Teens

Half of the teens who have been blocked say they are seeing less news than before – but they are not necessarily going back to traditional sourcesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s social media ban is preventing teens from accessing news, a new study has found, with half of the teens who have been blocked saying they’re seeing less news than before.Two-thirds of under-16s have remained on social media platforms since the ban came into effect in December. But for those who were kicked off, the change has meant seeing less news than before the ban. Continue reading...

Homework, social pressure and jobs still keep teens up but now screen time and social media rob their sleepA new study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health shows that today’s teenagers are sleeping less than ever before.The findings, which appeared in Pediatrics, showed a consistent decline in sleep across every age category. The latest figures revealed record-low sleep levels for all groups, with only 22% of older adolescents saying they slept at least seven hours each night. Continue reading...

Group broke through locked door in Manhattan, damaging property and injuring a staff member, church saysA group of youths forced their way into a Scientology church in New York on Saturday in the latest in a string of nationwide “speed running” incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent weeks.The group broke through a locked door to gain entry to the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, throwing objects, damaging the property and injuring a staff member as worshippers and visitors attended a seminar, the church said in a statement to the Guardian. Continue reading...

• A new study from Project Viva shows that replacing 30 minutes of daily sitting time with exercise significantly lowers type 2 diabetes risk in teens aged around 13. • Researchers analyzed data from over 800 adolescents in Eastern Massachusetts who wore movement trackers and kept sleep logs for up to 10 days. • Results exceeded expectations, highlighting small lifestyle changes' strong protective effects against future diabetes in youth.

• A new study finds that exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—chemicals used in non-stick coatings and water-resistant products—is linked to low bone density in teenagers. • The research, announced by the Endocrine Society, involved collaboration between the CDC, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Simon Fraser University, and George Washington University. • The finding adds to growing evidence that PFAS contamination poses significant health risks, particularly during critical periods of skeletal development in adolescence.

• UPMC, a major Pittsburgh health system, stopped providing gender care services to patients under age 19 approximately nine months ago, leaving local transgender teens struggling to find alternative care options. • The policy change has forced young patients like Moss Brinzer to scramble for medical services, creating significant gaps in access to gender-affirming healthcare for minors in the region. • The decision reflects broader tensions in U.S. healthcare around gender medicine for adolescents, with major health systems reassessing their policies amid ongoing national debate.

Suspects accused of throwing explosive devices at rightwing anti-Islam protesters as tensions rise across USEarly on Monday afternoon, two teens in white plastic jumpsuits were escorted into a Manhattan federal courtroom. Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who were shackled and handcuffed, quietly took their seats at the defense table.If not for the metal restraints and jail garb, Balat, 18, and Kayumi, 19, could have been any number of young men who carry themselves with an aura of discomfort about their place in America. Continue reading...