Teen Voices
In our Teen Voices blog series, Digital Wellness Lab Student Advisory Council members share their experiences with digital media, its impact on the their physical, mental, and social-emotional health, and their thoughts on how to make the digital ecosystem a healthy, positive place for young people.
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More Than a Text—Why Digital Closeness Isn’t a Guarantee of Real-Life Safety
Read the latest Teen Voices feature by Student Advisory Council member Ayanna exploring the illusion of digital trust, the gray areas of youth relationship safety, and why online closeness shouldn’t be treated as a “receipt” for in-person consent.
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You Locked the Phone, But Forgot to Unlock the Classroom
Read this powerful Teen Voices perspective by Student Advisory Council member Vihaan on school phone bans—as he makes the case that the political momentum to restrict digital spaces must be matched by an equal commitment to creating safe, supportive physical classrooms.
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The Line Between Human and AI
Read “The Line Between Human and AI,” a new Teen Voices script by Student Advisory Council member Zoya. Writing from a teen’s point of view, Zoya delivers a captivating look at how today’s technology and digital detachment are reshaping youth relationships with AI.
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Effects of Violent Media on Youth
In this Teen Voices blog post, teen writer Emmie explores how doomscrolling violent media leads to digital desensitization among youth and shares empathy-based and actionable strategies to help teens protect their mental health online.
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The Highlight Reel vs. Real Life
In our latest Teen Voices blog, Student Advisory Council member Evans shares an honest look at navigating digital media, offering essential advice for parents, educators, and tech designers on building healthier online spaces for adolescents.
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Watch This If Your Screen Time is Over 2 Hours
In a new Teen Voices video “Watch This If Your Screen Time is Over 2 Hours,” Student Advisory Council member Jackson B. shares his teen-led perspective on screen time, algorithm design, and simple habits for reclaiming digital wellbeing.
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A Day, Doubled (with screen) (without)
Student Advisory Council member Emily H. presents her poem “a day, doubled” about how screens can affect the course of a day.
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The Digital Double-Edge: Navigating Connection and Comparison
Student Advisory Council member Arihant S. explores the “digital paradox” of social media, offering peer-to-peer strategies for navigating the tension between authentic online connection and the mental health toll of the comparison trap.
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Using AI to Augment, Not Replace Our Learning
Student Advisory Council member Willow examines the impact of AI on cognitive offloading in education—offering an evidence-backed 3-step framework to help students use AI for augmentation rather than as a replacement for critical thinking.
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How Students Can Integrate Artificial Intelligence and EdTech into their Learning Experience
Student Advisory Council member Azalea G. interviews Scroll by Choice CEO Riz Vazir to explore how families and schools can move beyond device bans toward a future of intentional technology use and personal agency.
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Managing Current Events Anxiety in a Digital Age
Bansi, an alumna of the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2023-2024 Student Advisory Council, gets in-depth about strategies for coping with the world and overwhelming news.
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A Future Worth Spreading
Jeremy, a mentor for the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2025-2026 Student Advisory Council, uses a hot metaphor to explain the importance of media literacy and education when kids get new tech.
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Teen Voices: Yuki
Yuki, a member of the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2024-2025 Student Advisory Council, shares how balancing openness with guidance is crucial for fostering healthy digital habits for teens.
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Teen Voices: Taanvi
Taanvi, a member of the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2024-2025 Student Advisory Council, is passionate about using her voice to transform isolation into connection, and to build online communities that support mental health.
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Teen Voices: Tara
Tara, a member of the Digital Wellness Lab’s 2024-2025 Student Advisory Council, would like to see social media and technology designed with the end user in mind to better protect the youth of today and tomorrow.