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☆ Opinion: My teenage son had an influencer in his class. This is what it was like
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Opinion Michelle Leder | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

More than a few still carry the scars, including one 80-year-old woman I recently spoke to about her middle school experience. Instead of facing a mean girl or boy of his own, he wound up with a social media influencer in his class who held sway over the entire grade. “All of these issues with social media are coming to a head right now and there’s wildly insufficient research,” Marc Berkman, CEO of the non-profit Organization for Social Media Safety, told me recently. Middle school is complicated enough without all the extra pressures generated by having a social media influencer sitting next to you. From middle school science class, we know that a fire needs oxygen to burn.

Persons: Michelle Leder, Michelle Leder Scott Cooper, cooties, she’d, ” Marc Berkman, ”, Zers, influencer Organizations: SEC, CNN, Social Media Safety, Twitter, Facebook Studies, Wall Street Journal Locations: Louisville , Kentucky, Brooklyn , New York, —

The public backlash persists over the fake, sexually explicit images of Taylor Swift that recently circulated online. The pornographic and digitally altered images of the superstar singer-songwriter and musician spread last week on social media websites such as X, formerly Twitter. The images were deepfakes, a relatively new term for a seemingly realistic but manipulated video or photo produced by a form of AI. But the proliferation of such deepfakes is getting the attention of government officials – both nationally and at the state level. Additionally, at least the 10 states below now have legislation that specifically targets those who create and share explicit deepfake content, as reported by USA Today.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Judith Germano, –, Joe Biden, Germano, ” Germano Organizations: Organization for Social Media Safety, NYU School of Law, Management, “, USA

☆ Digital detoxes can cut FOMO but may not make you any happier, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Researchers say a "digital detox" won't leave you with any withdrawal symptoms. AdvertisementAdvertisementGoing on a full "digital detox" may not be all that beneficial after all, according to a new study by researchers at Durham University. They say that the findings show social media may not be as addictive as some claim. The digital detox did cause the participants to feel fewer negative emotions, like intimidation and harassment, and many reported experiencing less FOMO. AdvertisementAdvertisementExperts haven't reached a consensus on how harmful and addictive social media really is.

Persons: disconnecting, —, Molly Russell, Pinterest, Sally Andrews Organizations: Service, Durham University, Facebook, Meta, Nottingam Trent University

☆ Snap conducts a small round of layoffs to its product team
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Snap has conducted a round of layoffs as part of a reorganization intended to streamline the social-messaging company. Nearly 20 employees who held product management titles were laid off, Snap said in a statement on Wednesday. The layoffs were not centered on any specific product and were part of the company's plans to increase decision-making speed and reduce overhead, the company said. The layoffs come after Snap recently reported third-quarter earnings in which its overall sales grew 5% year-over-year to $1.19 billion, beating analyst expectations. As a result, Snap said it would not provide official guidance "due to the unpredictable nature of war."

Persons: Evan Spiegel, Porte, Susan Li, Sen, Blumenthal, Blackburn Organizations: Snap Inc, Viva Technology, Porte de, Technology, Meta Locations: Paris, France, Israel

☆ Sen. Blumenthal and Sen. Blackburn discuss the bipartisan child social media safety bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSen. Blumenthal and Sen. Blackburn discuss the bipartisan child social media safety billHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Email Sen, Blumenthal, Sen, Blackburn, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: Email, CNBC

☆ Elon Musk blames ADL for lost revenue, says he opposes antisemitism 'of any kind'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Doha Madani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk on Monday posted that he was against antisemitism and blamed the Anti-Defamation League for lost advertising revenue since his acquisition of X, formerly known as Twitter. "If this continues, we will have no choice but to file a defamation suit against, ironically, the 'Anti-Defamation' League," Musk wrote. An email to attorneys representing Musk and X asking whether a complaint has been drafted was not immediately returned. X filed a lawsuit last month against the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit organization that monitors hate speech and disinformation. The ADL also posted a report in March accusing the platform of failing to take action against hate speech.

Persons: Elon Musk, Porte, Musk, CCDH, Imran Ahmed, Ahmed Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, Twitter, Viva Technology, Porte de, Defamation League, ADL, Defamation, League, NBC, Center, Northern, Northern District of, ADL Center for Technology, Society, Montclair State University, GLAAD, Social Media Locations: Paris, France, U.S, America, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Teachers are on the front lines of a battle to change how teens use social media
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Each school year, the 10th graders in her class at Scarsdale High School in New York watch “The Social Dilemma,” a 2020 documentary about the harms of social media. Ron DeSantis signed an education bill that prohibits students from accessing certain social media platforms on school Wi-Fi and requires instruction on the negative impacts of social media. These efforts come amid heightened bipartisan pressure from lawmakers for social media companies to do more to protect their youngest users. Teachers openly remind students how their social media history lives on and how it can be perceived among colleges and employers, English said. “Many students don’t even understand most of these dangers,” said Marc Berkman, director of The Organization for Social Media Safety.

Persons: hasn’t, Jennifer Rosenzweig, ”, Rosenzweig, “, ” Rosenzweig, Vivek Murthy’s, ” Jennifer Rosenzweig, Ron DeSantis, Chris English, sexting, don’t, Marc Berkman, Devorah Heitner, “ Screenwise, ’, Berkman, he’s, it’s, Gillian Feldman, ” Feldman, Sabine Polack, Polack Organizations: CNN, Scarsdale High School, Florida Gov, Roycemore, Teachers, Social Media Safety, The Organization, Brawerman Elementary School, Organization of Social Media Safety, Scarsdale, Scarsdale High, Scarsdale School District Locations: New York, Florida, Evanston , Illinois, Los Angeles, Scarsdale

☆ Arkansas governor signs sweeping bill imposing a minimum age limit for social media usage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has signed a sweeping bill imposing a minimum age limit for social media usage, in the latest example of states taking more aggressive steps intended to protect teens online. The legislation, known as the Social Media Safety Act and taking effect in September, is aimed at giving parents more control over their kids’ social media usage, according to lawmakers. It defines social media companies as any online forum that lets users create public profiles and interact with each other through digital content. The confusion over YouTube appears to stem from the carveout for businesses that offer cloud storage and that make less than 25% of their revenue from social media. “The purpose of this bill was to empower parents and protect kids from social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat,” Dees said in a statement.

CNN —The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that would require social media companies to verify their users’ ages and confirm that minors have permission from a parent or guardian before opening an account. The bill, dubbed the Social Media Safety Act, was passed by an overwhelming vote of 82-10, according to a tweet from the House account, and adds to the swell of efforts by state and federal lawmakers to regulate social media platforms and protect children online. If the Arkansas bill is signed into law, social media companies would be required to use third-party vendors to verify Arkansas residents’ ages – regardless of whether or not they are minors. For users younger than 18, the platform must obtain the consent of their parent or guardian in order to open an account for them. Similar bills have also been proposed in Connecticut and Ohio, where the legislation would require a guardian’s consent for minors younger than 16 to have accounts.

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