Poverty linked to Facebook and Instagram addiction among teenagers
Young people from low-income backgrounds are more likely to report addictive use of social media, according to an international team of researchers that includes Professor Frank Elgar of McGill University. The results show a link between economic inequality and the problematic use of social networking platforms and instant messaging applications. Researchers identified problematic social media use among teens who reported six or more addiction-like behaviors, such as The situation is even worse in schools, where the wealth gap between classmates is greater. The authors say the results – based on more than 179,000 schoolchildren in 40 countries – suggest that new strategies are needed for social media use that encourage pathways to exit. Actions by policymakers could help limit harmful behavior among young people, the authors add. These negative patterns include an inability to reduce screen time or lying to friends and family about social media use.
Can an Equal World Reduce Problematic Social Media Use? Evidence from the study of health behaviors in school-age children in 43 countries by Michela Lenzi, Frank Elgar et al. were published in Information, communication and society.
Keep your eyes closed no matter what – November 23rd to December 2nd
From physics and chemistry to cultural studies, students from across McGill University are taking part in a play that is both mystery and thriller and opens this week. A dark hybrid of Stranger Things, Raiders of the Lost Ark and the tales of H. P. Lovecraft, Pomona tells the story of a young woman who is forced to participate in a Dungeons & Dragons-esque RPG while searching for her lost sister in one nightmarish underworld. Prof. Sean Carney of McGill’s Department of English directs the play and acted in theatrical productions while he was a student. For him it’s a chance to introduce students to contemporary British theatre, one of his specialties. According to Carney, the play, written by Alistair McDowall in 2014, offers a message about how we navigate a path through a world made for us where things constantly seem to go wrong.
Audiences can venture into the world of Pomona on the following dates: November 23-25, November 30 and December 1-2 at the Moyse Hall Theater at 7:30pm.
