A new online tool aims to help tackle the country’s mental health crisis among kids. A 2019 study from Jama Network found children who spent more than three hours a day on social media were at double the risk for mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. The feature known as Balance was developed by…
This fall, a new state law will go into effect in public schools. It requires districts to ban students from using their cell phones during the school day. Supporters say it’s a step towards cutting down classroom distractions but some parents are concerned about not being able to reach their kids. A big question in…
The cell phone has integrated itself into our everyday lives. Nationally and locally, there is a growing movement to limit distractions and keep cell phones out of students’ hands while they are in the classroom. In a unanimous vote last week by the Belle Vernon Board of Education, a new cell phone policy was established…
Mobile network anomalies consistent with cell phone surveillance were detected at a July 4 protest at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Washington state. Those anomalies, according to an independent analysis by Straight Arrow News, suggest that a device known as an IMSI catcher may have been used to collect identifying information on…
Many school districts are re-evaluating their technology policies, particularly with the increasing number of kids with cell phones. Common Sense Media found that by age 8, one in four kids has a mobile device, and 95% of teenagers have access to a smartphone, according to Pew Research. Rep. Chris Deluzio of Fox Chapel, a Democrat…