[WATCH] The Walrus Talks at Home: Teens and Screens

Addicted by design? As youth mental health problems surge, join a critical discussion about social media, brain science, and the impacts of screen time.

Recently, the ubiquity of social media and tech in the lives of young people has been coming under intense scrutiny. Youth mental health indicators have been in sharp decline at the same time as children, adolescents, and young adults have increasingly become hooked on devices.

As educators sound the alarm about deteriorating student focus and behavioural issues, school boards file lawsuits against social media companies, and governments ban cellphones in schools, researchers are working to understand the effects of smartphones on brains and mental health.

To what degree should negative trends in anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns be attributed to social media use? Is the increased scrutiny justified by evidence? On the other hand, is there a positive role for social media to play in the mental well-being of youth?

At The Walrus Talks at Home: Teens and Screens, four speakers come together to discuss the science of brain development, the impact of addictive tech design, and the ways we can support youth mental health.

Join us online on October 10 for this vital talk, which will address all of these concerns and more, and discover what experts, governments, educators, and you can do to improve youth mental well-being.

Featuring

Keith Baybayon, Youth Advisory Council Chair, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Dr. Emma Duerden, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders, Western University
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Author of Closer Together, speaker, mental health advocate and yoga teacher
Dr. Candice L. Odgers, Professor of Psychological Science and Informatics, University of California, Irvine; Co-Director, Child and Brain Development Program, CIFAR