The Cardinal Independent

INDIANAPOLIS (Indiana News Service) - Indiana lawmakers are taking a closer look at how social media and smartphones affect young people. New proposals debated at the Statehouse focus on stronger parental involvement, improved age verification, and limits on some platform features seen as addictive for minors. Youth advocates said the discussion comes as research shows many teens already worry about their own online habits. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Tami Silverman, president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute , said even young users recognize the problem. “Forty-five percent of teens say they believe they’re spending too much time on social media,” Silverman reported. “To have the young people themselves acknowledge that it’s probably too much was new information.” Research shows mixed effects. Many teens say social media strengthens friendships and creativity but others report anxiety, cyberb...