The influence of media on children and adolescents has been magnified significantly during the pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, children and teenagers have spent more time at home and less time in social settings. Virtual classrooms and busy parents have increased the amount of time youth spend online and on devices. Clinicians and parents need to realize the extent of the influence of media in many specific areas – social media, media violence, sex, substance use, obesity, eating disorders, and advertising.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the nature of current media for infants, children, and adolescents (topic areas = sex, birth control advertising, body self-image, obesity, eating disorders, social networking, sexting, cyberbullying).

2. Discuss the research and impact of various media on children and teens.

3. Identify how the adverse effects of media can be mediated by parents and by school media literacy programs

How do we know this is a problem?

Strasburger VC (ed). Masters of Media (volume 1): Controversies and Solutions.  

Masters of Media (volume 2): Kids and Today’s Media. London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021.

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2 position statements on Children & Media, Pediatrics 2016.

https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2021/10/new-study-shows-how-use-of-media-changed-for-school-age-children-during-pandemic-lockdowns.html