Think you can fire on all cylinders with your smartphone out? Think again. A new study suggests simply your smartphone’s presence drains your brain power. Researchers recruited 520 undergraduate students and randomly assigned them to one of three groups. One group was asked to leave all their belongings outside the lab. The students in […]
The “Facebook Effect” has been well-documented over the last decade– the more time one spends on Facebook, the more likely one is to feel depressed. However, Instagram makes Facebook look well-rounded. Glossy, bright, carefree– no one mopes, rants, or stands on soapboxes on Instagram. The Instagram Effect, then, is the Facebook Effect taken to
All Facebook users are not created equal. Some post daily, if not more. Others post monthly, if not less. Facebook can be a political forum or a mommy blog, an advertising platform or an eternal yard sale. Research about social media often lumps users together and assumes homogeneous use, but the truth about social media users
A new SnapChat feature could allow predators to see where your teen lives, where he goes to school, or her favorite hang outs. SnapMaps uses the GPS signal on smart phones to pinpoint users’ locations and identifies their location on a map. This map is visible to all the user’s friends and followers. Furthermore, users’ locations
Police, Safety Experts Warn Against New SnapMaps Read More »
For all its flaws, Tinder is at least intended for adults. Now a new dating/meet-up app, Yellow, is targeting teens as young as thirteen years old. Yellow’s tagline is “Make new friends” but the app’s reviews suggest many users have much more than friendship on the brain. The app format is exactly like Tinder– see
From the first smile to the last graduation, mothers love to announce and record children’s achievements on social media. Doing so keeps friends and family informed and compiles a journal of sorts for future perusal. Social media can even be a support system for frustrated moms. However, a recent study highlights a dark side of
Moms who compare, despair, social media study says Read More »
The secret to a long life might be cutting back just a few minutes a day on screen time. A recent study published in the research journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise suggests replacing even thirty minutes of screen time per day with another activity lowers one’s mortality risk significantly. And, no, the
(Cutting) A Little Screen Time Goes a Long Way, Study Says Read More »
A recent study suggests that teens who spend even one hour per day on social media are more likely to be dissatisfied with life. The paper, published by the Institute of Labor Economics, a German economic research institute, uses data from about 4,000 British individuals between the ages of ten and fifteen years old.
Teens who spend more time on social media dissatisfied with life, study says Read More »
Lego has entered the social media scene with a new app aimed at the under-thirteen crowd– Lego Life. Patterned largely after Instagram (with a hint of Pinterest), Lego Life is a social media platform where Lego lovers of any age can share their creations, participate in challenges, and bond over the love of the
Lego Life– A safe social media platform for kids? Read More »
I’m the father of 6 great kids ranging in age from almost 16 to 2. As you can imagine, my wife and I struggle to keep a watchful eye on them. We often find ourselves in busy public places. Shopping with 6 kids is a challenge at best and frequently a total nightmare. Going out
