Included in the world of information and opportunities on the Internet, is a way to meet romantic and/or sexual partners online. Meeting new potential partners has always been exciting for healthy teens. But now the playing field has changed. More

Young people spend a significant amount of time interacting with various forms of media from television, movies, radio/music, internet, print publications (e.g., magazines), and social media, as well as advertising across these various forms of media. Young people are inundated with messages, both explicitly and in more in subtle ways about their bodies, eating habits, relationships, sex, violence, and substance use, among others, across these media. It’s important to support media literacy, or the ability to evaluate the media messages, among young people so that they can become critical consumers of these messages. Below are some tips for supporting the media literacy of the young people in your life: More

Over 70% of youth report use of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and the list of possible platforms continues to expand. The majority of youth report using more than one social media platform. Social media use, and internet use more generally, is a typical part of most youths’ daily lives. Supporting them in responsible use and navigation of various platforms is important for any supportive adults in their lives. More

Throughout history, the world has always had to deal with bullies. Thugs. Gangs. Mean girls. So it’s not surprising that bullies inhabit the cyber world as well. But what makes faceless cyberbullying different from face-to-face encounters is that the harassment can be ongoing, 24/7. More

There’s a whole new sexual frontier out there—one that nearly 50% of teens participate in: sexting. The U.S. court system defines sexting as “an act of sending sexually explicit materials through mobile devices.” The messages may be text, photo, or video. More