Highlights
We are proud of our efforts to advance digital wellness practices, and the last quarter of this year has been especially fulfilling.
- We released our newly updated Family Digital Wellness Guide to help empower parents and families to navigate their way through today’s increasingly online world.
- We conducted a continuing medical education course (CME) to help clinicians diagnose and treat Problematic Interactive Media Use (PIMU).
- We hit the road to share our research insights at the Family Online Safety Institute annual conference (#FOSI2023) and the World Anti-Bullying Forum.
- We shared our perspectives with publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Education Week, Yahoo Life, ABC, and others (see Press).
- We held a panel of tech industry leaders to help educate members of our Student Advisory Council about career opportunities.
- We hosted the “Designing a Roadmap for Healthier Digital Ecosystem” convening with nearly 100 experts from across tech, media, government, non-profit and academia. Thanks go to Pinterest for sponsoring the event!
- We announced the first cohort of signatories to the Inspired Internet Pledge (see Press Release).
Information You Can Use
We’ve rounded up notable resources and press from this past quarter — many of which include strategies and tips for keeping young people safe and healthy online.
Pointers For Parents on Handling Screen Time
The Lab’s Dr. Michael Rich was featured in an article in which he highlighted the benefits of communication and understanding between parents and children, saying, “Parents want to gain a better understanding about their children’s online experience, but many aren’t sure where to start or what information to trust.”
Read North American Precis Syndicate Article →
Valuable Insights Gained at the Family Online Safety Institute Conference
The Lab’s Dr. Michael Rich, Dr. David Bickham, Cori Stott, and Brinlegh Murphy-Reuter attended the annual Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) conference in Washington D.C. where Dr. Bickham participated on a panel about #AI and all attendees gained valuable insights into youth well-being and online safety.
Everything we heard reinforced how vital it is to involve youth perspectives in decisions impacting their online experiences. Overall, #FOSI2023 provided valuable lessons for our work of engaging stakeholders toward informed, thoughtful solutions.
Research Brief: Safety and Surveillance Software Practices as a Parent in the Digital World
Our Medical Librarian and Knowledge Manager, Kaitlin Tiches, shares that when it comes to technology-assisted parental monitoring of children’s digital practices, the current offerings aren’t quite meeting the moment.
We’re encouraging the industry to consider these recommendations when designing for youth:
- Offer a scaffolding of restrictions that can be eliminated as digital skills are acquired
- Include children and teens in the design process for new applications
- Support teen risk-coping strategies
- Encourage active parenting and communication between parent and child
How to Help Kids and Teens Deal with Cyberbullying
For National Bullying Prevention Month, the Lab’s Dr Michael Rich joined the ABC7NY team to talk about anti-bullying work of The Choose Kindness Project and to discuss how parents and caregivers can support kids’ healthy and balanced use of interactive media.
Learn More
To catch up on what else we’ve been up to here at the Digital Wellness Lab, check out our latest blog posts. You can learn more about our work and how we create impact here.