Books and Articles — Internet and Media Safety

Seeing Social Media More as Portal Than as Pitfall, by Perri Klass. New York Times, January 09, 2012.  “Though there are certainly real dangers, and though some adolescents appear to be particularly vulnerable, scientists are now turning to a more nuanced understanding of this new world.”

Peer Pressure Drives Sexting, by Rick Nauert. Psych Central, October 03, 2011.  “A new study finds that "sexting," sending and receiving sexual images on a mobile phone, is powerfully influenced by peers in a hypersexualized media culture.”

Social Networking's Good and Bad Impacts on Kids American Psychological Assosciation, August 06, 2011.  “Social media present risks and benefits to children but parents who try to secretly monitor their kids' activities online are wasting their time.”

Internet Overuse May Cause Depression, by Bill Hendrick. WebMD Health News, August 02, 2010.  “Teenagers who are addicted to the Internet are more likely to develop depression or other psychiatric problems than teens who are classified as normal internet users, a new study says.”

Online Bullies Pull Schools Into the Fray, by Jan Hoffman. New York Times, June 27, 2010.  “Affronted by cyberspace's escalation of adolescent viciousness, many parents are looking to schools for justice, protection, even revenge.”

Online Talk, Suicides, and a Thorny Court Case, by Monica Davey. New York Times, May 13, 2010.  “The seemingly empathetic nurse struck up conversations over the internet with people who were pondering suicide. She told them what methods worked best. She told them it was all right to let go, and entered into suicide pacts with others.”

New College Addiction? Social Media, Facebooks, or Friends, by Rick Nauert. Psych Central, April 23, 2010.  “A new study suggests American college students are "addicted" to the instant connections and information afforded by social media.”

If Your Kids Are Awake, They're Probably Online, by Tamar Lewin. New York Times, January 20, 2010.  “Researchers once thought the use of electronic devices could not go up. They were wrong.”

Texting, Surfing, Studying?, by Perri Klass. New York Times, November 02, 2009.  “In an age of multimedia and multitasking, we have a lot to learn.”

Alcohol Promotion on Facebook, by Sara Mart and Jacob Mergendoller, et al. Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice, November 01, 2009.  “This article explores the prevalence of alcohol-related content found in popular aspects of Facebook profiles. and offers recommendations for both Facebook and the alcohol industry to remove paid ads and other types of content promoting alcohol products and dangerous drinking behaviors in order to protect youth and young adults from the harmful effects of alcohol advertising.”

Constantly bullied, he ends his life at age 11, by Milton Valencia. Boston Globe, April 20, 2009.

Parents Often Unaware of Cyber-Bullying, by Tara Parker-Pope. The New York Times, October 03, 2008.  “Bullying on the Internet and in text messages is common, but teens often are afraid to report the problem to parents.”

Fighting the Web Bullying That Led to a Suicide, by Associated Press. The New York Times, June 01, 2008.  “The mother of a 13-year-old who committed suicide as a result of Internet bullying has dedicated herself to raising awareness of the issue and helping victims.”

Parenting in the technology age, by Michael Jellinek, M.D. The Newton Tab, April 01, 2008.

More Teens Victimized by Cyber-Bullies, by Tara Parker-Pope. The New York Times, November 27, 2007.  “Digital harassment from school bullies is a growing problem for teens.”