EMPOWERING DIGITAL WELLNESS FOR KIDS | July 2023

Greetings Friend of the Lab,

The start of summer finds our team busy at work on new research, attending events, and sharing our insights — all in the service of helping our kids to grow up healthy, smart, and kind.

Most notably, our founder and director Dr. Michael Rich was recently in France to participate in the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. There, alongside founding signatory Pinterest, Dr. Rich announced the Inspired Internet Pledge — a commitment by tech companies and the broader digital ecosystem to unite with the common goal of making the internet a safer and healthier place for everyone, especially young people.

This Pledge has the power to change the digital landscape as we know it by inviting tech/media and all companies that operate within the digital ecosystem to commit to three impactful principles:

1. Tune for emotional wellbeing
2. Listen to and act on insights from people who have experienced harm online
3. Share lessons collaboratively across the tech industry 

To top it off, participants from our very own Student Advisory Council were asked to take part in the announcement via a video in which they share the challenges they experience online and their vision for the future. 

Gen Z has hope for a better internet — this Pledge gets us one step closer creating the world they imagine. Learn more about the Inspired Internet Pledge and what it means when companies join the movement: inspiredinternet.org

If your company would like to sign onto the Pledge, or if you’d like to support our work, please email us at dwl@childrens.harvard.edu

Thank you!

Cori Stott
Administrative Director
The Digital Wellness Lab

The Lab creates impact by developing an evidence base for digital wellness. We do this by conducting, translating, and distributing rigorous research on the positive and negative effects of technology and interactive media use on young people to inform our progress towards positive health and development for every child, teen, and young adult.

Related Resources

Parent’s Guide to Digital Citizenship

The 5 Ms of Digital Wellness

Parent’s Guide to Disinformation and Misinformation Online

The Lab in the News

AI on the Brain: How to Navigate Emerging Technology with Kids, My Bright Horizons

Pinterest signs pledge to make the internet safer and healthier, especially for teens, Euronews

What’s Happening in July

We surveyed 1000+ teens about social media spaces for our newest Pulse Survey and in July, our research team will be releasing their report. 

Members of our team will also be taking part in the Lions Club International Annual Convention, hosting the Hyde Square Task Force, and connecting with our industry supporters to promote positive digital media experiences for young people.

If you have friends, family, and colleagues who could benefit from this newsletter, please pass it on and encourage them to sign up to receive it themselves. Thank you!