Minnesota has joined a growing list of states taking TikTok to court, accusing the platform of deceiving young users with addictive algorithms that fuel mental health problems. Attorney General Keith Ellison says the case isn’t about free speech but about manipulation and[...]
Tag: Social Media
Curio |
The Tweens Down Under: Life Without Social Media in Australia
Australia is about to become the first country in the world to ban social media for anyone under 16, a move that has drawn overwhelming support from parents and lawmakers — and deep concern from teenagers themselves. Supporters see it as a[...]
Curio |
This TikTok Trend will make you want to learn again
On TikTok, “back to school” has taken on a new meaning. A growing trend has users designing their own monthly curricula — complete with reading lists, creative projects, and even electives — as a playful way to keep learning outside the classroom.[...]
News |
Supreme Court allows Mississippi social media law to go into effect
A new Mississippi law requiring all social media users to verify their age — and barring minors from platforms without parental consent — is now in effect after the Supreme Court declined to step in. The law goes far beyond earlier rulings[...]
Commentary |
Port: We can’t choose our own reality
Life today can feel like a never-ending “Choose Your Own Adventure” book — only the choices aren’t about caves or treasure maps, they’re about which version of reality you want to believe. The internet has made it effortless to find a community[...]
Subscribe!
It's free and it helps us grow and provide better information ForMinot!
Curio |
Previously redacted details in Utah’s Snapchat lawsuit are now public
Utah’s legal battle with Snapchat has entered a new phase—and the latest revelations are deeply troubling. State officials have unsealed details that show just how far the app’s reach goes into the lives of Utah’s children, from late-night screen time to explicit[...]
Commentary |
Opaque Algorithms Are Setting Prices Just For You
Delta Airlines is about to make shopping for flights even murkier: soon, 20% of its fares will be set by AI-driven “surveillance pricing,” tailoring prices to what you — personally — seem willing to pay. It’s a step beyond dynamic pricing, using[...]
News |
What exactly is “brain rot” — and how to identify and overcome it
“Brain rot” — it’s a phrase that sounds dramatic, but it’s struck a nerve in today’s hyper-scrolling culture. Named Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024, it captures what happens when we consume too much short-form, low-effort content, leaving us distracted, drained,[...]
Curio |
Listen: Swedish government to look into setting an age limit on using social media
Sweden is the latest country to reconsider how young is too young for social media. The government is launching an inquiry into setting a formal age limit for platform use, citing growing concerns over the impact of online content on children. Public[...]
Commentary |
I quit TikTok—and got my attention span back
What happens when you quit TikTok—not just for a weekend, but for good? One Gen Z writer did exactly that and found more than extra hours in the day. They rediscovered long-form stories, watched full movies without grabbing a second screen, and[...]
Subscribe!
It's free and it helps us grow and provide better information ForMinot!
Commentary |
Opinion: Warning labels needed for social media
Minnesota is taking a stand where it counts: the mental health of its youngest residents. A new bipartisan law will require social media platforms to carry mental health warning labels by July 2026—a move aimed at confronting the growing crisis linked to[...]
Curio |
What I Wish Parents Knew about Social Media
Every Friday, a social media researcher watches her own son get lost in formulaic YouTube videos on his grandmother’s tablet, and she can’t help but wonder: are these the digital equivalent of junk food? The irony isn’t lost on her—she studies these[...]
News |
Manitoba Graduates 1st Class From a No-Phone Zone: Reflections on learning without distractions
As North Dakota prepares to implement its new cellphone ban in schools, Manitoba is wrapping up year one of a similar experiment—and the early reviews are in. In the Turtle Mountain School Division, students and teachers alike say the change is working.[...]
News |
Closure of four northwest Minnesota newspapers feels like ‘a death in the family,’ said Dick Richards
In a corner of northwest Minnesota, four small-town newspapers are printing their final editions—and with them, a way of life quietly fades. For more than 50 years, the Leader Record, Grygla Eagle, Red Lake County Herald, and McIntosh Times chronicled births, board[...]
News |
Iowa State University research dives into connection between social media posts, depression
Scrolling through someone’s posts might offer more than a glimpse into their day—it could offer early signs of deeper struggles. At Iowa State University, researchers are training a deep learning model to detect potential mental health symptoms through the language used on[...]
Subscribe!
It's free and it helps us grow and provide better information ForMinot!
News |
Students full of questions about cellphone ban in North Dakota schools
North Dakota student leaders say they have a lot of unanswered questions after lawmakers passed a law requiring schools to be cellphone-free. Members of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Student Cabinet met Wednesday in Bismarck to discuss new legislation that will affect[...]