Behind Their Screens

June 6, 2022
Weinstein and James (Disconnected), researchers who have spent a decade studying teens’ digital lives at Harvard’s Project Zero, reveal the gaps between adults’ assumptions and what teens are actually up to in this fascinating deep dive into online behavior. The reality of “growing up digital,” they argue, is vastly different from the alarmist headlines; while there are apps “designed to hijack focus,” for instance, it’s a “mistake” to view being glued to one’s screen “as evidence that teens don’t care about connection.” Group chats, meanwhile, haven’t eroded “the age-old qualities that make or break friendships,” and sexting can be “consensual and wanted by both parties” or “pressured or even actively coerced,” which is important for parents to grasp so the issue is met with more understanding than just the reflexive instruction to not do it. The authors round things out with a call for “digital agency,” which can be established by “creating space for young people to explore true tensions and dilemmas” in classrooms and at home. The authors’ research is impressive, and the “Teens Want Adults to Know” sections at the end of each chapter add some nice perspective. Parents and educators losing sleep over what’s happening online would do well to give this a look.

June 1, 2022
A disturbing look at the turbulent world of social media and its impact on adolescents. Weinstein and James, researchers at Project Zero at Harvard, structure their book around surveys and interviews that get at the heart of a simple yet fraught question: "What worries you most about today's digital world?" The responses varied so much that the authors often found it difficult to reach any definitive answers, but the process revealed numerous surprises. A predictable but significant finding was that many teens are concerned that they spend too much time on social media, distracting them from the real world. Many are not getting enough sleep because they are constantly worried that they might miss something. However, they also believe that disconnecting is not an option. "For many teens, technologies are a non-negotiable for friendship preservation," write the authors. "There's no way to opt out without major social repercussions. They wish adults would acknowledge this reality." There is also a sense of constantly being under scrutiny. One wrong text, post, or action can result in ostracism or worse. For example, one boy who rejected the romantic advances of a girl found himself accused of being a rapist on social media. Some teens refuse to reveal their political views because of the possible consequences, and the result is an echo chamber of enforced consensus. In fact, one of the most vicious debates that Weinstein and James encountered was whether it was acceptable to even consider the views of people who disagree with you. It all sounds like a labyrinth of constant pressure, image comparison, and virtue signaling. In the concluding chapter, the authors offer advice for parents, emphasizing the need to avoid simplistic solutions, to understand the complexity of the social media environment, and to listen with empathy. For anyone who wants to know where the social media road is leading, this is an important, worrisome book.

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