College of Technology Dean Dr. Anthony Carcillo recently treated students, teachers and parents of Brader Elementary School in Newark to a presentation about the dangers of social media. His timing could not have been better. 

According to American Psychological Association Chief Science Officer Dr. Mitch Prinstein in a recent APA article, “At puberty, children begin to crave social rewards, such as visibility, attention and positive feedback from peers. In contrast, brain regions involved in our ability to inhibit our behavior and resist temptations do not fully develop until early adulthood (i.e., approximately 10–15 years later). In other words, when it comes to youths’ cravings for social attention, they are all gas pedal with no brakes.”

“With so many children on the internet and using social media, it is critical that we inform the parents and children of ways to mitigate the dangers of social media.” — Dr. Anthony Carcillo

Says Dr. Carcillo:  “In a national poll on Children’s Health conducted by the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, it was reported that 32% of children ages 7 to 9 use social media, and only 18% use no apps. With so many children on the internet and using social media, it is critical that we inform the parents and children of ways to mitigate the dangers of social media.”

The event was well attended, and participants were introduced to terms and concepts such as the importance of two-factor authentication, the dangers of sharing personally identifiable information, and how social media quizzes could be a form of social engineering, adds Dr. Carcillo.

— Maria Hess