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If you are a parent/carer who is worried about social media’s impact on your child’s mental health, you’re not alone. With social media, there’s so much to navigate and keep track of that it can feel overwhelming, and you might not be sure where to start. This blog shares some hints and tips for things you…

The TV series, Adolescence, has recently re-ignited a global debate around online misogyny and violence against women and girls. The drama follows the family of a 13-year-old schoolboy who is arrested for killing a female classmate and explores the impact of social media and misogynist influencers. One key takeaway from the series was a moment in…

Every year, World Sleep Day is held to celebrate the importance of healthy sleep and raise awareness of sleep-related issues. It’s crucial that those of us working with children and young people understand how sleep impacts their overall wellbeing, especially related to the growing influence of social media. In this blog, we’ll discuss the links…

Findings from the literature, with a focus on self-harm and suicidality In today’s digital age, social media is integral to children and young people’s lives. Its significant challenges, however, have been well documented, particularly concerning mental health. From Jonathan Haidt’s damning book, the Anxious Generation, to Swiped, a recent Channel4 documentary showing the impacts of…

By Lorraine Glass, Director, respectme – Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Service “I don’t make it my business to strike terror into the hearts of children – after all, it somewhat goes against the brief! …however I recall exactly the moment that I did just that, and wanted to share it with you. Almost a decade ago (scary…

We recently attended the Online Safety Live Event 2024 in Glasgow, run by the UK Safer Internet Centre, and here are some of the key things that we learned: Promoting the online safety of children and young people is a key policy priority in Scotland and the UK (Online Safety Act, Internet Safety for Children…

We re-launched our Aye Mind project just over a year ago and are sharing some highlights of what we achieved in that time:

It’s no longer possible for us to support a child or young person’s (CYP) mental health without thinking about the online environment. This includes being aware of the risks of the online environment and encouraging CYP to maximise the benefits of being online. It also means knowing the benefits of digital tools in promoting wellbeing…

By Dr Zhuoni Xiao, Research Fellow, and Sarah Robertson, Youth Engagement Lead, on behalf of the Loneliness in the Digital World team, Generation Scotland. Loneliness and Social Interaction Loneliness has been identified as an important public health issue, peaking during adolescence (Park et al., 2020). Previous research has suggested that social interaction is a key…

This is the first blog in a special social media series looking at popular social media platforms that are used by children and young people. The series aims to help you develop a foundational understanding of common platforms and how to support children and young people who use them to have a safe and positive…