Do you want a sneak peek at my next book?

Posted on: 02/3/20 3:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m looking for some people to give me feedback
about my book BEFORE it’s published

My 24-year-old daughter Alyssa and I are finishing up our last few chapters in my next book—and yes, this one I’m co-writing with her! She is bringing such an amazing perspective, I think people are really going to enjoy her vulnerability about the effect social media has had on her life.

The book is to teenagers about “face-to-face connections in a screen-to-screen world.” Alyssa and I share 40 tips to meaningful communication…that we wish we knew 5 years ago.

Would you like to read it next week? Because I’m looking for feedback… and you’ll have 10 days to peek at it.

Here’s the deal: If you’d like to read this book before anyone else does Continue reading “Do you want a sneak peek at my next book?”

Does New Research Really Reveal Social Media Isn’t Harmful?

Posted on: 01/23/20 12:37 PM | by Jonathan McKee

A few days ago the New York Times released an article titled, Panicking about Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t. The subtitle reads, “A growing number of academics are challenging assumptions about the negative effects of social media and smartphones on children.”

So does this article hold water?

I mean, “panicking” definitely doesn’t sound like the answer, but is it true that this new research is revealing social media might not have so many negative effects? What about all the solid research that too much time screen time and social media is linked to Continue reading “Does New Research Really Reveal Social Media Isn’t Harmful?”

Instagram takes HUGE stride towards mental health

Posted on: 11/14/19 1:05 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Instagram’s CEO Adam Mosseri made an announcement last week that was music to my ears, actually putting mental health above “LIKES.”

Instagram will test “hiding LIKES” in the US because of the pressure it puts on today’s young people.

“We will make decisions that hurt the business if they help people’s well-being and health,” said Mosseri.

Most of you saw my recent post, The Unforeseen Problem with Insta Followers: Why Pedophiles and Sex Traffickers Are Loving Social Media, an article unveiling two “unforeseen” dangers with social media, one of them being the negative effect that those little numbers at the top of the screen (Likes and Followers) are having on today’s young people Continue reading “Instagram takes HUGE stride towards mental health”

CDC reveals a HUGE increase in teen/tween suicide since 2007

Posted on: 10/29/19 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

This morning I’m encouraging a group of young moms (at MOPS) to delay screen ownership and social media access with their kids…and the CDC just released an eye-opening report illustrating one of the compelling reasons why.

In the last two weeks I’ve spoken in 5 cities in 4 different states on the exact same subject…teens and screens. So let’s just say that this CDC report is very timely for me…as well as very distressing. The fact is, social media is Continue reading “CDC reveals a HUGE increase in teen/tween suicide since 2007”

Who do your kids follow?

Posted on: 09/25/19 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Kids have always liked celebrities, and celebrities have always had influence… but never to the extent they do today.

In 1984 Madonna shocked the world at the first MTV Video Music Awards, rolling around on the stage in a wedding dress provocatively singing, Like a Virgin. Before you knew it, Gen X teens everywhere (now 50-year-old moms) were wearing lace gloves, 20 bracelets, a rosary, and if Mom and Dad weren’t looking—lingerie on the outside of their clothes. Madonna was an influencer (great documentary on how video killed the radio star- Episode 7 of this Netflix series).

But how much influence did a celebrity have at that time?

Kids could play Continue reading “Who do your kids follow?”

Instagram Hides “Likes”

Posted on: 07/23/19 5:47 AM | by Jonathan McKee

In the last year we’ve seen some really positive strides by tech and social media giants to actually help the mental health of its users…last year when IOS and Droid released new updates that includes screen time limits, downtime, etc… and now Instagram testing (lets just hope it lasts) hiding the likes everyone receives in effort to create a “less pressurized environment.”

This is HUGE for young people today.

It’s like this:

Kristy posts a picture of her new shoes and gets 32 likes Continue reading “Instagram Hides “Likes””

Helping Teens Become Wise with Their Screens

Posted on: 05/15/19 3:22 AM | by Jonathan McKee

How should parents, mentors, teachers and youth workers respond to a generation that can’t seem to pry their eyes from their screens? The answer is conversations… and here is a YouTube video where I present four necessary conversations we need to have with today’s young people!

This is a talk I gave at Summit Ministries’ Basecamp event in Colorado Springs last week… and they just posted my talk to YouTube! The topic was helping teens become wise with their screens… only 30 minutes and change. Enjoy! (He introduces me at 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the video.) Continue reading “Helping Teens Become Wise with Their Screens”

Teens and Social Media

Posted on: 12/28/18 11:17 AM | by Jonathan McKee

If you happened to turn on Christian radio the day after Christmas you might have caught Focus on the Family President Jim Daly and I talking about teens and social media on their daily broadcast. They re-aired it December 26th because they said it was one of their most popular broadcasts of the year.

They just released the FULL video of the show in case you missed it:

Amazon has the The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices on sale HERE

Teens & Social Media 2018

Posted on: 09/17/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Common Sense Media just came out with their brand new report about teens and social media revealing exactly how many teens now have smartphones (89%),  their favorite apps (Snapchat), their feelings about how social media makes them feel (they’re fooling themselves) … here’s their infographic with the highlights: Continue reading “Teens & Social Media 2018”

Walking Through Social Media Safety with Jim Daly

Posted on: 08/6/18 11:20 AM | by Jonathan McKee

My Interview on
Focus on the Family
This Wednesday

I always enjoy the dialogue with Jim and John when I’m invited to be a guest on the Focus on the Family daily broadcast. On this Wednesday’s broadcast Jim interviewed me about my new book The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices, asking how it can help parents open up this important dialogue with their kids. At this point in the interview he asked me how to help parents engage in a conversation about online safety in a way that kids will actually listen.

Here’s my reply:

You can catch the whole show on their broadcast this Wednesday on Focus on the Family… or online at FocusOnTheFamily.com