The “Take It Down” Act

We’re issuing an international decree! 5pm dinners are officially the law of the land. Pass it on!

As moms, we have to accept that tech and social media is a huge part of our kids’ lives. But here’s the thing: no one gave us a manual on how to parent in this chronically online era. We were learning the hard way, in real time, just trying to keep up. That’s why we created this guide. It’s what we wish we had when we started navigating this digital parenting world. Giving your kid a phone is a personal decision, and we're not here to tell you when to do it—but we are here to help you feel more confident and informed when that moment comes. Phones aren’t the enemy, it’s just that most of us were never taught how to parent in a digital world. So we created Screen Sense, the resource we needed as parents. And now it’s yours too! 

What is the “Take It Down” Act?

The internet is forever. We’ve all said this to teens dozens of times–it’s a gentle reminder for them to behave and post accordingly. But there’s another element to this discussion that is often left out. People who post sensitive and private photos for the entire internet to see must be held accountable, and so should the social media companies that host them. Thankfully, our legal system is catching up with that. Congress has unanimously approved the Take it Down Act , a piece of legislation that would make it illegal to publish or threaten to publish intimate images without consent—including AI deep fakes.

This is great news. If this is signed into law, websites and social media platforms would be legally required to remove non-consensual images within 48 hours of being notified by the victim. These platforms would also be required to delete any duplicate content as well. This would set a strong precedent for online safety and accountability. It doesn't fix everything but it does ensure some guardrails in a world that’s otherwise pretty unregulated. And given that our teens live so much of their lives online, that’s a huge win in our book! 

Beware of the “Glazed Donut” Look

Don’t worry, we’re not coming for your Krispy Kremes! It’s about our teens and their obsession with skincare. And hey, the fact that they moisturize and drink water is great! It’s more than we ever did as teens and we love that for them! But there are some skincare trends, like the “glazed donut” look, that might be suited for your teen. While it might look cool and dewy, there are some products that aren’t meant for such young skin, especially if they are “anti-aging.” So if your teens insist on using products like these, definitely consult a dermatologist first. 

Beyond the potential physical impacts, we need to be mindful of the pressure our girls face to strive for “improved beauty.” Inherent in this beauty/skincare products obsession is that your face is not good enough the way it is. The pressure to have a 20 step skincare routine in order to achieve an impossibly dewy glow at all times is not only unsustainable, it can be damaging to our girls’ self-esteem. The hygiene part is great! But if it seems like your teen is getting a little too into a social media skincare trend, engage with them without judgement. Do your best to determine whether they’re just having fun with it or if it’s legitimately causing them stress.  

Spotify Isn’t Always Teen Friendly

It’s not all harmless. Spotify offers plenty of adult content our teens can easily get access to– like podcasts and other audio programming featuring sexually explicit content. Many have no age gates or content warning. Some shows even have graphic thumbnails or inappropriate verbiage. To be fair, Spotify has some guardrails … but not nearly enough. Spotify offers parental controls only if you have a Premium Family Plan. So if that’s not you, here a few ways to ensure your kid isn’t consuming inappropriate content on Spotify:

• Use Spotify Kids for ages 12 and under

• Disable autoplay (so your kids aren’t fed any random suggestions)

• Hide specific songs on mobile

• Check your child’s listening history

Need more tips for navigating the digital world? Check out our Screen Sense guide! 

Who To Follow: Positive Influencers For Teens

Social media isn’t all doom and gloom. There are some huge positives that can come from it, especially for teens! We’ve decided to highlight one account per week that we think teens could benefit from following! 

Talking about mental health with your teen is absolutely essential in this day and age. But if you need a little help in that department, Dr. Julie is an amazing follow for kids and parents alike! She breaks down mental health topics in a clear and digestible way and is particularly helpful for teens dealing with stress, anxiety and body image issues.