Cyber Safety in the News
What We Lost When Everything Became a Screen
MSN, July 7, 2026
As smartphones and touch screens have become central to everyday life, people have lost many of the experiences that once connected them to the physical world. Tasks that used to involve turning a dial, pressing buttons, writing with a pencil, or handling physical objects have increasingly been replaced by tapping and swiping on flat glass screens. This shift may contribute to a sense of “touch hunger,” as people spend more time interacting with technology and less time engaging with nature, physical objects, and other people. The decline in hands-on experiences may be especially important for children, whose development of fine motor skills and learning can benefit from activities such as building, drawing, and manipulating objects.
There is also the idea that modern technology has made life more convenient and “frictionless,” but that some of the friction we eliminated may have been valuable. Hands-on experiences can help people learn, remember, explore, and feel more connected to their surroundings. As a result, there are signs of renewed interest in tactile and analog activities, including vinyl records, printed books, flip phones, ceramics, crochet, and physical buttons. This growing interest may reflect a desire to regain some real-world connection that can be lost when so much of life takes place through screens.
The Atlantic, July 9, 2026
There is a growing disagreement between psychologists Peter Gray and Jonathan Haidt over the role smartphones and social media play in the youth mental-health crisis. Haidt argues in The Anxious Generation that smartphones and social media have contributed significantly to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental-health concerns among young people. Gray, however, challenges that explanation, arguing that society has increasingly restricted children’s independence and unstructured play. He believes children need opportunities to explore, socialize, solve problems, and develop independence without constant adult supervision and that this freedom should extend to the online world as well as the physical world.
Gray’s forthcoming book argues that schools and increased academic pressure, rather than smartphones, may be a more important contributor to declining youth mental health. He also points to research suggesting that computers and video games may have provided young people with opportunities for connection and independence. However, the article emphasizes that both sides have limitations in their evidence, and other researchers caution against looking for a single cause of the youth mental-health crisis. The article ultimately presents the debate as more complicated than simply blaming phones or schools, suggesting that multiple factors, including social media, academic pressure, family circumstances, and broader changes in childhood, may all contribute to young people’s mental health.
Chicago Law Bans Phones and Laptops from First-Year Classes to Combat AI
Reuters, July 9, 2026
The University of Chicago Law School is introducing a new policy that will ban incoming first-year law students from using phones and laptops during required first-year classes. The policy is part of the school’s broader effort to address the growing influence of artificial intelligence in education and ensure that students develop critical thinking, strategic reasoning, and independent problem-solving skills before relying on AI tools. The dean said the policy is intended to prepare students to answer legal questions and think through complex problems on their own, including situations in which they cannot immediately turn to AI for assistance.
The policy is considered one of the most restrictive approaches to AI use adopted by a U.S. law school. Professors will be able to designate students to use electronic devices to take shared notes, allowing classmates to remain engaged without each person having a device in front of them. The move reflects a larger debate in higher education about how schools should balance teaching students to use AI responsibly with protecting the development of skills that technology cannot easily replace. Other law schools, including UC Berkeley, have also adopted stricter AI policies, highlighting the growing challenge educators face in determining when AI is a helpful learning tool and when it may prevent students from developing essential skills themselves. Do you think these measures will make a difference?
Meta Says It Will Alert Parents If Teen AI Chats Suggest Suicide Risk
July 16, 2026
Meta is introducing a new “Parent Alerts” feature designed to notify parents when the company believes a teenager’s conversations with Meta AI indicate a serious risk of suicide or self-harm. The feature is initially rolling out to parents using Instagram’s parental supervision tools in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, with plans for a broader global rollout by the end of 2026. Parents who receive an alert will also be provided with resources developed with mental-health experts to help them respond and support their teenager.
According to Meta, the company developed a specialized AI system to identify conversations that may indicate a high level of concern. Before a parent is notified, conversations flagged by the system will be reviewed by a human, and Meta says it will generally err on the side of caution when a teen’s intentions are unclear. The company is also developing a system that could allow it to contact emergency responders when a conversation suggests someone faces an immediate risk. These changes are part of a broader effort by Meta to strengthen safety measures for teens using its platforms and AI tools.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns about the potential risks of AI chatbots for young people and increasing pressure on technology companies to improve protections for minors. Meta says it consulted mental-health professionals, parents, youth advisers, and other experts when developing the new safeguards. The company is also expanding parental content restrictions to cover interactions with Meta AI. Other AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have also introduced or announced measures intended to protect younger users, reflecting a growing industry focus on how AI systems should respond when teens discuss serious mental-health concerns. It is a reminder to parents that they need to be involved in their children’s online lives, and not reliant on these companies to protect them.
A Pennsylvania Mother Reels from The Loss of Her Teenage Son Due To Sextortion
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 17, 2026
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article examines the growing problem of sextortion targeting young people through social media and the devastating impact it can have on families. It centers on the story of a Pennsylvania mother whose teenage son became a victim of a sextortion scheme, highlighting how criminals can use online platforms to manipulate and threaten young people. The article describes sextortion as an increasingly serious online safety issue and notes that families and law enforcement are struggling to respond to the growing number of cases.
The article also explores growing scrutiny of social media companies, including thousands of lawsuits alleging that platforms have contributed to harm affecting children and teens. The broader concern is that social media can provide an environment where young users are vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation, while platform safety measures may not be sufficient to protect them. The story underscores the importance of parents understanding the risks young people face online and having open conversations with children about online relationships, privacy, and what to do if someone tries to threaten or manipulate them. It is so important that your children know they can come to you as their parent anytime they make a mistake online.
New Study Links ADHD Symptoms in Boys and Addictive Social Media Use
Washington Post, July 17,2026
A new study from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, that found a connection between addictive or problematic social media use and increasing ADHD symptoms among adolescent boys. Researchers followed more than 11,000 U.S. adolescents for five years, beginning when participants were about 12 years old. They found that increases in problematic social media use were followed by increases in ADHD symptoms about a year later, with the strongest relationship appearing among boys whose addictive social media use increased around ages 14 and 15.
The researchers describe problematic social media use as behavior that can resemble addiction, including difficulty controlling use and experiencing withdrawal-like feelings or repeatedly returning to the platforms. Importantly, the study found that the relationship appeared to work more strongly in one direction: increased problematic social media use was associated with later increases in ADHD symptoms, while ADHD symptoms did not consistently predict later increases in problematic social media use. This finding challenges the idea that teens with attention difficulties simply use social media more because of their existing symptoms.
However, researchers caution that the study does not prove that social media causes ADHD. Because the research was observational rather than a randomized experiment, other factors could contribute to the relationship. Still, the findings add to growing concerns about how highly engaging, constantly changing social media environments may affect young people’s attention and behavior. The study suggests that parents, educators, and researchers should pay attention not only to how much time teens spend online, but also to whether their social media use has become difficult to control or is interfering with everyday life.
France Becomes First European Union Country to Ban Social Media for Kids Under 15
CBS News, July 22, 2026
France has become the first country in the European Union to pass a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 15. The law is intended to protect young people from potential harms associated with social media, including cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and negative effects on mental health and well-being. The measure is expected to begin taking effect in September 2026, with existing accounts also subject to restrictions.
The law has received support from French President Emmanuel Macron and others who believe stronger protections are needed for children growing up in a highly digital world. The policy is part of a broader international movement to limit young people’s access to social media, following Australia’s restrictions on users under 16 and similar proposals being considered in other countries. French officials argue that age-verification technology can help platforms determine whether users meet the minimum age requirement.
However, the ban has also raised questions about privacy, enforcement, and whether it will actually prevent teenagers from accessing social media. Critics point to the difficulty of accurately verifying users’ ages and concerns that young people will find ways around the restrictions. The French law could also face legal and constitutional challenges, while European officials consider how national restrictions fit with broader EU regulations. Ultimately, France’s approach could serve as a test case for other countries debating how to balance children’s online safety with privacy, freedom, and access to digital communication. As more than 20 countries have passed or proposed bans and major restrictions on social media access for children, we wonder which one will be next.
