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| Lisa Ling has covered impactful national and international news for more than 20 years. Now, she’s on a mission to protect children by speaking out about the negative effects of social media use. Read some of our favorite clips from our chat with Ling below. |
| *This interview has been edited for length and clarity. |
| Q: |
What inspired you to start reporting on youth mental health and social media use? |
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| A: For me, the issue of youth mental health has become one of my biggest priorities. In particular, I have tremendous concern about the impact that technology is having on our kids’ brains and behavioral health.
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| I’ll be honest, 10 years ago when my little girl was a baby, I didn’t know any better so I’d constantly give her a device to placate her. Whenever she was fussy or temperamental, I’d give her my phone and I knew instantly that that would calm her down. I could see the behavioral changes whenever I’d try to take it away from her. There was nothing that compared. She’d rather forgo playing or interacting with other kids to have a device in her hand. |
| For most human beings, middle school [is] perhaps [when we’re] the most vulnerable. We’re bombarded by feelings that we have difficulty identifying, and now add to that these devices […] and how much control these algorithms have over our minds [...] it’s just become such an important issue for me to speak out on. |
| Q: |
How has implementing digital boundaries with your kids worked out? |
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| A: I try hard, but it’s a daily struggle. Even if I don’t allow them to use [their devices], they’re trying to get mine. Sadly, kids don’t know how to be bored anymore. They feel like they need to fill every second.
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| [I’m] just trying to delay the inevitable because I’m certain that kids are going to become as addicted as adults have become. But in this crucial stage of brain development, I want to try and protect them as long as I can. |
| Q: |
Do you have any words of support or encouragement for parents looking to follow suit?
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| A: This isn’t an attempt to shame anyone. We’re all in this together. I’m trying to sound the alarm to other parents so that they don’t repeat the behavior that I employed when my kid was a baby. |
| To read more parenting content, check out our Parenthood hub. Don’t forget to scroll down to the end of this email to rate this interview!
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