Authored by Tara
Member of Digital Wellness Lab 2024-25 Student Advisory Council
What does a “day in the life” look like for you with using technology and digital media?
Technology is a staple in my life. My phone blares my favorite Spotify playlist to wake me up at 5:32 AM sharp every morning. At school, I go through each of my periods, pulling out my school-assigned iPad to complete and submit assignments through my school’s online dashboard, Canvas, as well as participating in group activities through different apps and websites like Kahoot. Google Drive, Notability, Quizlet, and Canva are my best friends for anything academic. Libby and cloudLibrary connect me to books, one of my favorite things in the entire world.
Technology has become so integrated into my education that I rarely find myself without a device to continue learning anytime, anywhere; information is less a commodity as it was some decades ago, where libraries would have been the only source of information. Now, my learning rests in my hands as technology enables me to continue to learn anytime the internet connection is strong enough.
What are your favorite platforms/apps and why?
My favorite platforms and apps are:
- Google Suite: I love to meticulously organize everything about my life, and Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive enables me to do just that with color-coded folders, spreadsheets, tracking deadlines and to-dos, and ideation documents.
- Libby/cloudLibrary: This service connects me to libraries which I have cards with to read online, which is amazing because I go nowhere without a good book.
- Pinterest: The app lets me brainstorm and inspires me, and I love my many boards of pins which house hopes, dreams, and my next outfit idea.
- Instagram: I like to use highlights on Instagram to create year-in-reviews, like a time capsule to capture important memories in my life, and connect with my friends.
What are the greatest opportunities you see for teens when it comes to using technology?
Our generation of teenagers have technology at their fingertips, and I believe that it can lift up and create an endless amount of opportunity for teens. I think the greatest opportunity can come in education and learning. Teens have the power and information to learn about anything that interests them, and they can be educated in topics that would not be traditionally taught in schools, like diversity, emotional intelligence, and dive deeper than ever before in anything they find interesting. For example, if you are interested in a higher learning class which is not available in your school, like AP Chemistry, you can still learn about the subject matter through a platform like Khan Academy. Technology creates immeasurable opportunity and the possibility to achieve knowledge like never before, and can connect the digital hands of people from all over the world, their fingers reaching over the land and seas which physically divide us.
What are the greatest challenges you see for teens when it comes to using technology?
One of the greatest challenges I see in technology for teens is the rise and spread of misinformation. Especially with social media, videos and posts can go viral in a matter of hours, incorrect or purposely-inflammatory content can reach large audiences. This misinformation can influence teens, as seen in trends during COVID-19, where people were misled into thinking so-called ‘miracle cures’ such as gargling bleach would work, which led many to take dangerous actions which could severely harm their health. As information can help and lift up many, it can also harm and hurt.
What are the greatest opportunities you have and challenges you personally face when it comes to managing your technology use?
Friends have always been hard to come by for me. For years, I have lived far from the district I go to school in, causing little interaction outside of school. I felt isolated by this, but with technology, video calls, sharing reels on Instagram and texting makes me feel closer and helps me build stronger relationships with my friends. However, after downloading Instagram, I dislike and find it distracting when Instagram sends me many notifications, without the option to turn certain ones on or off.
What would you want to see changed or redesigned for technology and/or media to be healthier for teens?
I would like to see social media and technology designed with the end user in mind. Many social media algorithms prey on young people, and they are hidden deep in the shadows by companies. Social media algorithms should be freely published and there should be more privacy and notification settings, allowing the end user to feel in control of their experience. Teenagers and young children are susceptible to social media addiction especially during development. Social media companies are constantly collecting data and encouraging people to stay on the app, like with Instagram Stories, which are only available for 24 hours, or Reels, which are an endless scroll of videos. Teens may feel pressured to continuously check their phones and apps in fear of missing out, which in some cases, may lead to social media addiction. To combat this issue, social media companies should regulate these tactics and be more transparent as to protect the youth of today and tomorrow.
What, if anything, do you think parents and caregivers are missing when it comes to understanding how teens use media?
Parents and caregivers do not have the experience of growing up surrounded by technology, and many are not able to wrap their minds around how it changes the adolescents development and way of life. The internet plays a deep role in our lives, and will continue to do so in the future. Social media has changed the landscape for teens, and it really is two sides of the same coin, as it offers positives and negatives. Looking at only the negative side, saying that being online is ‘a waste of time’ may not always be true. The internet offers great opportunities for connection and new ideas; acknowledging this is crucial to understanding that teens can use technology for good and it can help them.
What guidance or advice do you have for parents and other caregivers to help teens to build and maintain healthy behaviors around digital media and technology?
Be open to discussion. The world is not black and white, and as people grow, their ideas change, and be open to listening to your teen and discussing differing points of view with them. Be open to discussing your teen’s time online, or what apps they want to download. Letting them know that you are there for them and will listen to what they have to say encourages healthy behavior and a lesser tendency for them to go behind your back, so you can help guide them through the digital landscape.
Tara is a member of the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2024-2025 Student Advisory Council. She is a high school sophomore in Claremont, California.
The author of this article is a young person who has been engaging with the Digital Wellness Lab about topics of young people’s safety and wellbeing within digital environments. Here at the Lab, we welcome different viewpoints and perspectives. However, the opinions and ideas expressed here do not necessarily represent the views, research, or recommendations of the Digital Wellness Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital, or affiliates.