Canada · 4 d ago
Social media videos can feed parents' fears, experts say
Videos tell parents to put a phone number on a toddler's arm or an AirTag in their pants. Two Quebec researchers say the volume of such anxious content online is unprecedented.
What we know
- Parents worry about their kids without social media
- Already-anxious parents see their fears reinforced
Not yet
- How much the videos change behaviour
- How many creators invent alarming scenarios
The effect is hard to measure, and it differs from parent to parent.
It really plays on self-esteem. It tells us we're not doing enough.
— Maryline Vivion, Université Laval
What parents can do
The experts suggest taking a break from social media or limiting time online. Another option is to deliberately watch other kinds of content, to change what the algorithm recommends.
