that sexualise minors, monitor abuse, and enforce stronger reporting systems. At ChildSafeNet, we believe every child deserves to grow up in a digital world that protects their dignity — not one that profits from their vulnerability. Technology must empower, educate, and protect, not exploit. Read More From Filters to Feelings: The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers’ Body Image, Medium - https://lnkd.in/g74d2Bxx TikTok and body image: idealistic content may be detrimental to mental health, UNSW - https://lnkd.in/gwgnbFPR The Link Between Social Media and Body Image Issues Among Youth in the United States, Ballard Brief - https://lnkd.in/g_dxfc9V The Impact of Social Media on Body Image Perception in Young People, Czubaj et Al, @ - https://lnkd.in/g8RYU86r Is the TikTok beauty filter ban good for teens? Experts say yes, TRT World - https://lnkd.in/gMTvrrpc Image: AI-generated by ChildSafeNet Common Sense Media Sue Atkins Alessandra Guedes The Safe AI For Children Alliance Safe Online Tech Coalition WeProtect Global Alliance eSafety Commissioner Childlight - Global Child Safety Institute #ChildSafeNet #DigitalWellbeing #YouthMentalHealth #OnlineSafety #BeautyStandards

We’re expanding testing of AI technology in Australia to better protect teens on Instagram: ⏩ Safer Teen Settings – suspected under-18 accounts that list an adult birthday will automatically be placed into Teen Account settings, limiting who can contact them and the content they see. ⏩ Parental Guidance – new in-app prompts will encourage parents to have conversations with their teens about providing the right age and creating safer, age-appropriate experiences. Early results are promising: in the US, 9 out of 10 active teen accounts stayed in protections that reduce unwanted content. This is another step in our commitment to invest in technology, tools, and education that help teens have safer, more positive online experiences. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gV2KvSKc #OnlineSafety #Instagram #TeenAccounts

As a parent of teens, I’m particularly excited to share two big updates for teen safety that we announced this week. Firstly, Instagram Teen Accounts will now be guided by PG-13 movie ratings by default – meaning teens will see content on Instagram that’s similar to what they’d see in a PG-13 rated movie. These protections also apply to our AI products, meaning AIs should not give age-inappropriate responses that would feel out of place in a PG-13 movie. We’re also introducing a new, strict option called “Limited Content”, for parents who’d like extra controls. We’ve listened to +150,000 parents globally, gathering +3 million content ratings to refine our age-appropriate guidelines. The updates have started rolling out in the UK, US Australia and Canada – and will come to the EU early next year. And just today, we announced our plans to introduce new supervision tools for parents to empower them to make informed decisions about the AI characters their teens chat with. We’re soon going to be giving parents the option to turn off their teen’s access to one-on-one chats with AI characters entirely or to block specific AI characters and also provide parents with insights into the topics their teens are chatting about with AI characters – and Meta’s AI assistant. These new parental controls are in addition to the protections we already automatically apply to Teen Accounts, and we’ve also started to use AI technology to place suspected teens into these protections, even if they tell us they’re adults. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/efPqY-pw

Great to see Meta taking the lead on keeping users safe. Safety is always contextual, and guardrails should reflect the needs and circumstances of each user. In the same way, red-teaming and guardrail testing should be adaptive and weighted to challenge the specific protections companies have in place. We’ve shared a few more thoughts on this topic: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/drCYz4m9 

If I told you that the photos you post of your children online could end up in pornography would you still post them? I wish that sentence was outrageous. I wish it was a scare tactic. But it’s not. It’s real. And it’s happening every single day. AI technology is now being used to morph innocent family photos into explicit images, and children’s faces are being copied and pasted onto bodies in ways that are beyond horrifying. And yet every scroll, I still see it: Parents posting bath-time snaps. First-day-of-school pictures. Sleeping faces. Children wearing nothing more than a nappy. Children in swimwear on holiday. All for likes. For engagement. For a moment of validation that says, “I’m doing great as a parent.” There’s even a word for it now - Sharenting. Sharing your parenting moments online. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: 🧠 It doesn’t serve your child. ⚠️ It serves predators. 💔 Especially if you’re a single mum - the risk skyrockets. When you post, you’re not just sharing with friends - you’re sharing with algorithms, and with people you don’t truly know. And let’s be honest for a second… and put things into perspective. Most of our “connections” here on LinkedIn are strangers we’ve never met. And yet, with every upload, you’re building a digital footprint your child never agreed to one that can be copied, stolen, and reshaped in ways you’ll never be able to control. So before you hit “post,” ask yourself: •Does my child gain anything from this? •Or am I seeking connection, validation, or engagement? •Would I still share this if I knew how easily it could fall into the wrong hands? I’m not here to shame - I’m here to raise awareness. Because protecting children online starts with us. ✨ Teach digital consent early. ✨ Keep your family moments private. ✨ Choose connection in real life over validation online. Your child’s safety is worth far more than likes. What are your thoughts on sharenting and child safety online? Would love to hear from other parents, especially those rethinking how much they share.

YouTube is full of content that is and isn’t developmentally appropriate for young children. And without the guard rail information, caregivers may not have the tools to navigate a space like that. This stat helps make the important case for local public media stations to be seen as early learning partners. Stations are providing guidance, resources, and access to PBS KIDS as a family’s first educational media experience.

NYC Takes Aim at Big Tech Over Youth Mental Health Crisis New York City has filed a federal lawsuit against major tech platforms, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google (YouTube), Snap Inc., and ByteDance (TikTok), accusing them of contributing to a youth mental health crisis. The 327-page complaint claims these companies designed their platforms to exploit young users’ psychology for profit, leading to compulsive use, lost sleep, chronic school absences, and even dangerous trends like subway surfing. With 1.8 million minors in the city, NYC’s school and healthcare systems are now seeking damages to cover the growing costs of addressing this crisis. The city has officially joined over 2,000 similar lawsuits across the U.S., escalating the pressure on tech giants to respond to their role in shaping digital behavior. One to watch closely as the intersection of tech, policy, and public health continues to evolve. #SocialMedia #TechRegulation #DigitalWellbeing #YouthMentalHealth #PublicHealth #NYC #SocialPlatforms #TechAccountability #MediaImpact #OnlineSafety #LinkedInNews https://lnkd.in/d9ADWhXq

NYC Challenges Social Media Giants Over Youth Mental Health New York City has initiated a significant lawsuit against major social media companies, including Meta, Alphabet, Snap, and ByteDance, alleging a "youth mental health crisis." The city claims these platforms have exploited young users' psychology to increase engagement, leading to adverse effects such as sleep loss, chronic absenteeism, and dangerous behaviors like subway surfing. NYC argues that the algorithms prioritizing engagement are causing substantial harm to children's mental health and burdening public health systems. The lawsuit highlights the growing concern over the role of social media in teen behavior, citing data from the NYC Police Department showing tragic incidents linked to these platforms. This legal action underscores the ongoing debate about the responsibility of tech companies in safeguarding young users. As this case unfolds, it raises critical questions about how society should balance technological advancement with public health and safety. What measures should be taken to ensure the well-being of young users in the digital age? Read more: https://lnkd.in/g4X86bPB Photo credit: BusinessInsider