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Empowering Filipino Youth Through Technology and Community

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Although the Philippines has achieved sustained economic growth in recent years, national education outcomes continue to lag behind other countries. A critical matter that needs to be considered is the critical proportion of Filipino youth who are not entering higher education. Based on observation and research, these young people are disadvantaged due to a lack of information, access, and guidance. To arrive at potential solutions, society must consider the cultural climate surrounding youth in the Philippines. Two approaches are proposed here for addressing the issues and challenges facing youth when it comes to advancing their education and career: (i) leveraging trends in technology to reach youth on a broader scale and (ii) creating an ecosystem that approaches education for employment from various perspectives.

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Although the Philippines has achieved sustained economic growth in recent years, national education outcomes continue to lag behind other countries in the region. Asian Development Bank (ADB) research has shown that for most children in the Philippines, secondary education will be their highest educational attainment, while a proportion of secondary education-aged children will stop or forego schooling for work (Maligalig et al. 2010 ). Consequently, the tertiary enrollment rate for college-age Filipino youth is only 45%, limiting employment opportunities for the rest who do not pursue higher education (Ken Research 2014 ).

The level of formal educational attainment is not the only barrier Filipinos face in terms of human capital. Roughly, 30% of those who have pursued or completed a college degree or higher are tagged as the “educated unemployed.” Most are young Filipinos fresh from college, who are believed to be unprepared and unequipped for entry-level jobs. Often, this involves a slow school-to-work transition, where it will take a college graduate 1 year to find the first job and up to 2 years to find more permanent employment. This is attributed largely to the mismatch between skills and qualifications held by young jobseekers and those required for jobs in the labor market (Moya 2018 ).

Improving quality and performance outcomes for the Philippine education system is a significant, multifaceted, and long-term task. However, it is important to consider near-term factors that may be contributing to these broader issues, as well as alternative interventions that may support Filipino youth in meeting current and emerging skills and job requirements.

Issues and Challenges

A critical matter to consider is the proportion of Filipino youth who are not entering higher education. Based on observation and research, this gap is partly influenced by three factors that create a disadvantage among students: lack of information, lack of access, and lack of guidance.

Lack of Information

Despite the availability of thousands of higher education institutions across the country, there is limited awareness of options beyond the top-ranking universities in the Philippines, which are located mainly in Manila, and those found within one’s own province or region. In other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, centralized information systems exist to help students understand what, where, and how to pursue higher education. These are substantial and clear in terms of what courses are offered by the various schools, what job opportunities are available in line with the course selected, and basic instructions on application processes and requirements.

Lack of Access

In addition to comprehensive sources for basic school profiles, course listings, and potential academic paths to employment, students are actively looking for information on scholarships and student financing. Given economic conditions in the Philippines, it is clear that affordability is a major factor that influences education decision making and often limits options available to students. However, they typically do not know how or where to find relevant opportunities that may help alleviate costs.

Lack of Guidance

Finally, what students could benefit from adequately preparing for their future is proper guidance and advice. While the information on schools and careers can be made available using various channels and tools, this knowledge should be paired with appropriate support that can help students evaluate their choices. Students could then have a better understanding of options most suitable to them based on academic strengths, interests, or feasibility. Moreover, additional context from the employment side, including job trends, demands, or emerging societal needs can play a role in charting a path forward.

Proposed Solutions

To arrive at potential solutions, society must also consider the cultural climate surrounding youth in the Philippines. Gen Z, specifically the segment of Filipino youth born between 1995 and 2015 (aged 14–24) and comprising about 20% of the population, is native to a world that is largely digital and increasingly interconnected. Based on initial research, two approaches are proposed for addressing the issues and challenges facing youth when advancing their education and career.

Leveraging Trends in Technology to Reach Youth at a Broader Scale

According to Kantar Millward Brown Philippines, a leader in brand strategy consulting, more than half of Gen Z uses the Internet throughout the day. About 80% are seeking articles to read or videos to watch, indicating that they are hungry for information (Ng 2017 ). This is reflective of the broader population of the Philippines, where Internet penetration is now nearly 60%, and which ranks number one globally for time spent on social media. Moreover, We Are Social reports that mobile internet connections have improved considerably in many developing economies, and the Philippines in particular has seen an impressive jump in average mobile connection speeds (Kemp 2017 ).

These data point to a significant opportunity to meet Filipino youth where they are online, and specifically on social media and through mobile devices. Taking this a step further, innovative technology, through the use of data and analytics, is now enabling internet users to have more personalized experiences, opening the potential for more engaging discovery, or learning opportunities for students.

Creating an Ecosystem that Approaches Education to Employment from Various Perspectives

ADB’s review of education outcomes in the Philippines reported that the Department of Education has forged partnerships with private and business sectors in implementing initiatives that have resulted in valuable contributions. Specifically, the report recommends partnerships with successful businesses to develop a technical–vocational curriculum that would give students better chances of being hired by enterprises in their communities (Maligalig et al. 2010 ).

This example highlights that higher learning or career readiness should be approached not only from the viewpoint of education. As students continue their pursuit of degrees or certifications, there is also a growing need for input and insight from other players who are vested in the next generation’s development. Early and ongoing involvement is relevant not only for businesses but also for other public and private institutions, comprising a holistic ecosystem that holds a common interest in ensuring that Filipino students are adequately equipped to meet the challenges and demands of the future.

Examples of Good Practices

Based on the two proposed approaches, harnessing technology and multi-stakeholder involvement, three examples can be considered for successful implementation of interventions targeted toward Filipino youth.

Creation of Online Platforms Supported by Offline Engagement

Recognizing that students are seeking information mainly online, digital destinations where they can access comprehensive data on schools, courses, and careers would provide significant benefit. Using technology, information available through the Internet and other resources can be easily gathered and collated, creating a centralized database that enables convenient searching and browsing. Schools can also play an active role in this initiative by providing accurate and updated information that supports students in making informed assessments of their options. Providing information online can also be supplemented by in-person activities that would (i) build awareness around the existence of these platforms as new information sources, (ii) create connections between students and multiple stakeholders who can support them in their education-to-career path, and (iii) reach and similarly support youth who may not have easy access to the internet.

Promotion of Opportunities Addressing Affordability

As students seek scholarships and other options to finance their higher education, sharing available opportunities online can increase awareness and access for a large number of eligible students who would not have learned about them otherwise. In the Philippines, there are countless benefactors including government agencies, corporations, and foundations that aim to support scholars, and engaging them through a shared and centralized online initiative could amplify reach and attract more student candidates.

Development of Engaging Multimedia Content

Finally, issues around lack of information, access, and guidance can be addressed by creating content that meets students online and on their preferred social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The ability to produce articles, imagery, and video that speaks to this audience can help engage and ultimately guide them on important decisions concerning education or career. Multimedia content could then be strengthened and made more credible by stakeholders who share expert advice and serve as positive influences for students and future jobseekers.

Application of Practices

In the experience of Edukasyon.ph, an online technology platform that aims to empower Filipino Gen Z youth to make better-informed choices about education, career, and life decisions, the following initiatives have been implemented.

Development of Edukasyon.ph and Execution of School Fairs Across the Philippines

Edukasyon.ph is an online platform that provides information on 13,000 schools, 20,000 courses, and 4,000 scholarships that senior high school and college students across the Philippines can choose to pursue. For more than 700 educational partners, locally and abroad the platform enables students to inquire and apply directly on the platform, online, at no cost to the students. In 2018, Edukasyon.ph acquired the website FindUniversity.ph, which similarly lists higher education institutes and available academic programs across the country. By providing choice, access, and convenience, Edukasyon.ph’s online platforms are now visited by 10 million students a year. Students have actively engaged and benefited from its use, with more than 500,000 registered users, 600,000 monthly searches, and more than 85,000 monthly inquires and applications coursed through the platform. With more than 70% of students accessing the platform through mobile devices, Edukasyon.ph is adequately designed and optimized for this audience.

In recent years, Edukasyon.ph has also implemented successful offline engagements together with local government units, corporate partners, and media partners. In close collaboration with the local Department of Education divisions across the country, more than 30 school fairs nationwide have complemented the use of online platform, reaching a total student population of more than 15,000 as of 2018. At each school fair, students have gained relevant information on pursuing higher education opportunities, scholarships, and knowledge to prepare them for future employment.

Launch of Project Layag Scholarship Platform

On addressing affordability, a common barrier for students, Edukasyon.ph in partnership with De La Salle University Science Foundation launched Project Layag, a nationwide online scholarship platform that democratizes access to financial support for Filipino youth. In addition to the thousands of scholarships listed on Edukasyon.ph, this targeted initiative provides added convenience by making certain scholarships available for direct online application on the platform, at no cost to the student. Project Layag is an ongoing effort to ensure that all existing scholarship opportunities are accessible to eligible students through the website.

To date, more than 30 higher education institutions, foundations, and scholarship providers, including Insular Life Foundation and the PHINMA Foundation, have been integrated into the platform.

Implementation of Corporate-Partnered Campaigns

Involvement from reputable businesses, particularly through engaging multimedia campaigns, has also been a recent focus of Edukasyon.ph to ensure that students can access guidance on potential career paths and values that could help them succeed in the future. The campaigns are equally aligned with the partners’ business objectives, allowing brand messaging to be seamlessly integrated with Edukasyon.ph content categories that are co-created with its writers.

A collaboration with [24]7, a customer experience company, examined the business process outsourcing industry by “debunking myths about call centers.” Through an engaging online video campaign on Edukasyon.ph, students were able to understand the professional demands and opportunities in these roles through the lens of experienced experts in the field. For [24]7, Edukasyon.ph provided a wide-reaching platform that boosted the company’s visibility as an industry leader and drove student interest around its employee recruitment initiatives.

Another campaign developed in partnership with FWD Group, an insurance provider, sought to engage Filipino youth around financial literacy with knowledge and skills to promote sensible management of personal finances. Edukasyon.ph-led blog content approached the topic through “signs of becoming an adult,” advising Gen Z readers that growing up comes with important responsibilities, including banking and budgeting, managing retirement funds, and preparing for the future overall.

Implications for the Future

With the availability of online resources targeted at Filipino youth, who are increasingly turning to the Internet for answers, more can be done to inform and empower them. In the case of online platforms like Edukasyon.ph, there is a significant opportunity to raise awareness of educational options, especially as more doors are being opened each day. This can extend to technical and vocational education and training, online degrees and courses for lifelong learning, internships, or on-the-job training opportunities, as well as additional tools for student financing, including loans.

In building an ecosystem in support of fruitful education-to-career paths, there is also room for increased stakeholder participation. As industries and societies embrace interconnectivity, they must also realize that youth is an important segment to invest in, as they will be drivers of sustainability.

Finally, based on current trends, it can be expected that Gen Z will become even more digital in the next 5 years and beyond. Increased Internet penetration in the future, if not absolute, will require that all education-to-employment programs be designed as digital first, and not merely as a secondary component of learning.

Although there is no quick solution to improving national education outcomes in the Philippines, supplemental resources that leverage the digital youth culture and employ multi-stakeholder approaches can be valuable tools. For technology platforms, a unique benefit is the ability to track and harness data analytics and insights to better understand what is working and what else can be done to achieve meaningful results.

As existing models produce and replicate stories of success—from education to employment to sustainable careers—more students will be motivated to make the right choices for themselves, more stakeholders can be engaged to lend their support, and the more extensive impact can be created for the Filipino youth.

Link to the presentation material: https://events.development.asia/materials/20171212/edukasyonph .

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Motte-Muñoz, H. (2020). Empowering Filipino Youth Through Technology and Community. In: Panth, B., Maclean, R. (eds) Anticipating and Preparing for Emerging Skills and Jobs. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 55. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7018-6_30

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THE MEDIATIZATION OF FILIPINO YOUTH CULTURE A Review of Literature

Gerry Lanuza *

Department of Sociology,University of the Philippines, Diliman

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A. The Relevance of Youth Study

In 1995 youth population constitutes eighteen percent of world population. In the same year it is estimated that there are 1.03 billion youth in the world. Eighty-four percent of these youths are found in developing countries (National Youth Commission, 1998:4). In 1990 Asian region contained 64.3% of world’s youth population. It also represents 70% of global increase in the number of youth in the middle of the century (Xenos and Raymundo, 1999:99). Interestingly, according to 1995 national census, the age structure of Philippine population continues to be young (1995 Census of Population, Report No. 2:xxiii). 1 The age group between 15 and 24 constitutes twenty percent of the total population (14,857,326 of 75,037,00). These younger members of the population are considered as youth by the United Nations. Demographers tells us that what we have today is a “youth bulge” or “youth in transition” whose number will gradually decline in the future until it reaches 12.4% in 2075 (Xenos and Raymundo, 1999:6).

Now, there are three general reasons for studying this younger age group (Fornas, 1995). First, is social and political reason. The youth are the bearers of traditions, customs, and cultural heritage (Kanjanapan, 1986:1). Members of this age group would eventually assume the responsibilities of the future generations. They represent the wave of the future (Otto and Otto, 1969). Six years from now and onwards this group of young people will assume the full adult roles and responsibilities. Furthermore these young people will be the pacesetters of the younger generation. As the reference group for the succeeding generations, studying the current culture of this generation could provide significant insights about the future beliefs, values, behaviors, attitudes, and practices of the next generation (Otto and Otto, 1969). Moreover standing as potential reservoir of human capital knowledge of young people could help the nation invest in the present and reap inestimable profits in the future.

Undoubtedly, youth studies would contribute considerably to overall development planning of the country. Knowledge about youth would also contribute towards better rapport between adult and the younger generation. 2 Hence there is a general tendency today for multidisciplinary collaboration among various professions concerned with youth (Lageman, 1993). This has been the major thrust of government and other specialists on youth. It is for this reason that youth studies are experiencing renaissance today in the social sciences (Tanakishi, 1993). But this thrust often leads to an extreme slogan: what is wrong with the nation is what is wrong with the youth. As a policy orientation, this approach could easily slip into a form of benevolent paternalism. Youth are targeted as passive recipients of social charity and pre-packaged programs. 3 Or,alternatively, it could lead to a moral panic that often depicts the youth as “anti-social” and “threat” to the moral order (Lupton, 1999; Bothius, 1985).

The second reason for studying the yout h is the seriousness of some scholars to really engage in and address the life crisis of the youth. Such approach aims at helping the youth go through the difficult processes they are undergoing. Most studies done in this direction are in educational psyc hology. Still, other scholars pursue youth studies because they want to find out what creative experiments youth have done that could possibly be use to improve the country. Herbert A. Otto and Sara T. Otto (1969), aptly express this point when they point out, “The adolescent brings to the social scene an idealism, integrity and commitment to values which penetrate to the very heart of dysfunctional institutions and social structures” (p. 55). This orientation has a danger of romanticizing youth culture by excessively celebrating what is quixotic in youth culture. Most studies done in this direction are found in sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies. Today, studies inspired by the latter approach fall under the rubric of “youth culture study”. 4 Youth culture study explores the dynamic creativity of young people in the wider context of power relations and the new conditions in late modernity ((Fornas, 1995; McRobbie, 1994a).

Aside from these reasons, youth study in our country has also an historical dimension. As Loretta M. Sicat (1972:14) points out, “The theoretical importance of investigating the political attitudes of the young is enhanced by the role that they play in politics. No less than the national hero of the Philippines, the versatile Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal, less than eighty years ago, saw the Filipino youth as the “Fair Hope of the fatherland.” Historically the struggle for nationalist independence was spearheaded by the group of younger educated illustrados (Gomez, 1986; Dano-Santiago, 1972). 5 This is due to the critical and liberal attitude that educated youth imbibe from schooling. Indeed Filipino youth had always been at the forefront of social movements and the bellwethers of social change (Acuna, 1960; de Vera, 1971; Tuano, 1994; Jacob, 2002; “Rebel with a Cause,” 1988). From the First Quarter Storm to Edsa I, and from Edsa II to the recent peace rallies Filipino youth had played prominent role in our nation’s history (De Vera, 1971; Recana, 1973; Abinales, 1984; n.d.; 1984; Mont iel, 1991; Santos, 1977).

Not less important however is the significance of studying youth and their culture in the Information Age. As noted by Michael Tan (1988; also Tan, Batangan, and Espanola, 2001:3), an anthropologist, many studies on youth, especially those dealing with sexuality, tend to be moralistic and emotional. Often these studies subordinate empirical findings for policy analysis –either for political or religious ends. 6 Nonetheless the study of youth as an interesting field per se should also be valued. For the present paper the focus is on mass media and its impact on the formation of youth culture. As in other areas of social scientific studies, the study of youth and mass media has a great deal to contribute in advancing multidisciplinary cooperation among social scientists in general.

Unfortunately, today there exists no comprehensive survey of the state of Philippine youth studies in relation to mass media. This is surprising given the large amount of literature in the field, and the inestimable significance of mass media on the formation of youth culture. In view of this, the present paper aims at (1) providing a preliminary summary and assessment of existing Filipino youth studies in relation to mass media studies; (2) describing the general relationship, if any, between youth culture and mass media; and (3) providing some useful recommendations for the future direction of youth studies vis- à-vis mass media. It is also the hope of the present paper that by providing interested individuals and parties with general knowledge about Filipino youth and media study, they will gain better understanding, not only of theoretical significance, but also more importantly, of the current and future generations of young people.

To facilitate the study, the present paper includes only those studies that cover and include young people within the age bracket 15 to 24. Hence studies on children, adolescence and youth included in this paper overlap. Other studies that deal with young people within the age bracket 15 below and 25 above are therefore not included. As for the temporal dimension of research, the present paper tried to incorporate existing early studies on youth especially if they bear relevant relation to the current youth studies. But insofar as this paper is not primarily an historical view of the development of youth studies in the Philippines there is no attempt to provide coherent historical trend in Filipino youth studies. Moreover for the present purposes the discussion focuses on the decades of the sixties up to the present. Much earlier studies are invoked and cited simply to provide historical continuity and background. Furthermore, the present review included both published and unpublished studies (both undergraduate and undergraduate theses and dissertations). Inclusion of studies for this paper is determined by three factors: namely, the availability of materials, the quality of the research, and the time frame for this paper. Owing to time constraints, the present paper may have neglected an unknown number of unpublished and published studies –both earlier and recent ones-- from various academic and non-academic institutions. Be that as it may, the author tried to incorporate as many studies done from other academic and research institutions from various parts of the country as possible.

B. Modernizing the Youth Through Mass media

Today the most powerful catalyst for modernizing youth culture is the mass media (Lanuza, 2001). It is largely responsible for shaping the consumption patterns of youth (Casillan-Garcia, 1991; McCann-Erikson, 1996; de Seguera, 2001), their dressing styles (Estuar, 2001; de la Torre, 1995), leisure and malling (de Fiesta-Mateo, 2002), political involvement (Cipres-Ortega, 1984; Quintos, 1994; Datiguinoo, 2001), delinquent behavior (Ebol and Talag, 2002), and even religion (Labayen, 1996). Yet the youth are not hapless victims of media consumption (Roberts, 1993; Yujuico, 1994). To the contrary, the young are the most sophisticated readers of images and media of any group in society (Willis, 1990:30; Crisostomo, 1982; Nava, 1992; Bennet, 2000). The study of Lanuza (1998) shows that the modernizing influence on the youth is coming more from the mass media than from the peer group and the school.

Nevertheless it must also be noted that, like any other agent of socialization (e.g., the school and peer group), mass media exhibits ambivalent character in relation to the formation of youth culture. While it carries modernizing currents, yet at the same time, it also promotes traditional Filipino values. Hence studies on youth and values promoted by television would show the propagation of traditional Filipino values such as respect for elders, family solidarity, and reverence for authorities (see Concepcion, 1986; Parungao-Adorable, 1982; Yujuico, 1994). This is interesting if one notes that mass media consumes much of the time youth spend in leisure activities (Cheng, 1974; Torres, 1982-1983; de Vera, et. al., 1999).

Television, newspapers, and radio are the main sources of Catholic youth’s knowledge about social issues (Episcopal Commission on Youth/Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 2002). There are also indications that mass media shapes to certain extent the values and behavior of children (Pagayon, 1993; Mateo, 2000; Concepcion, 1986; Galindo, 2000). This is all the more true considering the diminishing role of parents in the advent of overseas migration and the increasing entry of mothers in the working force (Arellano-Carandang, 1994; McCann-Erikson, 1996). Mass media, next to the peer group, becomes a surrogate to parental socialization. In the process the mass media creates alternative expert system that competes with the traditional authority represented and monopolized by the fa mily, school, and religious authorities (Sebald, 1996).

C. Filipino Youth Culture in Late Modernity

Today social scientists inform us that our world has entered into a new period called “late modernity” –as a result of tremendous global processes. This new social condition ushers in new cultural sensibilities and practices. In cultural terms, late modernity or postmodernism, “the cultural logic of late capitalism” (Jameson, 1984; Harvey, 1989), is characterized by the blurring of the distinction between low and high art, the celebration of consumerism and consumerist values, the triumph of collage (chaotic combinations of different elements), pastiche (mixing of styles without overarching coherence), parody, and the importance of signs as commodities (Storey, 1994; Strinati, 1995; Featherstone, 1996). Late modernity, the social condition of reflexive or radicalized modernism, heralds the birth of virtual reality and the advent of “cybersociety” or “semiurgical society” (Baudrillard, 1983). In late modern condition, the spatial links of youth and their various cultures shrink more and more as a result of the time-space compressing technologies. Distances are compressed, if not annihilated, via text messaging and cellular phones (Onate and Sison, 2000). Yo uthful solidarity is becoming more virtual rather than intimate and personal (i.e., through Internet relasy Chat or IRC). The virtual character of youthful sociality in the age of late modernity transcends the spatial confines and boundaries of traditional youth subcultures. Consequently it poses great threat to traditional authorities and disciplinary institutions.

Even traditional identities and gender roles that youth readily assume become fluid and volatile (Bruckman, 1996; Wark, 1998; Turkle, 1996). More and more young people are exposed to greater external stimulation and massive information saturation. They find themselves swirling in the vortex of promotional signs of advertising (O’Donahoe, 1997:266; David, 2000). Information technology produces youth that are connectivity-driven (de Seguera, 2001). As a result of this phenomenal development youth culture is now moving beyond the simple tension between modernity and tradition.

Now youth culture is being transformed by the new cultural waves of late modernity. It is here that crevices of resistance, or even new forms of conformism, can materialize that might eventually lead to the development of new youth subcultures. The closest approximation of this emerging subculture is the culture of the cyberkids (Lanuza, 1998; 2001) or cyberpunk (Wark, 1998). 7

Furthermore mass media today, largely though advertising, operates as the major harbinger of late modern culture (Smee, 1997). In Ma. Charmina Garces’ (1998) semiotic analysis of Gen X TV commercials, 8 the following images are associated with female Gen X youth: aggressive, expressive, unconventional, and liberated. Males are depicted as: optimistic, independent, adventurous, and wild. Nevertheless youth themselves object to these values because they perceive these values as not yet prevalent in Philippine society. However some younger audience already perceive the presence of these traits (Natividad, 1996). In general, most TV commercials portray youth as adventurous, full of insecurities, and susceptible to foreign cultural influences (Natividad, 1996).

Through the procession of information technology, Filipino youth today can have a glimpse and share the culture of the youths from different geographical regions (Miller, 2000; Bennet, 2000). The Internet is making communication faster and faster. Data transfer is a matter of minutes, even seconds. One can chat with another person at the other side of the globe via the modem. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Filipinos are using the Internet. Three out ten households have access to Internet (Buenaventura, 2001:133). It provides encyclopedic resources for youth in all areas of life –from sexual information to intimate relations, from educational information to anime icons, from state-of-the-art products to business information. This has created an alternative expert system that is now competing with traditional authority figures. However studies so far show that youth use the Internet primarily for emails and chatting (Agbayani, 1998; Bustos, 1998; Duenas, 1998; Gargarita, 2001; Reyes, 2000). Interestingly, among gay youth chatting provides a means for establishing sexual relations, and building virtual gay communities (Lorenzana, 2003). Cyberspace allows young people to experiment with their own identities and re- invent existing ones (Alvarez and Valbuena, 2003; Valdez, 2003). Thus, to some extent, it is true to claim that new information technologies empower the youth (Abalena, 2003; Saloma, 2003).

Exposure to Internet comes mainly from peer influence (Abalena, 2003). This new form of electronic communication enhances interpersonal relationships (Valdez, 2003). It is a venue for meeting new friends and developing romantic relationships. It is also a vicarious substitute for rebellious acts that are not physically damaging –cybersex, violent games, hacking, plagiarism, gender switching, etc. (Wark, 1998; Lorenzana, 2003).

Meanwhile, new fashions, dress styles, hairstyles, argots, and music are constantly updated through MTV s and cable TV channels (Stuar, 2000; Real, 1996; Kellner, 1995). Photocopying machines and the digitalization of knowledge and information are now enabling students to gain fast and easy access to newest cultural trends and fads in the West. Indeed globalization, defined as the process of “time-space compression” (Harvey, 1989), 9 is shrinking youth cultures in one global village via MTV channels, websites, advertising images, and simulated mass media icons (Bennet, 2000). 10 Popular Disney movies are also Disneyizing youth cultures (Giroux, 1996). This explains why, for instance, aside from family members, Western personalities are the predominant idols of the Filipino youth (Lanuza, 1998; McCann-Erikson, 1996; 2000; Episcopal Commission on Youth/Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 2002). Among Catholic youth showbiz personalities even outranked church personnel and teachers (Episcopal Commission on Youth/Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. 2002:44.)

Also, the accelerating speed of new information technology is creating unprecedented problems for the youth, and society at large (Virilio, 1986; 1997). Most young people today are obsessed with “instant solutions”, from politics to sexual problems. They want to eschew tedious efforts in achieving their goals (Sebald, 1996). Parallel to this is the increasing phase of young people’s socialization into adult world. Children are going to schools much younger. They also mature faster. This might bring about what, David Elkind (1986), a world-renowned child psychologist, calls as the “hurried child syndrome.”

But while the globalization of culture tends to homogenize youth subcultures, nevertheless it must also be asserted that the elements of these global cultural artifacts are contextualized in local youth cultur es through the process of glocalization (Pertierra, 1998). 11 Thus, it is safer to say, with Roland Robertson (1990), that globalization ushers in univeralization of particular youth culture (reggae, for instance) and the particularization of universal youth culture (western punk-rock, for instance). This produces “trans-local subculture” where “young people appropriate music and stylistic resources in local contexts while still retaining a sense of their connectedness with parallel expressions of musical taste and stylistic preference occurring in other regions, countries and continents” (Bennet, 2000:146). 12

D. Anime-ting Filipino Youth Pop Culture

In a recent study done by Manahan (2002) on the influence of anime TV programs among selected students of University of the Philippines, Diliman students, is explored. The study identifies the emergence of “otaku-ism” or culture of anime fans among college students. This subculture exhibits certain characteristics that are not found among ordinary viewers of anime programs. This includes understanding of Japanese language, preference for anime theme songs, making fan arts, collecting posters and pictures, and campaigning to press television networks to change existing anime programs. Using audience-centered analysis, the study dispels the notion that youth are mere hapless recipients of television programming. Moreover the researcher rejects the notion that television communicates monolithic messages to the audience. Far from it, the study, through interviews with “otakus”, shows that youth as audiences is active and selectively interpret the meanings of media messages (p. 84).

E. From Barkadas to Cyberkadas

The Angus Reid study shows that there are more than 300 million Internet users worldwide (cited in Gargarita, 2001:49). Today there is an estimated 750,000 to 1 million Filipino Internet users. 13 In Metro Manila alone, ten percent of the population is Internet users. This may reflect the quite good IT infrastructure in our country compared with other Asia n countries, albeit it is concentrated in urban centers especially Metro Manila (Gargarita, 2001:50). The study by Wibono Santos (1998) suggests that most Internet users are young, male, and educated. As a result, more and more young people are being hooked on to the Internet. Carlo Gargarita’s (2001) study of chatting practices of Internet users reveal the influence of socioeconomic status. Most of them use Internet for academic purposes, females use more aliases than males, females are inclined towards gender switch, and use chatting to make new friends. In a similar study of Celeste Reyes (2000), on the gender differences in Internet use, it was found that more males use the Internet, more males also use it for chatting. Females often use the Internet for academic purposes. Indeed cyberspace has become a preferred alternative venue for establishing potential intimate relationships as shown in Felixberto Bustos’ (1998) study of the use of Internet relay chat (IRC) among de la Salle and U.P. students. Its advantages are: it makes one busy, meet new friends, chat with relatives abroad, helps one relax, improve one’s inter-personal skills, and to get advise. But the Internet has a negative side, too.

There are also indications that an increasing number of youth are using the Internet for sexual exploration, especially among gay youth (Lorenzana, 2003; Lanuza, 1998). This is very likely to increase because cybersex provides safer and faster access to pornographic materials (Rheingold, 1996).

F. From “Patintero” to Counterstrike

In the most recent survey of Social Weather Station (Sandoval, Mangahas, and Guerrero, 1998) on youth, sports activities and organizations topped the social involvement of Filipino youth. Other organizations include (in order): church and religious organizations, youth organizations, arts, music, and political parties. In the same study, the youth identified sports as their major talent. Other talents identified are: good dancing abilities and singing skills (p. 15). Meanwhile Lilia Lagdamen’s (1982) study of community recreation reveals that the preferred games among urban youth are basketball, chess, volleyball, tennis, and karate. They also prefer outdoor recreation. The preference of sports activities is related to sex and gender (Mejia, 1973). Hobbies of the youth include conversing with friends, collecting, reading, dancing, music and arts, watching movies. Topics of conversation concern mainly personal affairs than national issues (Espejo, 2000; Mejia, 1973).

On the whole however when it comes to interests and hobbies, Filipino youth today still inclined towards traditional activities. In the recent study of Episcopal Commission on Youth/Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (2002:43) only 37.3% of the Catholic youth reported to engage in post-modern hobbies such as movies, computers, Internet, text messaging, video games, videoke, and going to malls. Interestingly, young people today, compared with other age groups, are the ones who engage in post-modern leisure activities (Dy, 2001). However traditional games that emphasize social interactions (sipa, taguan, patintero, tumbang preso, marbles, tex, etc.) are being eclipsed very rapidly by videogames and network games (de los Santos, 1993; Anonuevo, 1993). The study of Julie Ann Dumlao and Charmaine Lada (2002) of network games 14 suggests that these post-modern games are producing a new play culture among the youth age 7 to 12 (Dumlao and Lada, 2002). Such play culture is characterized by the following: preference for fantasy and unrealistic situations, or characters, network gamers are impersonal and unmindful of external environment, individualistic, lacks emotional interaction, they have lesser knowledge in manipulating the natural environment, and they no longer play outside. This is also observed among children who use interactive, multimedia learning materials (Mercado, 1997).

In a lone study on youth’s visits to the National Museum in 1983 (cited in CYRC, 1984), it was shown that 3 out of 100 youth in Metro Manila had visited the National Museum as compared to 1 out of every 100 in all regions of the country. The situation may even be worse today. For youth today are fond of going to shopping malls rather than hanging in historic places and public parks (de Vera, Cabreza, and Lujan, 1999). In the study of de Fiesta-Mateo (2001) on malling behavior, it was found that most of those who frequent malls are young people. Youth equate malling with gimmick. They stroll in the mall simply to window shop. Hence they are called “mall rats.” In rural setting malling is a symbol of status (Honquilada and Lucio, 2000). Malling is usually done with peer group and family members (De Jesus, 1998). Malling in these studies is not equated simply with consumption. It is fun itself. It becomes a preoccupation that substitutes for pastime.

Mass media does not only promote and magnify “mall culture.” It also promotes through advertising certain habits and fads that become part of the leisure culture of the youth. They also influence consumption of imported goods (Salas and Quijano, 1981). In YAFS II, for instance, other than the family, mass media is very influential in promoting smoking and drinking habits among the youth.

G. Mediatization of Youth Through Popular Culture

Early on in their socialization process, gender stereotyping already takes place. Hence a study done in 1970 shows that male Filipino children prefer to play with inanimate objects as compared to females who prefer animate playthings (CYRC, 1984). Other studies would also show that contrary to stereotypes, males dress to attract females, while females dress for comfort. There are also differences in leisure preferences. Girls tend to enjoy soap operas and read romance novels compared to boys (Lanuza, 1998). These gender roles are often buttressed by the popular culture promoted by mass media. More recent studies reveal that mass media can have reproductive function in reinforcing gender stereotypes (Gomez, 2000; Santos, 2002; Mateo, 2001). Advertisement capitalizes on women’s bodies to promote commercial products. Young audiences are keen to detect such images. Boys often use these images as point of conversation, and use them as jokes to ridicule women (Gomez, 2000). But girls also strongly react to these sexist images (Gorayeb, 1993). 15 Also, the violence portrayed in mass media has an effect on the identity formation of youth offenders (Rosales, 2000). For instance, masculine role models like Robin Padilla, popularly know as the “bad boy” of Philippine cinema, is popular among members of “Bahala na” gang. Some juvenile delinquents can identity with “Binoe” because of his personality and character depicted in television and movies. (Ebo and Talag, 2002).

Popular culture tends to reproduce the values of the dominant social order not only along gender axis but also in terms of class. Its language and style reflects the division of society along class lines (Hall and Jefferson, 1976; Giroux, 1996; Hebdige, 1979; Bourdieu, 1984). Each youth culture is positioned in the social field via classspecific discourse. Hence the “burgis” and “sosyal” are distinguished from the bad tase of the “jologs,” the “baduy,” and the “bakya” (Enriquez, 2002). Hence there are some indications that youth who are immersed deeply into popular culture have the tendency to be conformist (see Fajutagana, 1992). Popular culture is appealing to the youth because it allows them to assert their own identity. Popular culture, especially music, serves as a barometer for what is “cool,” “in,” and “hip.” (Bennet, 2000). Being “hip,” in turn, is a badge of group belongingness (Calabia, 1994; Wells, 1998).

Nevertheless, in general, Filipino youth are not fond of classical music (CYRC, 1968). This is even true for students of the University of the Philippines. Indeed popular music has become the dominant preference of youth (Lanuza, 1998; Fajutagana, 1992; Calabia, 1994). There is also the emergence of “alternative music” (e.g., Greyhoundz, Yano, Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, Wolfgang, Slapshock) and alternative popular literature called zines (Contreras, 2000). Alternative music, like rock and punk, provides the youth the medium to express their rebelliousness. It also provides them the genres to express their angst about the world, environment, and everyday life (Verdida, 1995; Fajutagana, 1992). In short, alternative music is the heart and soul of youth’s collective consciousness.

Youth are drawn to popular literature because it is light and easier to comprehend (Bothius, 1985). Hence it is not surprising to know that Filipino youth are not fond of reading classical or serious literary pieces (CYRC, 1967:43-44). In Lanuza’s (1998) study of UP college students, romance and religious materials are the youth’s top choice for private reading. For television shows they prefer situation comedies, variety shows, movies, science and inventions (Crisostomo, 1982). As they grow older they prefer religious shows (CYRC, 1967). But the advent of media globalization, imported oriented shows and movies (e.g., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Friends, Sabrina, Ally McBeal) are now very popular among the youth (Lanuza, 1998). The content analysis made by May Cruzada (1997) on teen-oriented shows reveal that love, popularity, and group belonging are the central values of these programs. Thus peer group influences more the choice of programs than family (Belen, 1986; Wells, 1998). Jill Javier’s (1997) and Mirzi Moralde’s (1997) studies, on the other hand, show that what attracts the youth to teen-oriented shows is the story and the physical characteristics of the protagonists. They identity with the characters. Meanwhile, among local shows, situational comedies or “sitcoms” are preferred by youth. Interestingly, the study of Janice Crisostomo (1982) shows that young audience demands more than entertainment from local sitcoms. They also look for relevance and the promotion of Filipino values. This indicates that young audiences are not mere passive recipients of mass media “propaganda”.

Other studies further indicate that exposure to teen-oriented shows could have considerable influence on youth’s sexual attitudes and view of intimate relationships (Prescillas, 1998; Quiray, 1998). Youth who are exposed more romance novels and shows tend to have idealistic view of love (Andrade, 1991; de Guzman, 1986). The influence of mass media on youth culture is nowhere more demonstrated clearly that the role of Francis Magallona as the leader of Philippine delegates to Global Youth Forum in 1992 in New York (Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 13, 1992:26). Dramatic comics are also preferred by youth –especially females— because of their sentimental nature and stories often speak about youth’s life (Diaz, 1996). From fairy tales adolescents switch to romantic novels (Abad, 1983).

Meanwhile the proliferation of obscene tabloids, on the other hand, is exposing the youth more and more to sexual language (Andarino, 1996). As the McCann-Erikson study notes, youth today live an environment that is highly sexualized (cited in de Segeurra, 2001). Sexualization via the mass media is easily available through popular “green raps” and songs, music videos, bomba films, and tabloids (Toro, Remate, Abante, Bandera, Busero, Tiktik, Brusko,). These popular media have become not only the source of information but also the source of sexual socialization and entertainment (Sarne, 1991; Andarino, 1996; Panabi, 1994; Lopez, 1995). The proliferation of tabloids also contributes to the showbiz-nization of Filipino youth culture. Youth now are more interested and knowledgeable about latest showbiz tittle-tattles than political issues (Andarino, 1996). Besides, sexy tabloids have become the pornographic literature for adolescents (Sarne, 1991). But the study of Helen Andrade (1991) shows that while mass media might influence the attitudes of young people towards love and romance, yet their attitudes to sexual issues remain the same. This is also true for sexy music videos. Studies done by Rommel Panabi (1994) and Elsa Olaer (1985) show that yo ung audience believe they are not influenced by the sexual messages of these music videos. Their existing value system prevails. Put differently, youth are not mere imitators of what they see in television. They also watch these images with preconceived notions about sex. Not all music videos however deal with sex-related themes.

In Ma. Cecilia Lopez’s semiotic analysis of Channel [V] videos, she found that music videos cater to various interests of youth. They address different youth subcultures. Music videos deal mainly with enjoyment of life, love life, survival in crisis, and dating game. Moreover other studies also indicate that the presence of foreign music does not diminish youth’s interest in local artists (Dabu, 1986; Garcia, 1985; Solis, 1985). But local MTVs tend to concentrate on love and romance than foreign ones (Calabia, 1994). It may be inferred from this trend that globalization through spread of Western, mostly American, music does not create total homogenization of Filipino youth culture.

Conclusion: From Stormers to -Xers and Beyond

In summary, Filipino youth today, rightly or wrongly, are the products of mass media more than genes or school, or least of all, of the home (de la Torre, 1995). Mass media today stands as the most fo rmidable institution to reckon with in predicting the future behavior and attitudes of youth. However the impact of mass media on youth culture must be situated within the larger context of the Philippine social system. Given a country with a relatively yo ung population, with predominantly traditional values and attitudes, mass media has to contend with this social milieu.

Given the growing absence of parental guidance mass media may easily become an alternative expert system. It could become a surrogate to parental socialization. The mass media can do this by supplying the youth with simulated images and symbols that they use to express their own subcultural styles. In turn, mass media keeps watch on the youth’s ever-changing fashions and aesthetic styles in order to connect these images to the dominant cultural forms (Datinguinoo, 2001). That is why, the youth have been the target of media advertising because they are potential users and consumers of simulated images –from CDs to VCDs, from anime to teen-oriented films, from hairstyles to youth jargons, and from videogames to latest MTVs (Leslie, 1995; Datinguinoo, 2001; Salas and Quijano, 1981). But there is no monolithic determination involved. In this dynamic relationship, youth culture has largely influenced the direction and trends of mass media development –especially advertising (Rodica, 1992; Salas and Quijano, 1981). 16 In return, youth today are seduced by the images offered by television. But youth are also active discerners of these images and signs. In short, the influence of mass media on youth culture is not along hegemonic control and homogenization.

Undoubtedly mass media heralds modernizing innovation by promoting alternative value system such as individualism. 17 Along with the mass media the advent of new information technologies –or time-space compressing technologies— are also reshaping the contours of youth culture. In this connection, the significance of textculture of the youth cannot be underestimated. Philippine is considered as the texting capital of the world. 18 TXTPower consumer advocacy group claims that there are 10 million mobile phone users today in the country. There are 150 million texts sent each day or an average of 20 messages per person (Sotto-Resontoc, 2002). The advantages of this technology to youth is enormous: guaranteed delivery of messages, notification and alerts, low cost, ability to screen messages, return calls, email generation, multiple sendings, and other services provided by telecommunication companies. There is no doubt that the youth are at the forefront in using this technology (Onate and Sison, 2000). 19 Consequently, youth are always under the constant panoptic watch of adults. With this technology, spaces separating the youth and their cultures are breached. New interconnectivities are established while the old ones are either drastically changed or enhanced (Bustos, 1998). Cyberspace is annihilating the traditional barriers that keep the traditional elements of culture intact. Aside from mobile phones, DVDs, CDs, VCDs, discman, Internet, emails, chats, on line talks, network games, etc. have made possible new experimentations among youth that are challenging the disciplinary mechanism of the family, school, and religious institutions (see especially Tripon, 2000). More and more the local cultures are networked into the global flow of information (Cheng, 2001). The flow of global youth culture from the West –especially American varieties— has dramatic impact on youth’s search for new subcultural expressions. From the “new waves” of the 80s we have now the punks and heavy metals of the 90s (Gonzales, 1988). New videogames and network games are also altering the lifestyle and game preferences of Filipino children (Dumlao and Lada, 2002; Ureta, 1992; Rodica, 1999; Erestain, 2000).

Interestingly, traditional institutions have not been passive spectators in the flow of this development. Accommodating these new technologies for conservative ends has been the best strategy for tradition-bound institutions. The battle has been waged in the control of these technologies at home. For control and ownership ensures the continuing control of adults of these technologies (Siazon, 1986). But the potentially liberating and secularizing powers of these technologies are also harnessed by youth for more radical, often opposite ends such as cyberpornography and releasing virus on the net (Pabico, 2001). Despite of these however there is a clear indication that even in cyberspace traditional structures are still maintained. Ana Ebo (2002), for instance, observes among the emails of her students that gender roles are still evident. Thus, user name of females are often based on traditional physical attributes of women. Males, on the other hand, use names that denigrate women and affirm their machismo. Patriarchal ideology about the body and sexuality is still entrenched in cyberspace. Hence in the semiotic-based analysis of Ah My Goddess, a Japanese-produced anime, by Christine Afdal (2000), traditional gender discourse is still found to be prevalent. 20

The studies discussed so far have shown the breadth and latitude of Filipino youth study and the mass media. Yet with the accelerated speed of information technology and the mass media, there is a much to be desired in addressing the ever-changing and novel trends in mass media development. There is a need to map out the variegated influence of mass media on different youth sectors and strata. As suggested by one current researcher, the use of mobile phones, for instance, has contrasting impact among high school students and elementary students, on the one hand, and college students, on the other, notwithstanding the presence of class and sex differences (Rojo-Laurilla, 2003a; 2003b). Another area worth investigating would be the constitution of late modern subjectivities and sexualities of Filipino youth in the light of globalization. Consequently, the most fertile ground to dig for these trends is in the cyberspace and its various paraphernalia (CD-ROMs, VCDs, MP3s, IRC, video games, emails, etc.). But the more traditional and modern expressions of these elements found in the broadcast (television, popular music) and print media (novels and newspapers) must not be underestimated. Such studies will cast considerable light on the elusive relationship between tradition, modernity, and late modernity. To what extent are the Filipino youth still traditional? Future research on these areas will not only contribute to the growing body of literature on Filipino youth and mass media, but more significantly, to the improvement of theoretical and methodological issues in Philippine social sciences. Equally important, of course, is the knowledge it will provide on the future of youth and social change. And it is the hope of the author that this paper has given sufficient impetus for others to take the same direction.

1 According to the 2000 NSO census the population of the Philippines as of May 1, 2000 is 76,498,735 persons. This represents an increase of 11.5 percent or 7.88 million persons over the 1995 census count of 68,616,536 persons. At the time of writing this paper the data on sex-age composition of the 2000 national population was not yet available.

2 Modern bourgeois families needed the help of pedagogues to transform the rebelliousness of young people into responsibility. So the latter invented “adolescence” to describe the process of transformation (Bothius, 1985; Davis, 1990).

3 For a critique of such approach from critical theory and social constructionist paradigm, see Alderson (1999) and Penn (1999).

4 Youth culture study has affinities with subcultural theory of Birmingham Center for Contemporary Cultural Study (Hall, Jefferson, McRobbie, Phil Cohen, and Albert Cohen) and the radical tradition of the Frankfurt School (Marcuse, Habermas, Horkheimer, and Adorno). These theories are further elaborated in Part VI below.

5 Just to cite some few examples from history: Emilio Aguinaldo became the first President of the Republic at age 29, Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan at 29, Emilio Jacinto becamne the brain of Katipunan at 20, Gregorio del Pilar became a general at 24, Jose Rizal wrote Noli at 25, and Mariano Tinio became brigadier general at age 19 (Martin, 1995:36).

6 For an example of religious overtone, see Andres, Gaerlan, Limpingco (1974), and the entire issue of East Asian Pastoral Review, volume 22, no. 3 of 1985. For political overtone, see the various studies conducted by the National Child and Youth Research Center. The overtones of research on youth are also dependent on the sponsors or funding institutions. For instance, UST Social Research Center, Asian Social Institute, and the Catholic Bishops Conference emphasize the pastoral implications of their research on youth. Likewise, government-sponsored studies and other government-attached institutions emphasize policy implications such as studies done by The University of Philippine Population Institute, Philippine Population Commission, and National Youth Commission.

7 Other terms are: generation dot com, digital generation, phantom generation, etc. See Dandaneau (2001).

8 These are: Pepsi’s I’m Danielle, Mountain Dews’ Scream and Thank heaven, Jag’s Your own rules, and Penshoppe’s Message by Nadya.

9 Other alternative definitions are provided by Robertson (1995), Giddens (1990), and Therborn (1999). David Harvey’s (1989) definition is adopted here because it captures the process in which time is ordered in such a way that space is compressed, if not annihilated. Time-space compression allows the shortening of time and the shrinking of space that facilitates exchange of messages and transfer of goods, commodities, and people from different parts of the globe.

10 I have derived my analysis here of globalization from Robertson (1990). In this connection it would be very interesting to analyze how this linkage among local youth cultures might be forging global youth culture, and how this global culture is being “glocalized.” See also footnote no. 21 below.

11 Robertson (1995:28ff.) derived his use of “glocalization” from The Oxford Dictionary of New Words (1991 edition). Glocalization involves “the simultaneity and the interpenetration of what are conventionally called the global and the local, or –in more abstract vein—the universal and the particular.” Glocalization opposes the notion that globalization produces homogenization of cultures. Globalization involves both the localization of the global and the globalization of the local. For further debates on this issue, see Featherstone (1993; 1990), Marxist critique is in Kellner (2001), Guillermo (1997), and Constantino (1997; 1998).

12 Andy Bennet (2000:197) further adds that popular culture understood as global forms assumes particularized every life meanings.

13 The Philippines was connected to the Internet only in March 30, 1994.

14 Network games are computer games that are stored and played through CD-ROMs. In the study of Dumlao and Lada (2002) the following games are cited as the most popular: Counterstrike, Red Alert, Diablo, Starcraft, and Quake 3.

15 Interestingly, some studies even show that high school students want to enforce strict censorship on obscene movies and commercials (Pagarian, 1982; Gomez, 2000).

16 A good case in point is the recent Sprites’ ad of “magpakatotoo ka” that describes the youth’s definition of what is “cool” (Datinguinoo, 2001).

17 Lisa Gokongwei, for instance, the chief of Summit Magazine observes that in their magazines (like Cosmo), “We encourage girls (to think) you can do anything you want. You can be a fun, fearless female” (quoted in Datinguinoo, 2001:22).

18 Globe Telecom claims that it has 500,000 subscribers nationwide, 70% of which or 350,000 transmit 18 to 20 million text messages a day. This is twice the volume of text messages of entire Europe (David, 1999).

19 Preliminary studies done by Mildred Rojo-Laurilla (2003a; 2003b) show that texting has no significant impact on the grammar and language competencies of some selected college students.

20 Feminists also raise the issue of reproduction of sexism in cyberspace, see for instance: Kantrowitz, 1996; Tannen, 1996; Bergman and Zoonen, 1999; and Dibbell, 1996.

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• How Filipino Youth Identify and Act on Social Media Bullying and Harassment
• Research Centers

How Filipino Youth Identify and Act  on Bullying and Harassment on Social Media

Project Investigators

Cheryll Ruth Soriano, PhD Jason Vincent  Cabañes, PhD Jan Michael Bernadas, PhD Maria Caridad Tarroja, PhD Kimberly Kaye Mata, MS, RPm, RPsy

About the Project and the Report

Young people worldwide are increasingly seeing social media as a favored form of communication as they engage in a range of interactions–from keeping track of friends and expanding social circles, to expressing and creating their identities. Despite its important social and developmental uses, media and scholarly reports have raised concerns on the instances of bullying and harassment on social media, especially for the youth.

This study,  How Filipino Youth Identify and Act on Bullying and Harassment on Social Media , approached the question of bullying and harassment on social media with the premise that these are communicative and socially constructed. It drew from online in-depth interviews with 152 Filipino youth aged 15-24 from four sites across the country: Manila (for National Capital Region), Batangas (for Balance Luzon), Negros Occidental (for Visayas), and Misamis Occidental (for Mindanao) to understand and spotlight what young Filipinos consider as constitutive of bullying and harassment on social media, and how they are impacted by and act on them.

The Report offers data-driven recommendations for platforms, schools, guardians, and the youth in terms of how social media bullying and harassment can be prevented and its impact for victims mitigated.

It includes multimedia materials (in Tagalog, Bisaya, and Hiligaynon) produced for the youth, guardians, and the schools.

The Report should be of interest to a wide audience: the youth, youth organizers, guardians, teachers and guidance counselors, platform companies, technology designers, as well as government agencies and development organizations involved in projects concerning the youth and digital well-being.

The project is administratively supported by DLSU’s Social Development Research Center.

The project is funded under Facebook’s Content Policy Research grant.

You may access the full report here .

Watch these Videos

  Identifying Multiple Forms of Online Bullying and Harassment

Reporting Online Bullying and Harassment

Helping Peers Cope with Online Bullying and Harassment

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Social media’s beneficial and detrimental impacts and its role in shaping the attitude and behavior of the Filipino youth

2019, nadine helal

Most people are on social media nowadays and this affects their daily lives significantly. Among the different age groups, teens are the most active when it comes to using social media. However, it is not clear whether the use of social media for teens is more harmful or beneficial. This study determines the effects of social media and its impact on the attitude and behavior of the youth.

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Dr. Ghulam Safdar

Social Networking sites provide a platform for discussion on burning issues that has been overlooked in today's scenario. This research is conducted to check the impact of social networking sites in the changing mind-set of the youth. It is survey type research and data was collected through the questionnaire. 300 sampled youth fill the questionnaire, while non-random sampling techniques was applied to select sample units. Rate of return was remaining 97 percent after fill up the questionnaire. The main objectives were as (1) To analyze the influence of social media on youth social life (2) To assess the beneficial and preferred form of social media for youth (3) To evaluate the attitude of youth towards social media and measure the spending time on social media (4) To recommend some measure for proper use of social media in right direction to inform and educate the people. Collected data was analyzed in term of frequency, percentage, and mean score of statements. Findings show that the Majority of the respondents show the agreements with these influences of social media. Respondents opine Face book as their favorite social media form, and then the like Skype as second popular form of social media, the primary place for them, 46 percent responded connect social media in educational institution computer labs, mainstream responded as informative links share, respondents Face main problem during use of social media are unwanted messages, social media is beneficial for youth in the field of education, social media deteriorating social norms, social media is affecting negatively on study of youth. Social media promotes unethical pictures, video clips and images among youth, anti-religious post and links create hatred among peoples of different communities, Negative use of social media is deteriorating the relationship among the countries, social media is playing a key role to create political awareness among youth.

Journal ijmr.net.in(UGC Approved)

Social media's impact on youth is creating additional challenges and opportunities. Social Networking sites provide a platform for discussion on burning issues that has been overlooked in today's scenario. The impact of social networking sites in the changing mind-set of the youth. It was survey type research and data was collected through the questionnaire. 300 sampled youth fill the questionnaire; non-random sampling technique was applied to select sample units. The main objectives were as (1) To analyze the influence of social media on youth social life (2) To assess the beneficial and preferred form of social media for youth (3) To evaluate the attitude of youth towards social media and measure the spending time on social media (4) To recommend some measure for proper use of social media in right direction to inform and educate the people. Collected data was analyzed in term of frequency, percentage, and mean score of statements. Following were main findings Majority of the respondents shows the agreements with these influences of social media. Respondents opine Facebook as their favorite social media form, and then the like Skype as second popular form of social media, the primary place for them, 46 percent responded connect social media in educational institution computer labs, mainstream responded as informative links share, respondents Face main problem during use of social are unwanted messages, social media is beneficial for youth in the field of education, social media deteriorating social norms, social media is affecting negatively on study of youth. Social media promotes unethical pictures, video clips and images among youth, anti-religious post and links create hatred among peoples of different communities, Negative use of social media is deteriorating the relationship among the countries, social media is playing a key role to create political awareness among youth. Introduction Social media is most recent form of media and having many features and characteristics. It have many facilities on same channel like as communicating ,texting, images sharing , audio and video sharing , fast publishing, linking with all over world, direct connecting. it is also cheapest fast access to the world so it is very important for all age of peoples. Its use is increasing day by day with high rate in all over the

Madiha Zainab , Hamna Baqai , AAtiqa Ejaz , Areej Arshad

Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results

Shumpenthung Ezung

Today, social media is among the top ways for an individual to communicate with people around the globe. Social media provides an online statement that connects a group of communities and encourages networking and information sharing. Facebook, Wikipedia, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Tumblr are examples of popular social networking sites. Each one of them is an online social network where users can publish information about themselves. Youths' understanding of human behaviour might be positively influenced by social media, while negatively they can develop fanaticism and selfishness. Social media is thus used by youths from various walks of life for both constructive and destructive purposes. Social media has been increasingly important in recent years in shaping cultural and behavioural trends. The extremely advanced and complicated technology has developed along with the way the world is now organised, introducing people to a variety of modern communication tools. Modernization in the current era of globalization makes it simpler for youths to go about their daily lives. However, the youths will experience both beneficial and negative effects from this sophistication. The objective is to examine how social media affects young people's personality development and how social media influence Kohima youth's behaviour. The study is qualitative and is based on prior research and studies found in books, journals, and publications discussing how social media has an impact on the youth's behaviour. This article is done to reach a conclusive understanding of how social media influences youth behaviour.

IAEME Publication

The extensive use of social media in India has been on the rise among the new generation youths. In today's world, use of social media has become an integral part of everyday life of human being. This paper throws a light on pattern of social media usage and its impact on youth. The new age social networking culture has been accepted and got an enthusiastic response. It is evident from the studies that social media has both positive and negative impact on youths.

Research Journey

Shubhada Kulkarni

Today social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Whatsapp, Instagram etc. become an integral part of youth's life. Youth cannot imagine themselves without using social media network. They are active on social media from early in the morning to late night. Students use social media networks in the examination periods also. These new social communication channels have been adopted by all the age groups in India. Social media have a significant impact on the society especially on the youth. Social media networks have negative as well as positive impact on our society. It is important to know the positive and negative impact of social networking sites and applications on today's young generation. It is also important to know the benefits of social networking for youth. This paper is an attempt to study the impact of social networking sites and applications on young generation. It is a result of a survey conducted on youth of Jalgaon and Dhule Districts. The sample size of 100 respondents was obtained by distributing well structured questionnaires. Convenience sampling method was used. The scope of the study was limited to the youth of Jalgaon and Dhule district. The result shows that there is a significant impact of social media sites and applications on today's youth. It is also seen that there are benefits of social networks for youth. This study also describes that there were some drawbacks of social networking.

JOSEPH O N Y E K A EZIOBA

Enough (or maybe not so much) has been said about social media and its adverse consequences on humans, particularly the young ones. Yet, the concept is inexhaustible, it remains elusive as we are in a constant flux from one existing social platform to a new and more advanced, sophisticated social platform. Our aim, therefore is to look critically into the adverse effects of excessive use of social media on our growing teens especially in our contemporary era. The question is not whether social media is good or bad but how much good can be derived from it and how much efforts we are putting to curb the bad, negative effects of social media. To begin, what does it mean to be social? What is media? To be social means relating to society or its organization, to interact, mingle and contribute to the betterment of such society or community as the case may be. Media, on the other hand, are the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data. Thus, when we put these two words together, we have what is called social media. What is worthy of note in this exercise is that social media go beyond the popular Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and the likes. What then is social media? What is social media? According to Investopedia, an online resource, "social media is a computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through the building of virtual networks and communities." By design, social media is Internet-based and gives users quick electronic communication of content. Content includes personal information, documents, videos, and photos. Users engage with social media via a computer, tablet, or smartphone via web-based software or applications.

Editor iajps

The world has turned into a global village by the advent of Information Technology. Internet surfing and social media apps have captivated the minds of the youth, for analyzing the effects of social media on students, the questionnaire study was designed and by using simple random sampling, sample of 380 students was selected visiting outpatient department departments of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Minchinabad. By using bivariate analysis, result of this study depicts that social media plays vital role in influencing career, learning and job orientation among students.

Ardi Maulana Nugraha

This study intends to find out how the influence of adolescent behavior on social media users. Currently, almost the majority of teenagers in Indonesia use social media. Social media is something that cannot be left behind in the daily life of teenagers. Researchers, in this case, analyze the behavior of teenagers in using social media. used in this research. This research is included in quantitative research with data collection methods through observation, interviews, and questionnaires. The data analysis method used is the normality test, linearity test, simple linear regression coefficient test, and hypothesis testing using determination test or R2. Sampling in this study using a proportional random sampling technique. The number of samples obtained as many as 40 respondents with the criteria of teenagers who access social media Facebook. Research results based on the results of research and discussion of the influence of Facebook media on behavioral deviations in adolescents, i...

IRJET Journal

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Filipino youth aged 18 to 24 years were the main conversation drivers in the 2022 Philippine elections, according to a study organized by FleishmanHillard in Manila, along with research and analytics unit True Global Intelligence.

The findings showed the growing influence of Filipino millennials and Gen Z in shaping social media discussions. The published report revealed that much of the demographic users driving social media conversations across different platforms are women at 60 percent and netizens aged 18 to 24 years old, at 59 percent.

“Women and the youth are the main actors in influencing discourses online. The data showed us that these demographics were the most vocal in expressing concerns about fake news and deliberate disinformation on social media,” said FleishmanHillard in Manila senior vice president Anna Patricia Malay.

• 2022 Philippine elections
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Analysis of effects of media

“Impact of media to the Filipino Youth”

Since we are now living in 21st Century modern technology and media has now evolved. Technology emerges in various things and ways. One specific example is smart phones. It is the basic and fundamental source of information and communication of people nowadays. Media also emerged into social media which Filipino Youth had been using nowadays. But sadly, the effects of media to the Filipino Youth had been unpredictable since it has been developed couple of years ago. Media has changed our culture in significant ways since first becoming popular in the early 1900’s with the introduction of the radio. A lot has changed since then, and society today has experienced many new creations. One of the newest is social media. Social media,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter   just to name a few, has made its way into the homes of people young and old.  The benefits of these programs are plentiful. For example, some people use social media for motivation to get healthy with applications such as  Fitbit ,   Jawbone  or Map My Run .  Another more obvious example is how it connects people to other people worldwide and to local and global affairs.Though beneficial, there is concern that social media can lead to negative behavior in Filipino Youth. There is where most begin to wonder what age is appropriate to begin use, and how does one prevent harmful media from “working its magic?” Researchers believe that there are things parents should be aware of and tips they should consider when their children open their own accounts. Television has the potential to generate both positive and negative effects, and many studies have looked at the impact of television on society, particularly on children and adolescents. An individual child’s developmental level is a critical factor in determining whether the medium will have positive or negative effects. Not all television programs are bad, but data showing the negative effects of exposure to violence, inappropriate sexuality and offensive language are convincing.

Behavioural scientist   Steven Martino , shared some interesting research findings on this topic.

• The more sexual content that kids see on television, the earlier they  initiate sexual activity , the more likely they are to regret their early sexual experiences, and the more likely they are to have an  unplanned teen pregnancy .
• There is a strong causal connection between youth exposure to violence in the media and violent or aggressive behavior and thoughts.
• Kids are exposed to nearly 300 alcohol commercials per year. Similarly, more than 80 percent of movies depict alcohol use.
• The  motives movie characters convey  for smoking can adversely affect adolescents’ real-world smoking risk.

However, Martino offered concrete solutions for concerned parents.

“You’re not going to be able to keep your kids from seeing these things, so you should start having conversations with them very early on.”

First, they can restrict how much media their kids, particularly young children, consume. This may mean limiting television hours or internet access.   Second, parents should monitor their children in order to ensure proper use, both for content and for time spent. Children are getting in touch with social media at a much younger age. Whether it is online gaming or social sites, most children begin to create their own accounts when they are nine years old. This age is crucial, however, in adolescent life.

At this stage, they are learning how to balance their days and interact with others. In fact, research has shown that electronic stimulation affects sleep and mood behavior for children. That being said, it is important for parents to monitor their usage.

As social media expands and the availability of it grows our society must learn to adapt. It is expected that Filipino Youth  will be curious, but it’s important for their mental and physical sake that there are limits and guidelines to be followed.

References:

http://news.aces.edu/blog/2015/04/03/social-media-young-people-preventing-negative-effects/

https://www.rand.org/blog/2013/09/what-effect-does-media-have-on-youth.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792691/

Photo Credit:

https://www.moonstone.co.za/technology-and-disintermediation/

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

This article is part of the research topic.

Empowering Democracy in the Digital Age: Navigating the Challenges and Potential of Digital Activism

Youth Netizens as Global Citizens: Digital Citizenship and Global Competence among Undergraduate Students Provisionally Accepted

• 1 De La Salle University, Philippines

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

The digitalization of everyday life among young people exposed them to knowledge and cultures from societies outside their own. Digital citizenship, characterized by online respect and civic engagement, can facilitate students’ positive interactions within the global community and enhance their global competencies, including self-awareness, intercultural communication, and global knowledge. However, empirical studies linking digital citizenship and global competence are limited.. Drawing from an online survey sample of 698 Filipino undergraduate students, this cross-sectional study examines the relationship between digital citizenship and global competence. Findings indicate that online civic engagement and being a working student positively predict all domains of global competence. Online respect positively correlated with intercultural communication. Certain demographic and education-related variables were significant predictors of at least one domain of global competence (p<0.05). The findings underscore the importance of educational institutions fostering online social participation to cultivate globally competent students.

Keywords: Cross-Sectional Studies, Digital citizenship, Global Competence, undergraduate students, Youth

Received: 08 Mar 2024; Accepted: 09 May 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Cleofas and Labayo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Dr. Jerome V. Cleofas, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

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David Wallace-Wells

Are smartphones driving our teens to depression.

By David Wallace-Wells

Opinion Writer

Here is a story. In 2007, Apple released the iPhone, initiating the smartphone revolution that would quickly transform the world. In 2010, it added a front-facing camera, helping shift the social-media landscape toward images, especially selfies. Partly as a result, in the five years that followed, the nature of childhood and especially adolescence was fundamentally changed — a “great rewiring,” in the words of the social psychologist Jonathan Haidt — such that between 2010 and 2015 mental health and well-being plummeted and suffering and despair exploded, particularly among teenage girls.

For young women, rates of hospitalization for nonfatal self-harm in the United States, which had bottomed out in 2009, started to rise again, according to data reported to the C.D.C., taking a leap beginning in 2012 and another beginning in 2016, and producing , over about a decade, an alarming 48 percent increase in such emergency room visits among American girls ages 15 to 19 and a shocking 188 percent increase among girls ages 10 to14.

Here is another story. In 2011, as part of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a new set of guidelines that recommended that teenage girls should be screened annually for depression by their primary care physicians and that same year required that insurance providers cover such screenings in full. In 2015, H.H.S. finally mandated a coding change, proposed by the World Health Organization almost two decades before, that required hospitals to record whether an injury was self-inflicted or accidental — and which seemingly overnight nearly doubled rates for self-harm across all demographic groups. Soon thereafter, the coding of suicidal ideation was also updated. The effect of these bureaucratic changes on hospitalization data presumably varied from place to place. But in one place where it has been studied systematically, New Jersey, where 90 percent of children had health coverage even before the A.C.A., researchers have found that the changes explain nearly all of the state’s apparent upward trend in suicide-related hospital visits, turning what were “essentially flat” trendlines into something that looked like a youth mental health “crisis.”

Could both of these stories be partially true? Of course: Emotional distress among teenagers may be genuinely growing while simultaneous bureaucratic and cultural changes — more focus on mental health, destigmatization, growing comfort with therapy and medication — exaggerate the underlying trends. (This is what Adriana Corredor-Waldron, a co-author of the New Jersey study, believes — that suicidal behavior is distressingly high among teenagers in the United States and that many of our conventional measures are not very reliable to assess changes in suicidal behavior over time.) But over the past several years, Americans worrying over the well-being of teenagers have heard much less about that second story, which emphasizes changes in the broader culture of mental illness, screening guidelines and treatment, than the first one, which suggests smartphones and social-media use explain a whole raft of concerns about the well-being of the country’s youth.

When the smartphone thesis first came to prominence more than six years ago, advanced by Haidt’s sometime collaborator Jean Twenge, there was a fair amount of skepticism from scientists and social scientists and other commentators: Were teenagers really suffering that much? they asked. How much in this messy world could you pin on one piece of technology anyway? But some things have changed since then, including the conventional liberal perspective on the virtues of Big Tech, and, in the past few years, as more data has rolled in and more red flags have been raised about American teenagers — about the culture of college campuses, about the political hopelessness or neuroticism or radicalism or fatalism of teenagers, about a growing political gender divide, about how often they socialize or drink or have sex — a two-part conventional wisdom has taken hold across the pundit class. First, that American teenagers are experiencing a mental health crisis; second, that it is the fault of phones.

“Smartphones and social media are destroying children’s mental health,” the Financial Times declared last spring. This spring, Haidt’s new book on the subject, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, debuted at the top of the New York Times best-seller list. In its review of the book, The Guardian described the smartphone as “a pocket full of poison,” and in an essay , The New Yorker accepted as a given that Gen Z was in the midst of a “mental health emergency” and that “social media is bad for young people.” “Parents could see their phone-obsessed children changing and succumbing to distress,” The Wall Street Journal reflected . “Now we know the true horror of what happened.”

But, well, do we? Over the past five years, “Is it the phones?” has become “It’s probably the phones,” particularly among an anxious older generation processing bleak-looking charts of teenage mental health on social media as they are scrolling on their own phones. But however much we may think we know about how corrosive screen time is to mental health, the data looks murkier and more ambiguous than the headlines suggest — or than our own private anxieties, as parents and smartphone addicts, seem to tell us.

What do we really know about the state of mental health among teenagers today? Suicide offers the most concrete measure of emotional distress, and rates among American teenagers ages 15 to 19 have indeed risen over the past decade or so, to about 11.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 from about 7.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2009. But the American suicide epidemic is not confined to teenagers. In 2022, the rate had increased roughly as much since 2000 for the country as a whole, suggesting a national story both broader and more complicated than one focused on the emotional vulnerabilities of teenagers to Instagram. And among the teenagers of other rich countries, there is essentially no sign of a similar pattern. As Max Roser of Our World in Data recently documented , suicide rates among older teenagers and young adults have held roughly steady or declined over the same time period in France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Greece, Poland, Norway and Belgium. In Sweden there were only very small increases.

Is there a stronger distress signal in the data for young women? Yes, somewhat. According to an international analysis by The Economist, suicide rates among young women in 17 wealthy countries have grown since 2003, by about 17 percent, to a 2020 rate of 3.5 suicides per 100,000 people. The rate among young women has always been low, compared with other groups, and among the countries in the Economist data set, the rate among male teenagers, which has hardly grown at all, remains almost twice as high. Among men in their 50s, the rate is more than seven times as high.

In some countries, we see concerning signs of convergence by gender and age, with suicide rates among young women growing closer to other demographic groups. But the pattern, across countries, is quite varied. In Denmark, where smartphone penetration was the highest in the world in 2017, rates of hospitalization for self-harm among 10- to 19-year-olds fell by more than 40 percent between 2008 and 2016. In Germany, there are today barely one-quarter as many suicides among women between 15 and 20 as there were in the early 1980s, and the number has been remarkably flat for more than two decades. In the United States, suicide rates for young men are still three and a half times as high as for young women, the recent increases have been larger in absolute terms among young men than among young women, and suicide rates for all teenagers have been gradually declining since 2018. In 2022, the latest year for which C.D.C. data is available, suicide declined by 18 percent for Americans ages 10 to 14 and 9 percent for those ages 15 to 24.

None of this is to say that everything is fine — that the kids are perfectly all right, that there is no sign at all of worsening mental health among teenagers, or that there isn’t something significant and even potentially damaging about smartphone use and social media. Phones have changed us, and are still changing us, as anyone using one or observing the world through them knows well. But are they generating an obvious mental health crisis?

The picture that emerges from the suicide data is mixed and complicated to parse. Suicide is the hardest-to-dispute measure of despair, but not the most capacious. But while rates of depression and anxiety have grown strikingly for teenagers in certain parts of the world, including the U.S., it’s tricky to disentangle those increases from growing mental-health awareness and destigmatization, and attempts to measure the phenomenon in different ways can yield very different results.

According to data Haidt uses, from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the percent of teenage girls reporting major depressive episodes in the last year grew by about 50 percent between 2005 and 2017, for instance, during which time the share of teenage boys reporting the same grew by roughly 75 percent from a lower level. But in a biannual C.D.C. survey of teenage mental health, the share of teenagers reporting that they had been persistently sad for a period of at least two weeks in the past year grew from only 28.5 percent in 2005 to 31.5 percent in 2017. Two different surveys tracked exactly the same period, and one showed an enormous increase in depression while the other showed almost no change at all.

And if the rise of mood disorders were a straightforward effect of the smartphone, you’d expect to see it everywhere smartphones were, and, as with suicide, you don’t. In Britain, the share of young people who reported “feeling down” or experiencing depression grew from 31 percent in 2012 to 38 percent on the eve of the pandemic and to 41 percent in 2021. That is significant, though by other measures British teenagers appear, if more depressed than they were in the 2000s, not much more depressed than they were in the 1990s.

Overall, when you dig into the country-by-country data, many places seem to be registering increases in depression among teenagers, particularly among the countries of Western Europe and North America. But the trends are hard to disentangle from changes in diagnostic patterns and the medicalization of sadness, as Lucy Foulkes has argued , and the picture varies considerably from country to country. In Canada , for instance, surveys of teenagers’ well-being show a significant decline between 2015 and 2021, particularly among young women; in South Korea rates of depressive episodes among teenagers fell by 35 percent between 2006 and 2018.

Because much of our sense of teenage well-being comes from self-reported surveys, when you ask questions in different ways, the answers vary enormously. Haidt likes to cite data collected as part of an international standardized test program called PISA, which adds a few questions about loneliness at school to its sections covering progress in math, science and reading, and has found a pattern of increasing loneliness over the past decade. But according to the World Happiness Report , life satisfaction among those ages 15 to 24 around the world has been improving pretty steadily since 2013, with more significant gains among women, as the smartphone completed its global takeover, with a slight dip during the first two years of the pandemic. An international review published in 2020, examining more than 900,000 adolescents in 36 countries, showed no change in life satisfaction between 2002 and 2018.

“It doesn’t look like there’s one big uniform thing happening to people’s mental health,” said Andrew Przybylski, a professor at Oxford. “In some particular places, there are some measures moving in the wrong direction. But if I had to describe the global trend over the last decade, I would say there is no uniform trend showing a global crisis, and, where things are getting worse for teenagers, no evidence that it is the result of the spread of technology.”

If Haidt is the public face of worry about teenagers and phones, Przybylski is probably the most prominent skeptic of the thesis. Others include Amy Orben, at the University of Cambridge, who in January told The Guardian, “I think the concern about phones as a singular entity are overblown”; Chris Ferguson, at Stetson University, who is about to publish a new meta-analysis showing no relationship between smartphone use and well-being; and Candice Odgers, of the University of California, Irvine, who published a much-debated review of Haidt in Nature, in which she declared “the book’s repeated suggestion that digital technologies are rewiring our children’s brains and causing an epidemic of mental illness is not supported by science.”

Does that overstate the case? In a technical sense, I think, no: There may be some concerning changes in the underlying incidence of certain mood disorders among American teenagers over the past couple of decades, but they are hard to separate from changing methods of measuring and addressing mental health and mental illness. There isn’t great data on international trends in teenage suicide — but in those places with good reporting, the rates are generally not worsening — and the trends around anxiety, depression and well-being are ambiguous elsewhere in the world. And the association of those local increases with the rise of the smartphone, while now almost conventional wisdom among people like me, is, among specialists, very much a contested claim. Indeed, even Haidt, who has also emphasized broader changes to the culture of childhood , estimated that social media use is responsible for only about 10 percent to 15 percent of the variation in teenage well-being — which would be a significant correlation, given the complexities of adolescent life and of social science, but is also a much more measured estimate than you tend to see in headlines trumpeting the connection. And many others have arrived at much smaller estimates still.

But this all also raises the complicated question of what exactly we mean by “science,” in the context of social phenomena like these, and what standard of evidence we should be applying when asking whether something qualifies as a “crisis” or “emergency” and what we know about what may have caused it. There is a reason we rarely reduce broad social changes to monocausal explanations, whether we’re talking about the rapid decline of teenage pregnancy in the 2000s, or the spike in youth suicide in the late ’80s and early 1990s, or the rise in crime that began in the 1960s: Lives are far too complex to easily reduce to the influence of single factors, whether the factor is a recession or political conditions or, for that matter, climate breakdown.

To me, the number of places where rates of depression among teenagers are markedly on the rise is a legitimate cause for concern. But it is also worth remembering that, for instance, between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s, diagnoses of American youth for bipolar disorder grew about 40-fold , and it is hard to find anyone who believes that change was a true reflection of underlying incidence. And when we find ourselves panicking over charts showing rapid increases in, say, the number of British girls who say they’re often unhappy or feel they are a failure, it’s worth keeping in mind that the charts were probably zoomed in to emphasize the spike, and the increase is only from about 5 percent of teenagers to about 10 percent in the first case, or from about 15 percent to about 20 percent in the second. It may also be the case, as Orben has emphasized , that smartphones and social media may be problematic for some teenagers without doing emotional damage to a majority of them. That’s not to say that in taking in the full scope of the problem, there is nothing there. But overall it is probably less than meets the eye.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Further reading (and listening):

On Jonathan Haidt’s After Babel Substack , a series of admirable responses to critics of “The Anxious Generation” and the smartphone thesis by Haidt, his lead researcher Zach Rausch, and his sometime collaborator Jean Twenge.

In Vox, Eric Levitz weighs the body of evidence for and against the thesis.

Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie deliver a useful overview of the evidence and its limitations on the Studies Show podcast.

Five experts review the evidence for the smartphone hypothesis in The Guardian.

A Substack survey of “diagnostic inflation” and teenage mental health.