teens

A new essay published by MIT Press Reader argues that laws banning teenagers from social media are misdirected, and that the focus on age restrictions distracts from deeper problems with how social media platforms are designed and operated. The piece questions whether outright bans protect young people, or simply treat symptoms while leaving the underlying incentives of attention-driven platforms untouched.

A new CDC report indicates that sadness among teenagers is falling, at a time when claims that social media is driving a youth mental health crisis have reached a peak. Commentators argue the findings undercut the narrative linking teen distress to platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and the news is being shared widely in debates over proposed restrictions on social media for minors.

India has proposed banning junk food sales in school canteens and within 50 meters of school premises, in a bid to curb rising obesity and diabetes rates among children. The health ministry move follows growing concern over children's diets and the spread of processed, high-sugar foods near educational institutions. Commentators are weighing the potential impact on students' health and on vendors who rely on school-adjacent business.

TikTok has reached an agreement with Alabama, days before a scheduled trial, under which it must implement changes for teenagers in the state. These include a two-hour daily time limit, pauses after 15 minutes of continuous use, and stricter age verification checks. The deal is drawing attention as part of wider US scrutiny of social media's effects on young users, with some questioning why parents cannot set the limits themselves.

TikTok has reached its first settlement with a US state over claims that its platform harms teenagers, agreeing to impose limits on users as part of the deal. The agreement marks the first time an individual state has resolved such allegations with the company, which faces broader scrutiny in the US over the effects of its app on young people's mental health and wellbeing.

Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira is aiming to reach the women's 200m final at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya 2026, where she is expected to face China's teenage sprinting sensation Chen Yujie. The matchup is being billed as a potential historic final for Southeast Asian sprinting, with Pereira among the region's most prominent athletes ahead of the Games.

The first US lawsuit over TikTok to reach trial will examine claims that the platform's design contributed to a teen mental health crisis. The case is seen as a test of whether courts will hold social media companies liable for harms to young users, with broader implications for pending litigation against other platforms.

NewsNation reports that AI chatbots are facing a new safety test as growing numbers of teenagers turn to them for companionship. The rise of bots designed for conversation and emotional connection is raising questions about safeguards, age limits, and the risks of young users forming attachments to artificial companions.

Alabama teenagers are set to receive their own version of TikTok as part of a sweeping $100 million deal, according to Fox Business. Details about who is funding the initiative, what the app will offer, and how it will differ from the popular short-video platform have not been disclosed, but the announcement is drawing attention as states weigh responses to TikTok's prominence among young users.

A survey reported by Mashable indicates that teenagers favor iPhones over Android devices and Instagram over Snapchat when it comes to their phones and social media habits. The findings reinforce Apple's strong grip on the youth market, where owning an iPhone is often seen as a status symbol, while Instagram remains the dominant platform for teen social sharing.

Police in Halawa, Hawaii, have taken a suspect into custody in connection with the shooting of a teenager. The arrest marks a development in the investigation into the incident, which wounded a teen in the Halawa area. Further details about the suspect's identity, charges, and the victim's condition have not been released as the case proceeds.

Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with three separate murders, according to Houston news outlet Click2Houston. Details about the victims, the locations of the killings, or the suspects' identities have not been released. The arrests link each teen to a distinct homicide case rather than a single incident.

News outlets in Australia, including the Geelong Advertiser and the Advertiser in Adelaide, are running a story headlined 'Teach them where to run: The grim reality facing teens in their first jobs'. The piece addresses the difficulties and dangers teenagers can encounter in early employment, urging parents to prepare their children for workplace situations.

A summit in Arizona's East Valley brought community leaders together to address teen violence, mental health struggles and online threats facing young people. The event highlighted growing concern among parents, educators and officials about the pressures teens face both in person and on social media, and about how schools and families can respond before problems escalate.