ARTICLES: Young people and social media: Docs examine pitfalls

Editor's note: Former CNN correspondent Pat Etheridge is a journalist specializing in children's health and family issues. She previously hosted CNN's "Parenting Today."

(CNN) -- They're called "Generation M2": highly tech-savvy children ages 8 to 18, whose lives are immersed in electronic media.

Now, the nation's top pediatric organization is mobilizing efforts around their well-being.

"As pediatricians who are trying to help children behave in ways that keep them healthy and safe, we have to pay a lot of attention to what's happening in social media," said Dr. David Hill, chairman-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics' council on communications and media.

The council led a panel called "Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," at the group's annual conference last month in New Orleans. The goal of the presentation: getting pediatricians current on issues to discuss with young patients during regular wellness checkups.

The American Academy of Pediatrics established the council in 2007 with the recognition that growing media platforms touch on virtually every health concern pediatricians have about young people: aggression, sex, drugs, obesity, self-image and eating disorders, depression and suicide -- even learning disorders and academic achievement.

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New Space for Kenyan Youth to Engage in Health Issues | Internews

New Space for Kenyan Youth to Engage in Health Issues | Internews

“Where's my Seat?” is the title of a video post on the new youth online platform K-HUG (Kenya Health User-Generated Content). The post, by Violet Otindo, explores the government’s push to ensure that public transport vehicles are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Another poster, Henry Owino shares facts on the growing number of women infected by HIV and another explores the demonization of individuals with diseases stereotypically associated with their social class.

The site, launched by Internews in Kenya, encourages young people to discuss health matters on a platform that is easily accessible and engaging, so they can ultimately make better-informed decisions about their health. The content contributors tweet, post via Facebook, and add photos, audio, video, and text messages to the site.

IT / NEWS: Tools for accurate data reporting

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with leading telecommunications provider Globe Telecom in delivering an integrated mobile and desktop social system that can be used to report real-time data on maternal and child health for improved public health care, particularly in far-flung areas.

Real-time Community Health Information Tracking System or rChits was developed and tested by the University of the Philippines – Manila for the National Telehealth Center (NTHC). It is a five-month project funded by UNICEF with Globe providing ICT support. The project falls under the iAccess pillar of Globe Bridging Communities, the CSR arm of Globe. It enables key agencies to gain state of the art ICT to increase effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian and welfare services and gives opportunities for greater grassroots access to ICT solutions through research and development.

full article on the Manila Standard Today website

ARTICLES: "Facebook Depression" Hits Children

Doctors need to start asking children about their social media use to screen for so-called "Facebook depression," according to the country's largest pediatrics group, drawing attention to a potential dark side of social networking.

"A large part of this generation's social and emotional development is occurring while on the Internet and on cell phones,” said Gwenn O'Keeffe, co-author of the AAP report. "Parents need to understand these technologies so they can relate to their children's online world -- and comfortably parent in that world."

"Facebook Depression” is said to arise from a failure to integrate into the social networking world that's become central in kid's lives. The symptoms are similar to classic depression, including changes to sleep patterns and eating habits, mood swings, and a sense of social isolation.

As younger children become more involved with social media, it raises a host of developmental questions that are just beginning to be explored. The impersonal nature of the medium enables bullying that has led to suicides, and studies have linked Facebook usage with lower grades and eating disorders. Children may also be exposed to inappropriate content and invasive advertising.

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ARTICLES: Internet the new junk food battleground

By Caroline Winter - Updated Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:59am AEST

Child health experts say food and drink companies are doing anything but reducing their marketing of unhealthy products to children.

They say a new report shows young people are increasingly being targeted through new media, making responsible food choices even harder for parents.

Flinders University nutritionist Kaye Mehta says junk food advertising to children used to be largely confined to television, but the focus is shifting.

"There has been an explosion of marketing techniques through non-broadcast media," she said.

"Children are being exposed to very increasingly clever, sophisticated marketing techniques for products that are largely unhealthy, so what chance do they have to make healthy choices?"

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NEWS: Leaders aim for good media for youth (USA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., joined by Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito. R-W.Va., has introduced the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 4925), a bill to improve media literacy for youth and to encourage the promotion of healthier media messages about girls and women.

"Children are consuming more media than ever, but unfortunately, the images they see often reinforce gender stereotypes, emphasize unrealistic body images or show women in passive roles. The need for more positive images of girls in the media is clear," Baldwin said.

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