SUMMARY
The addictive nature of social media doesn't just have parents, lawmakers and advocates worried. Last year, more than half of U.S. teens said it would be difficult to give up social media, including TikTok and YouTube. The latest episode of our Student Reporting Labs series "Moments of Truth" tells the story of one teen who faced this dilemma head-on with Instagram.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
News wrap alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM UP QUESTIONS:
- Who is the main focus of the story?
- What mental health challenges does Connor mention facing?
- Why did social media actually help Connor at first?
- When did Gus express concern about Connor's behavior? What triggered the concern?
- Where did Connor and Gus find a better space for their friendship than social media?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did social media impact Connor's mental health and what steps did he take to address the challenges he faced? Have you found moments where you felt like you needed to step back from social media use? If so, how did the break affect you?
Media literacy: Do you think students should control how much time they use on Social Media?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?
FOR MORE:
What students can do: Watch this video and answer the following question — How can young people use social media to create positive change?
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