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Are Your Kids Suffering from Sensory Overload?

November 12, 2022 by sarahhernandez

Has your child ever had an epic freakout because you demanded that they turn off their screen? Or completely went unhinged when you wouldn’t buy them a video game they wanted or allowed social media before you thought they were ready? It turns out that there is a neurological reason for that reaction beyond child entitlement and fragility. Too much screen time can result in overstimulation that results in short- and long-term effects in kids. To help manage your child’s screen time and avoid overstimulation, check out our Screen Safety Essentials Course. This course will help your family achieve screen sanity with our weekly parenting and family coaching videos featuring research-based tools from Dr. Tracy Bennett. In this article, we discuss sensory overload, how it may be affecting your children, and how to avoid it.

Our Digital Babysitter

Raising kids is hard! And some kids are more difficult to entertain than others. Screen time can be a win-win – kids are happy, and parents can get things done. Dr. Bennett, Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe, says screen time can be a great thing, but it can also be a source for a host of digital injury. In her book Screen Time in the Mean Time, she describes screen injuries in the areas of health, interpersonal exploitation, and financial exploitation.[4]

She says that, although screen time matters, content matters too. Educational content with a calm, predictable, and sequential pace is easier for children to process than frenetic, fast-paced content. If your child melts down when you tell them to turn off screen time, you may need to be more aware of the content they are watching so they don’t suffer from sensory overload.

What is sensory overload?

Sensory overload refers to overstimulation that occurs when sensations from the environment, like playing video games or watching fast-paced videos and television programming, can become overwhelming.[2] For young children with maturing brains and difficulty with emotional modulation, sensory overload from unmanaged screen time can result in irritability, temper outbursts, hyperactivity, and aggression. Children with disabilities, like autistic spectrum disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are particularly vulnerable to sensory overload.[4]

What does frenetic, fast-paced content look like?

In 2006, YouTube launched the child educational program CoComelon. By September 2022, CoComelon had 144 million subscribers and over 139.24 billion views.[5] The demand and popularity of the CoComelon led to the creation of the TV show in 2021, which also became a hit sensation. CoComelon consistently ranks in the top ten most popular shows on Netflix.

CoComelon is known for its fast pace and bright animation. These aspects of the program are hypothesized to stimulate the release of the feel-good chemical, dopamine, in kids’ brains.[1] Dopamine also plays a key role in addiction. This rush of dopamine that kids experience while watching the show is what makes them want to watch it repeatedly.[3] Some exposure is likely harmless. However, some kids may have a vulnerability to such fast-paced content. Too much watching can lead to problems.

Passive television while doing homework can result in sensory overload.

Frenetic screen content isn’t the only thing that can lead to problems with sensory overload. In her book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, Dr. Bennett writes that passive television can also strain child cognitive resources.

Passive television refers to the television playing in the background while we’re eating dinner, doing homework, or just for pleasure. Having the television on in the background while your kids do homework creates a battleground for your child’s attention. This can negatively affect their quality of learning and academic performance.

Dr. Tracy Bennett writes:

Watching TV and doing homework are both demanding tasks that compete for visual and verbal cognitive processing. As a result, the toggling required to attend to both tasks will impair learning and homework quality. Research studies have demonstrated that watching television, or even just having it on i n the background, impairs reading performance, recall and recognition, and even your memory of what you’ve watched on TV.[4]

Entertainment and big tech have commodified your child’s attention.

Because entertainment corporations recognize that their profit depends on our screen time, they’ve created manipulative technology to capture our attention. With features like autoplay, companies like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok know how to keep us binge-watching. The autoplay feature automatically dishes up new content without user input to promote addictive watching habits. With features like autoplay, can you be confident that Netflix is prioritizing your child’s learning and mental health over its profit?

Signs That Your Child May be Suffering from Sensory Overload

Chronic moodiness and irritability
Fatigue and low energy
Difficulty making decisions
Temper outbursts, especially after a long screen time binge
Aggression
Headaches, including ocular headaches and migraines
Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
Nightmares[6]

How can you help your child avoid sensory overload?

Prioritize face-to-face family time and screen safety conversations with help from our Connected Family Screen Agreement and our GKIS Blog.
Take initiative and manage what your children are able to access with help from our Screen Safety Toolkit.
Set up sensible household rules (like screen-free zones) and amazing learning centers with help from our Connected Family Course.
Help your children learn how to recognize the red flags of digital injury and practice psychological wellness tools before they adopt social media with our Social Media Readiness Course.
Opt for the works with our megacourse the Screen Safety Essentials Course. This low-cost option offers all GKIS Courses and Agreements in one easy place. Parents-only videos and family videos from Dr. B offer 26 easy lessons that you can sprinkle in once a week to make sure you cover everything!
Share Dr. B’s important teachings by telling your school, church, or temple about her custom webinars!
If you need extra support, check out our GKIS Workshops and Dr. B’s Coaching options!

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Sarah Hernandez for researching and writing about sensory overload from screen time.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] The Kangaroo Forest. (2022). Is CoComelon overstimulating. Woodlands Online. https://www.woodlandsonline.com/blps/article.cfm?page=10208

[2] Gordon, S. (2021). How to cope with your child’s sensory overload. Very Well Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/overstimulation-in-children-4585143

[3] Maguire, C. (2017). 6 negative effects for children playing video games. Washington Parent. https://washingtonparent.com/6-negative-effects-for-children-playing-video-games/

[4] Bennett, T. (2019). Screen time in the meantime: A parenting guide to get kids and teens internet safe. GetKidsInternetSafe Books. https://getkidsinternetsafe.com/parenting-guide/

[5] CoComelon. (2022). YouTube. https://youtube.com/channel/UCbCmjCuTUZos6lnko4u57UQ

[6] Eatough, E. (2021). What is sensory overload? Know how to deal with overstimulation. BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/sensory-overload

Photo Credits

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr.: https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-standing-in-front-of-flat-screen-tv-1682519/

Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-boy-leaning-his-head-on-the-table-5306486/

Photo by August de Richelieu: https://www.pexels.com/photo/little-girl-doing-her-homework-4260486/

Showcasing Child Talent Online Leads to Exploitation and Scams

November 11, 2022 by janettejimenez

When children and parents use online platforms to showcase talents, they open themselves up to becoming victims of exploitation and scams. Someone’s hopes and dreams can turn into their worst nightmare. It is easier than ever before to fall victim due to today’s technology. As a psychologist, Dr. Tracy Bennett saw the growing rate of online injuries and the need to educate families about online safety. Our Social Media Readiness Course helps tweens and teens avoid digital injury and optimize psychological wellness. Today’s GKIS article discusses exploitation and scams on online platforms used to showcase kids’ talents.

Parents Use Social Media to Showcase Child Talent

Kids love to be creative and show off their talents, whether it’s sports, art, singing, dancing, acting, or modeling. And for a lucky few, online branding can lead to big profits. Social media can be the perfect platform to build an audience and get the attention of professionals in that industry.

One of the most popular social media apps for showcasing talent is TikTok.[3] TikTok is one of the fastest-growing platforms where users can create a huge following and make income. It’s the most popular medium currently for showcasing talent.

Here are some methods commonly used to optimize child talent exposure

posting high-quality content regularly on social media
running advertisements
partnering with other influencers
partnering with various brands
contracting with content developers
buying likes and follows
creating custom websites[11]

The Benefits of Showcasing Talent

Showcasing children’s talents can be profitable, lead to amazing opportunities, and may help boost a child’s confidence, self-esteem, and social capital. In fact, Dr. Bennett often presents to high school students how to create a personal brand to help them showcase their strengths and qualifications for college. This webinar is offered as a live webinar for students and parents and is included in our Screen Safety Essentials Course.

The Risks of Showcasing Talent

Anytime we reveal personal information online or allow strangers to have access to us, we must be aware of risks. Big exposure can make one vulnerable to exploitation, scams, cyberbullies, and predators.

Child exploitation refers to using a child to perform or work for the benefit of others at a disservice to the child’s mental or physical health, education, or development.[1]

A scam is popularly known as a deceptive trick or a scheme used to cheat someone out of something valuable, usually money.[2]

Types of scams include:

Talent scouting scams
Charity Scams
Lottery Scams
Government Impersonation Scams
Sweepstakes Scams[12]

For more information on scams and how you can avoid them, we encourage you to read our Scammers Target the Elderly: How to Avoid Being Scammed article.

Harm That Can Occur Due to Online Exposure

Parent Pressure and Excessive Demand

Some argue that supporting your child so they can benefit from their talents and helping them achieve their dreams is the job of a parent. Others believe that kids should be allowed to be kids and that putting them to work creating a “brand” meets the needs of the parents rather than the child. We at GKIS recognize both situations exist out there.

While it can be healthy to have high expectations, applying too much pressure can be harmful. Because kids don’t have the cognitive abilities necessary to calculate the odds of success and risks involved with online exposure, some say online branding should wait until adulthood. Other risks from overdoing it include physical or cognitive injury, mental illness, self-esteem problems, academic delay, and sleep deprivation.[8]

Gaming a System Set Up for Child Protection

Another cause for concern is how many kids on social media do not meet the age requirements specified in the platforms’ terms of agreement. These terms are created for the protection of children. Unfortunately, it is hard to enforce because children easily bypass these by simply creating accounts under a false age.

Interpersonal Exploitation

Another harmful outcome of online showcasing is unsafe peers and predators communicating with your child online. For example, a father was interviewed after discovering that his seven-year-old daughter was being contacted by adults for naked pictures on TikTok.[4] This type of exploitation is a common threat that parents need to be aware of and why monitoring activity regularly is imperative. Setting parental controls can be beneficial and possible with our Screen Safety Toolkit.

Financial Exploitation

Another risk is financial exploitation with identity theft. Scammers have many ways to target children online. Scammers can open lines of credit that can go undetected for several years.[5] To read more about how to protect your family against cybercrime, read our article Child Identity Theft is on the Rise. Protect Your Family Against Cybercrime.

Red Flags to Look Out For

Before interacting with potential producers or partners, vet them online using search engines like Google and LinkedIn, professional organization credentialing, and reviewing testimonials and reviews. Avoid rushing into having your child interact with people claiming to want to work with them
Also, when your child is hired to showcase their talents, do not pay fees upfront.[9]

Also, be wary of talent opportunities where

the other party uses urgent or threatening language
appears to be too good to be true
provides suspicious attachments
makes threats of any kind
requests personal or private information
urges you to click on a link
provides information that you were not expecting[7]

How to Protect Your Family from Online Dangers

Educate Your Child and Initiate Frequent Screen Safety Conversations

To help your kids learn about red flags for online exploitation, use our free Connected Family Screen Agreement. Our Connected Family Screen Agreement is like a screen safety checklist but so much more. It informs you about the risks of digital injury and how to prevent them. Our agreement also aids in empowering your kids to teach you since they are digital natives and you’re the digital immigrant. Use it to clarify your expectations and prevent conflict while practicing critical listening and negotiating skills while having fun. With our screen agreement, you will create a living document that can be changed and renegotiated along the way.

Set Up Your Online Management Toolkit

Children are more prone than ever before to fall victim to online injury. With this in mind, psychologist Dr. Tracy Bennett has dedicated herself to perfecting products for families like yours. To help parents and families prevent digital injury, we created several online courses like the GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit for parents of kids of all ages.

Optimize Healthy Tech Use with Best Home Setup

To help you learn how to achieve screen sanity, we at GKIS have spent time creating a vital course for your entire family. Our Screen Safety Essentials Course includes parent-only videos with the information and tools you need to earn the credibility to be your go-to expert. We also include family videos, workbook pages, and colorful infographic downloads to help do the teaching and discussing with you. You also get exclusive access to Dr. Bennett’s BEST webinars. Need a little expert support? Opt for private coaching with Dr. Bennett.

Encourage Independence and Critical Problem Solving

Our GKIS Social Media Readiness Course is an awesome resource for tweens and teens. Our free GKIS Blog articles offer great ideas for screen safety discussions during a screen-free dinner.

Thanks to CSUCI intern Janette Jimenez for researching the risks of exploitation and scams when using online platforms to showcase kids’ talent and authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Action for the Rights of Children (ARC) chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.unhcr.org/3bb81aea4.pdf

[2] Scam Definition & Meaning https://www.dictionary.com/browse/scam#:~:text=A%20scam%20is%20a%20deceptive,security%20number%20over%20the%20phone.

[3] How TikTok Predators Are Interacting With Kids https://www.bark.us/blog/predators-use-tiktok-kids/

[4] Father Warns Parents About Popular App After His 7-Year-Old Daughter Is Asked to Send Suggestive Photos https://people.com/human-interest/father-warns-parents-about-popular-app-after-his-7-year-old-daughter-is-asked-to-send-suggestive-photos/

[5] How Scammers Target Kids Online https://www.onpointcu.com/blog/how-scammers-target-kids-online/

[6]Social Media And Mental Health: How To Help Your Child Develop Healthy Social Media Habits https://fairhopepeds.com/blog/social-media-and-mental-health-how-to-help-your-child-develop-healthy-social-media-habits/

[7]How to Teach Kids About Phishing and Online Scams https://www.verywellfamily.com/teach-kids-about-phishing-and-online-scams-5248479

[8]The Dangers of Putting Too Much Pressure on Kids https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-dangers-of-putting-too-much-pressure-on-kids-1094823

[9] The Parent Trap: Entertainment Industry Scams, Scammers and Scumbags. https://vadastudios.com/news/the-parent-trap-entertainment-industry-scams-scammers-and-scumbags/

[10]` TikTok Parents Are Taking Advantage of Their Kids. It Needs to Stop https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/tiktok-parents-are-taking-advantage-of-their-kids-it-needs-to-stop/

[11] 25 Actionable Tips on How to Make Your Child an Instagram Influencer https://www.olesia.co.in/actionable-tips-on-how-to-make-your-child-an-instagram-influencer

[12] https://getkidsinternetsafe.com/scammed/

Photo Credits

Photo by Kelly Huang https://unsplash.com/photos/2bZnaKfM2JA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

Photo by rupixen.com https://unsplash.com/photos/Q59HmzK38eQ?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

Photo by Amanda Vick

https://unsplash.com/photos/pPV-kqfs5wA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

Photo by Al Elmes

https://unsplash.com/photos/Ou7I8x-9T_s?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

Photo by Natalya Zaritskaya https://unsplash.com/photos/SIOdjcYotms?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

Drug Dealers Use Social Media to Hook Teen Girl on Fentanyl

September 3, 2022 by GetKidsInternetSafe

Drug addiction is on the rise with many drug dealers finding teen customers on social media.[1] Once engaged with the dealer, teens are vulnerable to drug use, solicitation for nude photos and videos, coercion, extortion, and even violence. Once hooked, dealers may also use their victims to recruit other teens. Improving their methods one teen at a time, dealers become experts at persuading kids to try that first pill, often lying about what it is and how it may affect them. Most parents would deny that their kids are at risk, insisting that they’ve spoken to them and know their kids would never be so foolish. But if you’re not tracking content on your kids’ devices because you believe they deserve digital privacy, can you be so sure? To help close risk gaps and set appropriate expectations, check out our Screen Safety Essentials Course. With weekly family and parenting videos, you can be confident that you are doing all you can to protect your kids from risks like these. Today’s GKIS article shares a true story about a 16-year-old girl who got caught up in this shocking series of tragic events driven by social media use. Learn about how she got started, the workarounds she used, and what her parents would recommend to help keep your teens safe.

Morgan’s Story

Tom recently shared a tragic story with us about his 16-year-old stepdaughter, Morgan. Morgan is like any high school sophomore. She loves fashion, her friends, and her 17-year-old boyfriend, Parker. She earns straight As and loves to ride horses. Tom and his wife Julie frequently have Morgan’s friends and boyfriend over to the house to hang out and occasionally Morgan and Parker would go out too. Parker seemed like a good kid, and they insisted on meeting his parents right from the beginning. They didn’t think twice when, over time, Morgan started mouthing off, rolling her eyes, and pushing back against the rules. They figured it was normal adolescent boundary-pushing. Besides, Julie and Morgan moved to this new community only a year ago before Tom and Julie got married. They figured there would be some growing pains as she figured out her new school and friend situation.

Over time, however, Morgan’s defiance escalated. She was constantly on her phone, isolating herself in her room, coming home past curfew, and eventually started sneaking out at odd times “to go for a walk.” Grounding her and taking her phone didn’t seem to help, and Julie was reticent to repeatedly punish her due to the screaming fights that would ensue when she tried to implement consequences. Julie felt like maintaining a cooperative alliance with Morgan was more effective than punishment. So, she worked hard to spend time with her daughter and felt that she’d grow out of the teen attitude.

More Than Teen Rebellion

Tom realized it was more than teen rebellion when his neighbor, who worked in law enforcement, came by and reported that he’d seen Morgan buying drugs from different men that would drive up to her during her walks. Julie and Tom were shocked and terrified. They put Morgan into therapy and drug-tested her. When she came up positive for multiple drugs, they put her in intensive outpatient therapy for teens who abuse drugs. They tightened up on their rules and hoped that everything would sort out now that Morgan was getting professional help.

Over time, Morgan’s attitude got better, and she said she liked her therapists. Until one day Julie discovered fentanyl tablets in Morgan’s room and realized they needed to investigate further. Although Julie was still reticent to invade Morgan’s privacy, Tom insisted they confiscate Morgan’s phone and restrict social media and socializing privileges until they could better understand and control the situation.

Phone Content Reveals the “Real” Story

When they accessed Morgan’s phone, they discovered she was swept up in many dealings with multiple drug dealers, most of them adults and some in gangs. They also saw text exchanges that demonstrated that she and her boyfriend were offering nude photos and videos of them having sex in exchange for drugs. It was also clear that Morgan had sex with some of the dealers in exchange for drugs. Julie and Tom were heartbroken and reached out to law enforcement.

From the phone content, several arrests ensued and Morgan filed a restraining order against Parker. The videos revealed that both teens were under the influence during the sexual encounters and Parker may even be charged with a crime since Morgan is heard saying “no” in some of the videos.

Morgan was immediately enrolled in an online charter school and has been admitted to several inpatient drug rehabilitation programs. She takes the prescription drug, Suboxone, to help her avoid opioid withdrawal and stay off fentanyl. Tom and Julie deleted her social media profiles and don’t allow her any screen use except when she borrows her mom’s phone for browsing here and there. Despite these measures, she has found alternative ways to communicate with old friends by using and sneaking other people’s devices and using the computers at school. As she “unlearns” the manipulative, unhealthy behaviors typical of addiction, she has been kicked out of various schools, friend groups, extracurricular activities, treatment centers, and therapy groups. It will be a long road to healing for Morgan. Although Julie and Tom did the best they could, they wish they would have done more and sooner.

Tom’s Take-Away Advice

When we asked Tom what he wish he’d have done, he shared the following suggestions:

If I had known how rampant drug sales are among middle and high school students on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, I would not have allowed any social media until the age of 16 minimum

I would have set up more stringent monitoring on all devices and computers, and I would have provided a talk-and-text-only phone with no way to add apps and no way to access the Internet until the age of 16.

I would have volunteered to be the pickup parent instead of the drop-off. Kids are smart. They knew I would catch them if they were under the influence when I picked them up.

I would have shut off our Wi-Fi network every night and checked which devices were using our Wifi. Morgan was able to sneak a “burner phone” at night until he realized that he could monitor WiFi use.

Finally, I would have set up random drug testing as a general policy. Parents who assume that they have no reason to drug test their kids because they’re athletes, straight-A students, or generally good kids still can’t be confident their kids are not being influenced by dangerous others. Drug testing is an insurance policy to help keep your kids alive.

If you want to get into smart parenting habits before your kids run into trouble:

Use our free Connected Family Screen Agreement (and weekly GKIS Blog articles) to set rules and expectations when your kids first get ownership over digital devices and social media platforms. The first rule is that nothing on your device is private, and parents get anytime access.

Purchase our Screen Safety Essentials Course to support the whole family and parenting team for better screen safety and a more honest and cooperative home life.

Check out Social Media Readiness Course for tweens and teens. This course offers 10 modules that teach screen safety issues and psychological wellness tools to optimize mental health in both real-life and digital landscapes. Each module offers a quiz to demonstrate mastery of content.

Finally, talk to your kids, be consistent with monitoring and screen use rules, and don’t assume they won’t experiment with dangerous situations. To learn more about which social media platforms are popular for drug deals and the emoticons they use, check out our article A Teen’s Addicts Confessions About Online Workarounds.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Photo Credits

Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash

Photo by sebastiaan stam on Unsplash

Photo by MART PRODUCTION, https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-and-a-woman-leaning-on-a-vandalized-wall-7231496/

Photo by Aphiwat Chuangchoem,

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Rise in Functional Tic Disorders Among Teen Girls Linked to TikTok Videos

May 11, 2022 by Mackenzie Morrow

In recent months, speculation surrounding a significant increase among the number of teenage girls reporting the occurrence of Tourette’s-like symptoms has emerged. Concerned parents of children who are experiencing the onset of tics have sought the help of medical professionals. Surprisingly, these medical professionals have suggested that there appears to be a possible link between the onset of symptoms among these teenage girls and their use of the social media app called TikTok. It has been well documented that social media poses inherent risks and various pitfalls for kids. Dr. Bennett believes that preparing tweens and teens to navigate these problems before they arise by providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills is the key to avoiding digital injury. That is why we created the Social Media Readiness Course, designed to empower families to promote safe and responsible practices while avoiding harmful outcomes.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a social media and video-sharing platform/app that is primarily marketed to kids and teens. Since its launch in 2016, it has become one of the most popular social media sites, attracting over 1 billion monthly users. TikTok is so popular among today’s kids and teens that it has become a part of the cultural zeitgeist. The social media app has also been the focus of several significant controversies. You can read about some of these stories in other GKIS blog articles here and here.

Tourette Syndrome vs. Functional Tic Disorder

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome aka Tourette’s is a type of neurological disorder that involves the occurrence of uncontrollable movements and unwanted verbal outbursts referred to as tics.

Tourette Syndrome is typically diagnosed in children between the ages of 7 and 10, but symptoms can occur as early 2 years old or as late as 15 years old. Historically, boys are 3-4 times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than girls. Individuals with Tourette Syndrome reportedly benefit from treatments that include medication and psychological therapy.[1]

Functional Tic Disorder

Functional Tic Disorder is also a type of neurological disorder. It is characterized by issues with voluntary movement rather than automatic movement.

People with Functional Tic Disorder often experience the interruption of voluntary movements and vocalizations with uncontrollable tics. This disorder is diagnosed later in life than Tourette Syndrome, typically around 18 years old, and occurs more often in women than in men. Individuals with Functional Tic Disorder reportedly benefit from psychological therapy and do not respond to medication.[2]

Tics

The word tic is used to describe a vast array of symptoms that include sudden and repetitive twitches, jolts, and sounds or even complex motor movements and combinations of words. Tics range in severity from symptoms like repetitive eye-blinking, shoulder shrugs, or throat-clearing to more severe and even violent symptoms like punching, hair-pulling, or shouting obscene language.[3].

According to research, Tic Disorders appear to be somewhat heritable. Additionally, the tics seen in Tourette’s and Functional Tic Disorder share several similarities including appearance, suggestibility, distractibility, and increases during periods of stress and anxiety.[4]

Is TikTok really causing tic disorders among teen girls?

As previously mentioned, Tic Disorders like Tourette Syndrome are much more common in boys than in girls. So, many experts were surprised when a recent surge in teenage girls reporting the sudden onset of uncontrollable tics began seeking their help. After conducting extensive medical interviews, doctors started noticing that the patients all shared a common interest in watching Tourette-Syndrome-related content prior to the onset of their tics.

TikTok videos featuring the tag #tourettes have been viewed billions of times, with content creators offering a glimpse into how they navigate their daily lives with the disorder. Some Tourette’s-centered users have millions of followers.[5]

According to research, the number of cases linked to social media has jumped significantly. Interestingly, researchers studying this phenomenon have noticed a “phenomenological similarity” between the tics/tic-like behavior depicted on social media platforms like TikTok and the tic-like behavior demonstrated by this group of patients.[6]

The Role of the Pandemic

Many experts have also claimed that despite the correlation between TikTok use and the onset of symptoms, the true underlying cause is more complex. Research shows that stress and anxiety levels among kids and teens have drastically increased since the start of the pandemic. Since stress and anxiety levels play a significant role in the occurrence and severity of tics related to Tourette’s and other tic disorders, experts suggest that they are likely also playing a significant role in the recent surge of cases.[6]

Additionally, researchers have posited that increased social isolation, the widespread use of social media as an outlet for peer socialization, and consistent exposure to popular Tourette’s-themed TikTok content have primed some of these patients to believe that exhibiting “tics” may serve as a means of peer acceptance and popularity.[6] The similarities between the tics depicted on TikTok and the tics demonstrated in these new cases coupled with this theory regarding a desire for peer acceptance suggest that many of these teens might simply be manufacturing their symptoms. However, more research is needed to determine if a causal link between social media use and the onset of tic disorders truly exists and to what extent the pandemic plays a role in this phenomenon.

Treatment

Further evidence that points to the possible role of TikTok in the development of these new cases include how the patients have been treated. Behavioral treatment plans including personalized psychoeducation strategies that include avoiding triggering exposure to tic-related social media content have been successful. In many cases, patients were encouraged to refrain from using the app for several weeks and instead engage in physical activities that get the mind and body working together. Many of these patients experienced a significant reduction or a complete elimination of the uncontrollable tics that impacted them.[6]

What Parents Can Do

The most important thing that parents can do is be aware of the potential risks and promote an environment of open communication with your children. Dr. B offers a comprehensive family program for fostering this kind of communication in her Screen Safety Essentials Course. With this course, your family will learn tons of information about how to create a safer screen home environment while also connecting and having fun as a family. Armed with the right tools, you and your family can learn how to better thrive in today’s digital era.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Mackenzie Morrow for researching the role of social media apps among the rise of tic-related disorders and co-authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Photos Credited

Photo By Julia M Cameron (https://www.pexels.com/search/selfie/)

Photo By Dhyamis Kleber (https://www.pexels.com/search/movement/)

Photo By MART PRODUCTION (https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-sitting-on-floor-with-arms-around-knees-7277897/)

Works Cited

[1] Cedars Sinai. (2021). Tourette Syndrome. Cedars Sanai. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/t/tourette-syndrome.html#:~:text=The%20first%20signs%20of%20Tourette,considered%20symptoms%20of%20Tourette%20syndrome.

[2] Hedderly, T. (2022). Functional Tics. FND Guide. https://www.neurosymptoms.org/en_US/symptoms/fnd-symptoms/functional-tics/#:~:text=Tourette%20syndrome%20is%20a%20condition,Functional%20Neurological%20Disorder%20(FND).

[3] Benaroya-Milshtein, N., Shmuel-Baruch, S., Apter, A., Valevski, A., Fenig, S., & Steinberg, T. (2020). Aggressive symptoms in children with tic disorders. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 29(5), 617–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01386-6

[4] Tourette Association of America. (2021). Rising incidence of functional tic-like behaviors. Tourette Association of America. https://tourette.org/rising-incidence-of-functional-tic-like-behaviors/#:~:text=Functional%20Neurological%20Disorder%20and%20the,worsening%20in%20times%20of%20stress.

[5] Stokel-Walker, C. (2021). The complicated truth about tiktok and tourette’s syndrome. Wired. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/tiktok-tourettes

[6] Pringsheim, T., Ganos, C., McGuire, J. F., Hedderly, T., Woods, D., Gilbert, D. L., Piacentini, J., Dale, R. C., & Martino, D. (2021). Rapid Onset Functional Tic-Like Behaviors in Young Females During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Movement disorders: official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 36(12), 2707–2713. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28778

Beauty Filters Don’t Embrace Brown Beauty: The Rise of Colorism

May 4, 2022 by Ashley Salazar

How would you feel if you found out that your child is going to extreme and dangerous lengths to change their appearance? What if your child is putting themselves in potential harm to fit beauty standards set by beauty filters? Beauty filters can be a fun way to transform selfies, but they have failed to embrace the beauty of all skin tones, especially dark ones. This has led to the rise of colorism and extreme self-esteem issues. To help you recognize the dangers of social media on self-esteem, I interviewed Dr. Chavarria, CSUCI Assistant Professor of Sociology, to offer insight on how colorism affects minority communities and how to prevent it. If you are concerned for your child’s mental and physical well-being when they interact on social media, check out our Social Media Readiness Training for tweens and teens. Our guide prepares your children for safer screen use and prevents psychological illness with our expert emotional wellness tools. Today’s GKIS article shares the story of a young girl negatively affected by beauty filters and tips you can take to help protect your kids from colorism.

What are beauty filters?

Beauty filters are social media features that beautify and erase people’s imperfections and flaws by creating a modified version of themselves. Specific modifications can be anything, but the most popular filters alter the size of facial features, change eye color, and add effects like make-up or long eyelashes.[1]

The Negative Effects of Filters

Low Self-Esteem

Although filters can be fun, they can also be damaging to one’s self-esteem. Research demonstrates that the use of filters can lead to low self-esteem because filter users are more likely to hyper-focus on the features they dislike when using them. This can then lead to frequently comparing one’s real looks with filtered looks, changing our beauty “ideal” and recognizing (even obsessing on) our failure to live up to that ideal. Not being able to accomplish the same look with these filters can make someone feel less than or that they will always be below beauty standards. For others, it may motivate them to find a way to change their appearance to better match the beauty standards set by social media regardless of the risks these changes pose.[2]

The Rise of Colorism

It has been noted by many social media users that beautifying filters usually have a lightening or bleaching effect on the skin. In fact, according to skin color expert Ronald Hall, this effect is not an accident. He explains that it is a way to maintain and conform to historically Eurocentric beauty standards.

Beauty filters are promoting a rise in colorism. Colorism refers to prejudices or discrimination an individual may experience for having a darker skin tone. This phenomenon usually occurs among one’s own ethnic or racial group.[3,4]

A Young Teen Takes Drastic Measures to Change Appearance

Lise, a young teenager, shared her struggles with colorism. Her experience included being bullied for her darker skin tone. The bullying not only came from white girls at school but, to her surprise, also from those who looked similar to her in her same ethnic or racial group.

Seeing pictures of light-skinned women receive lots of likes and positive comments online also confirmed to Lise that she did not meet society’s standards of beauty, bringing her self-esteem down. To try to lighten her skin, Lise began to scrub her mom’s bleaching cream into her skin with a copper wire brush. Even without abrasion injuries, bleaching products can pose health risks.[4]

If you are concerned that your child is suffering from a digital injury like mood and anxiety disorders triggered by compare-and-despair, check out our GKIS Online Safety Red Flags For Parents. With this guide, you’ll learn the behavioral red flags to look out for that may signal your child is suffering from digital injury.

Colorism Affects Minority Communities on a Larger Scale

Colorism is an issue that not only affects self-esteem, but it has also been a problem for minority communities on a larger scale. Dr. Chavarria, CSUCI Assistant Professor of Sociology, explained in our interview that the emergence of colorism, particularly in the Latino society, has been a consequence of conquest and colonization of indigenous communities.

Colonizers constructed these ideas about indigenous communities so they would be perceived as inferior, uncivilized, having no knowledge, and being closer to evil. Whites or being light-skinned, in contrast, have historically been constructed to be perceived as better, good, and even closer to God.

This construction caused the devaluation of indigenous identity features such as brown skin, indigenous language, and ethnic practices leading to the destruction of indigenous communities. Many who managed to survive and succeed in the majority culture often did so by blending in and learning to assimilate. Ethnic roots were lost over generations, and minority communities lost a sense of pride in what they look like. Dr. Chavarria reported that research has demonstrated how individuals that align with beauty standards often get more career opportunities and higher pay.

How to Help Stop Colorism

Start with Family

Colorism needs to be stopped. A first step is addressing how colorism starts within the family. Dr. Chavarria stated that, although colorism often starts with the family, grandparents and parents are often not even aware they are engaging in it. They too have been socialized to believe these ideas about their indigenous roots and characteristics. Therefore, educating family members about what colorism is and how it can cause generational trauma can be the first important step to change.

As a Chicana who has also experienced colorism within my community and family, I recognize that change can be hard. Sometimes I didn’t know how to tell my grandmother that the “advice” she gave me was conforming to Eurocentric standards and colorism, and that it did more damage than help. For example, when family members told me that I should find a light-skinned man with colored eyes so my future children can inherit those features, they seemed to be telling me that, as a brown girl, I did not possess “beautiful” features.

Follow Body-Positive Campaigns

Dr. Chavarria also highly recommends that social media users check out campaigns directed to make positive changes. Cultural Survival on Facebook is a campaign that she tracks. It is an international organization that engages with indigenous communities across the globe. They address important issues like colorism by protecting indigenous women and challenging Eurocentric notions of beauty.

Practice Self-Awareness

If you find yourself contributing to colorism with comments and negative self-appraisals, challenge yourself for positive change.

Speak Out

As you become more self-aware, speak out to friends and post positive pro-beauty messages that demonstrate that beauty comes in many shades and colors. We must consistently challenge historical ideas to break biases and end discrimination. It starts with us, let’s get started!

Thanks to Dr. Chavarria for offering expert insight on colorism and how to prevent it. Thanks also to CSUCI intern Ashley Salazar for researching and co-authoring this article. Colorism is on a high rise due to beauty filters on social media. Check out our GKIS courses to learn to have easier dialogues with your children and protect them from digital injury.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1]Ma, J. (2020) Are Face Filters on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok leading to a distorted sense of beauty in society? YP. Are face filters on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok leading to a distorted sense of beauty in society? – YP | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

[2] Mac Neil, I. (2021) WATCH — Why beauty filters might be messing with your self-esteem. CBC Kids News.

WATCH — Why beauty filters might be messing with your self-esteem | Video | Kids News (cbc.ca)

[3] Wang, C. (2020) Why do beauty filters make you look whiter? Popular Science.

https://www.popsci.com/story/technology/photo-filters-white-kodak-film/

[4] Ryan Mosley, T. (2021) How digital beauty filters perpetuate colorism. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/08/15/1031804/digital-beauty-filters-photoshop-photo-editing-colorism-racism/

[5] https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/instagram-face-filters-dysmorphia#:~:text=She%20says%20that%20 she%2C%20 too,no%20imperfections%2C%22%20she%20explains. Have not used might use.

Photo Credits

Photo by Agarwal, Diya. https://www.flickr.com/photos/medicalhealthtips/15946735624/in/photolist-qiabVE-9H6aGv-8Lrnkk-2md9TsF-2md8Nep-5a3eXi-24qG78x-HBuwUe-2kScHdE-tPAvCu-ENxyqW-2krhzMd-2kScb6B-61zsJ-VqpLNQ-kn4YLz-2kS9Knm-w7KHtd-2kSbo8f-2kSboik-2kSgFoJ-2kSgER6-UEKxRF-2kS9KrE-2kSbopC-2kScaKS-2kScaJz-fCjuV-SXbcAJ-9KgCcQ-p57AHY-JNKLtL-tFUtpd-2mcoGCo-uRvgR-5yWPt8-9Am5c5-752fss-5oWrRc-2mcohu5-5szcJ7-2iQK6Lh-VBXddp-XonKAh-a2fEi4-7wuE7x-ouPRzz-f6xVfC-9KdK8r-H4xb4S/lightbox/

Photo by Becerra, Manny. https://unsplash.com/photos/ckXiLvOSieM

Photo by Odunsi, Oladimeji. https://unsplash.com/photos/aU_eOcelLhQ

Photo by Hryshchenko, Volodymyr. https://unsplash.com/photos/WU9dA3C4R28

Will Social Media Companies Be Sued for Addicting Kids?

April 18, 2022 by Mackenzie Morrow

Recently, practices and policies enacted by social media companies have come under public scrutiny for their harmful effects on kids and teens. Many parents, public figures, and experts have expressed that screen addiction is a rampant issue being faced by kids, teens, and adults. Figuring out how to best protect your family in the online world can be tough. For some help in this area, check out Dr. Bennet’s Screen Safety Toolkit which comes with recommendations, how-to information, and links to easy-to-onboard parental control systems. To combat the issue in California, lawmakers are proposing a bill that would allow the parents of children who have become addicted to social media apps to sue the companies that own them.[1]

Social Media Platform Duty to Children Act

The Social Media Platform Duty to Children Act, formally known as Assembly Bill 2408, is the latest in a string of political endeavors to crack down on the exploitation of children by social media companies. The bill was introduced to the California State Assembly by two bipartisan lawmakers, Democrat Buffy Wicks of Oakland and Republican Jordan Cunningham of Paso Robles and with support from the University of San Diego School of Law Children’s Advocacy Institute.[1] Its creation is likely a response to internal documents leaked by whistleblowers from prominent social media companies. The documents leaked provide evidence that some social media companies have been aware of the harmful effects of some of their practices and policies on children, yet they continue to implement them without safeguards.

For more information about screen addiction, how to spot it in your kids, and ways to combat it, order Dr. Tracy Bennet’s book, Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe. Dr. Bennett understands that technology is a helpful tool that is here to stay, but also recognizes that it imposes risks like screen addiction due to effective manipulative designs that hack our brains’ reward systems. Using her decades of expertise as a clinical psychologist and mom, Dr. B’s developed family-tested parenting strategies that will help you build the tools you need to help your family navigate today’s technological pitfalls.

Details, Penalties, and Exemptions

Information provided by the Children’s Advocacy Institute explains that, if passed, the bill would first obligate social media companies to avoid engaging in any practices or policies that are harmful or injurious to child users. This may include forcing the companies to eliminate or change design features or data collection practices that contribute to or promote addictive behaviors. If the companies fail to comply with these standards, parents and guardians will be empowered to seek legal action in the form of a lawsuit on behalf of their children who were harmed by the companies’ products.

According to the Institute, damages may potentially include $1,000 or more per child in a class-action suit or up to $25,000 per child per year in a civil penalty. The legislatures who introduced the bill speculate that companies will adopt a varied range of potential compliance solutions that may include changes to certain algorithms or simply not allow kids to sign up anymore. Additionally, representatives of the Institute state that there will be a provision that prevents responsible companies who take basic steps to avoid implementing practices, features, or policies that contribute to children’s addictions to their platforms. Further, social media companies that make less than $1oo million per year will be exempt from penalties.[1]

The Argument for Introducing the Bill

The two lawmakers behind the bill expressed their reasoning for introducing it during the State Assembly. Rep. Jordan Cunningham stated that tech companies willfully design their social media platforms and products with features that make kids and teens want to spend more and more time engaging with them to the point that they begin exhibiting addictive behaviors. He argues that tech companies should stop profiting from child harm and instead share in the cost of treating screen-addicted kids. Rep. Cunningham also explained that social media should be regulated the same way that any other products consumed by children are regulated and for the same reason, to keep them safe.[1]

Facebook Whistleblower

The most prominent whistleblower is a former data scientist at Facebook, Frances Haugen, who leaked internal documents containing evidence about Facebook’s extensive knowledge of Instagram’s negative effects on young girls’ body images. Facebook, which also owns Instagram, had compiled studies with alarming statistics. One such study found that 32% of teens said they felt worse about their bodies after using Instagram.[2]

In 2021, Haugen presented the documents during a congressional hearing during which several members expressed deep dissatisfaction with Facebook’s practices. Subcommittee Chair Richard Blumenthal stated that, despite being aware of these statistics, “Facebook exploited teens using powerful algorithms that amplified their insecurities.”[2] Haugen argued that lawmakers must examine the algorithms that drive popular features as well as the data collecting practices used by Facebook and Instagram. Assembly Bill 2408 aims to sidestep Section 230 which protects social media platforms from being liable for third-party content.