On 12 April Patti Valkenburg took part in a debate in the Dutch House of Representatives about the question if mobile phones should be forbidden at schools. Forbidding mobile phones at schools by law is not the way according to professor Valkenburg. However, many schools would be helped with clear guidelines. Guidelines are more flexible than laws, can be adapted more quickly, and offers scope for customization. Flexibility, adaptation, and customization are more important than laws in a world where what is new quickly becomes old. Watch the full debate (in Dutch) here:
Through teens' eyes: The benefits and drawbacks of social media
Members of Project AWeSome (Adolescents, Well-being, and Social media) interviewed 480 adolescents aged 14 to 17 about the pros and cons of social media, relying on a survey study and qualitative interviews. For most adolescents, the pros of social media…