The panic over kids and smartphones has gone too far

+ Walz's big dad energy, a Meme-a-Thon in Brooklyn, and why so many car YouTubers are quitting

For the past several months, countless influential figures in U.S. politics and the media have been relentlessly pushing the idea that social media and cell phones are destroying the younger generation’s minds and causing an unprecedented mental health crisis among children.

This narrative has been championed by a mix of high profile pundits, concerned, but deeply uninformed, parents, lawmakers seeking to restrict civil liberties under the guise of cracking down on big tech, and Jonathan Haidt, an author and business school professor, who’s book, The Anxious Generation, has helped foment a dangerous nation-wide moral panic surrounding kids and social media use.

The book is complete bunk, and I highly suggest listening to this excellent If Books Could Kill castigation of it, my podcast episode with a leading researcher on this topic, or reading some of the expert rebuttals from people who actually study this field. But even ignoring Haidt’s book, it’s clear that this moral panic isn’t subsiding anytime soon.

So, this week I launched a new YouTube series called “tech panic” covering the mass freakout about “children’s online safety,” and to contextualize what’s really going on and how we can actually protect kids from online harms.

In my first video, I tackle Haidt’s book and do a heavily-researched dive deep into the history of previous moral panics around media and technology.

The next video will feature an in-depth interview with a top academic who has studied the effects of kids’ social media use for decades. And, in the coming months, we’ll be looking at how efforts to “protect children online” often end up harming all of us. We’ll be hearing from the vulnerable kids and parents seeking to fight back against this hysteria, and giving parents and young people alike, smart and effective strategies to build a healthy relationship with the media and technology of our time. Subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep up!

(PS to any parents reading: I am NOT saying we should give kids unlimited screen time. Please watch the full video before leaving me hate comments!! 🙈)

(yes I know these thumbnails look insane lmao but that’s YouTube babyyyyy)

What I’m reading:

Trump wanted TikTok banned. Now it’s a key piece of his online campaign.

A small group of aides is racing to position the former president as the biggest entertainer on the popular video app, featuring celebrity cameos, odd dances and no policy talk. - The Washington Post

A booming industry of AI age scanners, aimed at children’s faces

“Age assurance” checks are increasingly popular among lawmakers trying to wall kids off from the open internet. But they rely on a style of surveillance that ranges “from ‘somewhat privacy violating’ to ‘authoritarian nightmare.’” - Washington Post

Every Generation Is the Anxious Generation

The big problem faced by teens today is deeper—and much older—than phones. - Slate

Indonesian fishermen are using an AI tool to find their daily catch

Unlike wealthier nations where startups and big tech take the lead on AI, an Indonesian government agency is leading the charge and focusing on practical applications. - Rest of World

Walz's big dad energy

Tim Walz has slid perfectly into a load-bearing trope of social media: dad memes. - The Atlantic

Welcome to Charging Cord Hell. Population: you

Apple's ongoing switch to USB-C charging cords has thrown consumers whole charging rigs. - Business Insider

Foreign TikTok networks are pushing political lies to Americans

A flood of anti-Trump videos, generated with the help of AI, traced back to a web of overseas accounts. - WSJ

Instagram now has AI boyfriends and girlfriends. Here's what it's like chatting with them.

Sydney Bradley browsed the collection of chatbots on Instagram that had already been created by users and found several branded as girlfriends or boyfriends, as well as bots that share life advice, talk about alcohol and drug recovery, or are made to seem like animals that can talk. - Business Insider

Why ‘Underconsumption Core’ Is Blowing up on TikTok

With rising inflation, increased housing costs, and general panic around a looming recession, the idea of buying less, spending less, and saving more has struck a chord with the TikTok influencers. - Lifehacker

Ava Kris Tyson ‘Used Me’: Former MrBeast Collaborator Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Tyson, who is under a third-party workplace investigation, is being accused of sending inappropriate messages and pressuring a former employee into sexual acts. - Rolling Stone

Why are so many car YouTubers quitting?

From Car Throttle to Donut, countless YouTube creators are fleeing the channels they helped make famous. They’re going solo, often not long after those former channels received high-dollar acquisitions. - The Verge

Before Reality Became Debatable, There Was ‘The Blair Witch Project’

25 ago, the indie horror blockbuster compelled audiences to ask, “Was that real?” The question now permeates our age of misinformation. - NY Times

The Airport is the New Third Place

All of us are spending more time in them. The airport is embedding itself into modern life. Travel isn't just a minor thing anymore; it's become a major component of middle class existence. And the Airport is where we are spending a lot of our time. - The Lindy Newsletter

The Platform Proletariat

How the artificial intelligence industry profits from an unprotected digital working class in Brazil. - Pulitzer Center

Am I heartless if I post a photo of my viral croissant in times of global warfare?

What are the ethics of posting about your nice little life when horrible things are happening in the world? - Fast Company

Netflix premieres new social media competition show

The Influencer pits TikTokers against YouTube stars in a popularity contest; their follower counts are displayed on electronic collars as they dole out likes and dislikes to their fellow contestants. - Semafor

Kamala Harris’ Campaign Is a Windfall for Influencers

The switch from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris atop the Democratic ticket has been a boon for the campaign—and content creators. - WIRED

2024 Paris Olympics have fully entered their influencer era

Paris 2024 athletes have used social media to fully maximize their brands, hoping to stay relevant outside of the Olympic cycle -- something many of their predecessors have struggled with for decades. - ESPN

You can now share up to 20 photos in one Instagram post

Goodbye photo dumps, hello Facebook albums. - Mashable

The 'Apparently Kid' Recreates His Iconic Viral Moment 10 Years Later

Noah Ritter, now 15, revisited the Wayne County Fair with his Grandpa Jack in honor of the special occasion. - People

This food influencer is helping NYC restaurants thrive

Meet Rachel Brotman aka “The Carboholic” on Instagram and TikTok. - NY Post

Look At Me! No, Don't

People who have built the most lucrative online careers have done so by playing to the main strength of the internet: its accessibility. More specifically, by allowing followers to feel like they have enhanced access to you - even if the personality they’re accessing is a farce. (loved this piece by Madison Huizinga). - Cafe Hysteria

Pastor Jerry Eze is Nigeria’s highest-paid YouTuber

The top five highest-earning YouTubers in Nigeria are pastors. - Premium Times

What's digital liveness? A modelization.

Digital platforms create this strange feeling of being alive or absent through screens through UX and community strategy. - Alive in Social Media

The AI job interviewer will see you now

Companies are adopting AI job interview systems to handle incoming applicants. LLMs allow the interviewer to incorporate follow-up questions based on the subject’s response. - Rest of World

The TikTok star saving a 400-year-old US tradition

For decades, Maryland has been synonymous with crabbing. But as the Chesapeake Bay's "watermen" fade away, a young TikTok-famous fisherman is hoping to revive it. - BBC

TikTok is adding an in-app hub, called “TikTok Spotlight,” for movies and TV shows.

The hubs will feature information about a title, along with options to purchase tickets or watch on a streaming service. - The Verge

Humane’s AI pin daily returns are outpacing sales

The company is scrambling to stabilize as it hits $1 million in total returns against $9 million in sales. (I guess MKBHD isn’t the only one who hated the pin.) - The Verge

Instagram is making views the primary metric for content

Instagram is making “views” the primary metric across all of its formats, meaning that creators will be able to track the same metric across Reels, Stories, photos, and more. - The Verge

Instagram wants more teens. So it went looking for them on YouTube.

Meta and Google are serious competitors. But they can also do business together: Turns out Meta's Instagram was buying ads, targeting teens, on Google's YouTube. - Business Insider

More fun stuff

Jason Levine, author of Memes Make Millions, is organizing a live Meme-a-Thon​ in Brooklyn, compete in a 3-hour memelord competition hosted at Gumroad.

There was something so peaceful and serene about the new Bedstuy koi pond. (Update: the goldfish have been rescued!)

On getting dressed.

Oh you thought a giant frozen cone of soft serve was the dessert of the summer?? No, you fool, it’s the trifle.

Gen-Z might be the swolest generation.

I very much welcome the matchbook collecting renaissance.

Alix Earle is in the midst of some controversy after her alleged old ASKfm posts got leaked.

A 6-year-old girl was denied a passport because she’s named after a Game of Thrones character.

The Guardian examines Hollywood’s latest crop of “muscled, charismatic men who look like they came out of a 3D printer.”

I Reviewed Restaurants for 12 Years. They’ve Changed, and Not for the Better.

In his last essay as a restaurant critic, Pete Wells reflects on a dining world of touch screens and reservation apps, where it’s getting hard to find the human touch. - NY Times

The Internet Reacts To Breakdancing 'Abomination' At Summer Olympics

B-Girl Raygun's performance was panned at the first-ever Olympic breakdancing competition. - Kotaku

‘Python Challenge’ underway in South Florida

People in South Florida are hunting large snakes for a chance to win a lot of money.. Competitors will be scouring the Everglades to find and remove invasive Burmese pythons. - WFTV

PS: Sorry this email went out so late. I’m a very disorganized person but I’m going to TRY to get these out Wednesday and Friday mornings from now on. We’ll see how that goes! lol 🤷🏻‍♀️

Got a hot tip or a good link I should read? What do you want to see more of from this newsletter? Let me know!

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