Hey there and happy Wednesday everyone.
I'm Dr. Sanjre Gupta. So excited to be
filling in again for my buddy Koi Wire
right now. Hopefully he's getting some
sleep tackling that jet lag from his
trip to Italy. Also, today is your word
Wednesday, so listen up. See if the
vocabulary words you submitted helped us
write today's show. Let's begin though
with an update on a story you should all
be following. The unprecedented social
media trial that's currently underway in
California. The basic question is this.
Are social media companies harming
younger users mental health? The answer
to that question and the outcome of this
trial could shape social media going
forward and how more than 1,500 similar
cases will be eventually resolved. Tech
giants YouTube and Meta are now in week
three of their defense in that trial and
they deny claims that their platforms
are intentionally addictive and harmful
to children. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg
testified that he believes his company
has handled user safety in a quote
reasonable way. The head of Instagram,
which is also owned by Meta, added that
he does not think users can become quote
clinically addicted. But new documents
show that back in 2018, some employees
at Meta, which was then on Facebook,
proposed a public review of features
like autoplay and endless scrolling.
There were concerns even back then that
those types of features could contribute
to addictive behavior. While the
proposed review was never carried out,
those features and the concerns about
what they do to a still developing brain
are at the center of this trial. So,
let's talk about what we do know about
the impact of social media and its
impact on mental health. Take a look.
One study found that users aed 12 to 15
who spent more than three hours a day on
social media faced double the risk of
experiencing poor mental health
outcomes, including symptoms of
depression and anxiety. This is
concerning because as of 2021, 8th and
10th graders spent an average of 3 and a
half hours per day on social media.
Excessive social media use has also been
linked to sleep and attention problems.
And a Pew survey showed that teens list
it as a top threat to their mental
health. But at the same time, are there
any benefits to social media? Let's take
a look at some of the potential
positives. A 2025 Pew survey of teens
showed 74% said it makes them feel more
connected to their friends. 63% said it
gave them a place to show off their
creative side. And 52% said they liked
having people support them through tough
times. Look, I think the biggest
question often asked about social media
is why? Why do we keep mindlessly
scrolling, maybe even when we really
want to stop? And there are three
factors that seem to influence our
desire to keep scrolling. How much a
person has already watched, how similar
the content is that they are viewing,
and how they are watching it. That means
we're more likely to watch more content
based on how much we've already seen.
The more similar the content is, the
easier it is to watch. And we're more
likely to keep scrolling if our viewing
isn't interrupted by other tasks. So,
what can we do? What can you do if you
feel that your social media use is
becoming a problem? Well, in addition to
using in-app controls such as time
limits and filters, we can follow the
three W's. They stand for what for? Why
now? What else? That means when you pick
up your phone, ask yourself those
questions. What is the reason I just
picked up my phone? Why do I need to do
that at this exact moment? And what else
could I be doing instead of starting to
scroll? Look, I'll tell you this. As a
parent of three teenage girls, it's a
conundrum. I struggle with how to limit
the negative aspects of owning a
smartphone while still encouraging my
kids to stay connected with their
friends. One solution, just dial it back
way back. In fact, one strategy some
parents are using is to install landline
phones in common areas in their homes.
CNN's Vanessa Yavich shows us how
families are hanging up on smartphones.
Hello,
Jennifer.
>> When it first rang, did you like
recognize that it was a phone ring?
>> No. I'm like,
>> is that a fire alarm?
>> Brooks, Harry, and Charlotte had never
used a landline before their mom Sarah
got them one for Christmas.
>> I use it a lot because I could call my
friends on it. She's probably waiting.
>> Landlines are the latest craze for kids.
Parents hoping to push off getting their
kids smartphones are ordering modern-day
Wi-Fi connected landline phones made
just for kids. I spoke to the CEO of Tin
Canan. Their phones are on back order
through April. Chad,
>> hello. Hi, Vanessa.
>> I uh cannot remember the last time I
called someone on a landline. Honestly,
have you heard that this actually either
prolongs the kid asking or acts in place
of a cell phone? What a kid is asking
for is almost never a cell phone. What
they're asking for is a way to connect
with people.
>> Don't hit that.
>> The telephone has been around for 150
years. But with the rise of smartphones
in just two decades, landlines have all
but disappeared.
>> We lost sight of the fact that there was
this major population of people that
relied on the landline for decades and
we left them behind. That's kids and
sort of launched head first into the
mobile era. Research shows kids who get
smartphones at a younger age are more
likely to suffer from obesity,
depression, and not get enough sleep.
>> Why, in your mind, was a phone, still a
version of a phone, but a landline
better than a cell phone?
>> No screen. Uh, and I thought, well, hey,
they're going to have to learn how to
communicate. So many kids, the
communication is is lacking. I feel
like,
>> hi, Nana. Parents can control who calls
in and out, can set hours for use, and
can add 911 as an option.
>> Sometimes we'll actually we'll fight
like I'll get it and then they every now
and then like I answer it and Harry
called Dibs first and we actually kind
of fight with each other but don't
actually hurt each other. It's just
tough love basically.
>> So what do you think? I think this would
be a good time to press pause if you'd
like and maybe discuss this with your
peers. Maybe start with these questions.
Do you feel like social media has had an
impact on your mental health? Would you
enjoy having a landline in your house?
Have you personally taken any steps to
try and limit your screen time? And if
so, what are they?
Right, time for 10 second trivia. How
many major islands make up the Gopagos?
Is it 9, 13, 25, or 17?
According
to the Galopagos Conservancy, there are
13 major islands and numerous smaller
islands that make up the archipelago.
About 97% of the land is a national park
and a protected marine reserve.
On Ecuador's Galopicos Islands, famous
by the way for inspiring Charles
Darwin's theory of evolution, a slow and
steady comeback is making big
environmental strides. On Floriana
Island, 158 giant tortoises have been
released, restoring a species that have
been locally extinct since the 19th
century. The animals were bred over more
than a decade at Ecuador's Fausto Yarena
and then reintroduced by the country's
environmental ministry in Gapico's
National Park. The ministry says this
milestone is intended to set the stage
for the restoration of a dozen native
species that are considered locally
extinct on the island.
For us as park rangers, it's a source of
pride to release the tortoises here on
Floriana Island. Something iconic in
this restoration process, and we feel
very proud to be able to release them on
this island.
Okay, today's story getting a 10 out of
10. You may have heard of a food fight,
but have you ever been in a flower
fight? In Greece, this is an annual
tradition. Hundreds of people in a
coastal town marched through the streets
throwing colorful clouds of flower
everywhere. Some took the event very
seriously. They wore eye protection and
even suits while others they went
without.
>> We are trying, as you can see, with
courage and without a suit to become
like this. How we end up looking doesn't
matter. It's only about the joy and the
fun.
>> The event dates back to the 19th
century. It marks the end of the
carnival season and the start of the
40-day Lent period leading up to
Orthodox Easter. All right, superstars.
We've got some shoutouts for you today.
But first, a big congratulations to our
your word Wednesday winner, Miss Moore
at Waverly Shell Rock Middle School, who
submitted conundrum, a noun meaning a
confusing and difficult problem or
question. Thank you for making us a
little bit smarter today. All right,
first shout out is going to Mr.
Rodriguez at Orange Center School in
Fresno, California. Thank you for making
us a part of your classroom. And Mr.
Dunn at Great Creek High School in San
Angelo, Texas. And a huge
congratulations to the Iron Talons who
just won their robotics tournament. Keep
up the good work. Thank you for spending
some time with us today. We'll see you
back here tomorrow. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta
and this is CNN 10.