The article discusses the ongoing moral panic surrounding the impact of social media on youth mental health, drawing comparisons to similar reactions to new technologies in the past. Calls for bans, such as those seen in Australia for under-16s, reflect societal concerns about the effects of media exposure. Notably, findings from a study by Mary Preston, an American paediatrician, suggest that increased exposure to the suffering of others might diminish sympathy and compassion in young people, an issue first identified in teenagers in the 1940s, emphasizing the cyclical nature of these technological fears.
Mary Preston's research concludes that exposure to others' suffering through media can lead to decreased sympathy and compassion in teenagers. This trend dates back to the 1940s.
The ongoing debate about social media's impact reflects historical cycles of moral panic regarding new technologies, raising questions about justified fears around youth mental health.
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