Issues on youth social media consumption

Signs of excessive social media use

Having a life outside of social media

Cyberwellness issues in Singapore

What parents can do to protect youths

How to create safer, healthier online environments to protect children.

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

In May, the United States surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy, who is known as the nation’s doctor, issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health to warn young people of the possible effects of excessive social media use.

Dr Murthy said that social media started only about a decade ago and there is not enough research at the moment to show that it is safe for adolescents and children. 

He thus issued a call for not just families and young people, but policymakers, technology companies, and researchers to gain a better understanding of the full impact of social media use, to maximise the benefits and minimise the harms of social media platforms, and create safer, healthier online environments to protect children. 

In Singapore, it is not uncommon to see upper primary school children with their own mobile phones. Some teachers use WhatsApp to communicate with their secondary school students. 

In this episode, ST's senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Ms Joanne Wong, the head of Touch Cyber Wellness, a service of Touch Community Services, about the issues that she sees in Singapore, and what parents and young people can do to protect themselves.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:29 Youth social media consumption issues in Singapore

4:41 Signs of excessive social media use

7:51 How parents can help children understand the importance of having a life outside of social media

13:15 Cyber wellness issues in Singapore

21:25 What parents can do to protect youths from social media harms

Helplines
MENTAL WELL-BEING
•  Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
•  Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
•  Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
•  Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
•  Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
•  Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
•  Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)COUNSELLING
•  TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
•  TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
•  Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
•  Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366ONLINE RESOURCES
•  mindline.sg
•  eC2.sg
•  tinklefriend.sg
•  chat.mentalhealth.sg
•  carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
•  limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

Read more: https://str.sg/iJqa

Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#healthcheck

How to create safer, healthier online environments to protect children.
Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
In May, the United States surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy, who is known as the nation’s doctor, issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health to warn young people of the possible effects of excessive social media use.
Dr Murthy said that social media started only about a decade ago and there is not enough research at the moment to show that it is safe for adolescents and children. 
He thus issued a call for not just families and young people, but policymakers, technology companies, and researchers to gain a better understanding of the full impact of social media use, to maximise the benefits and minimise the harms of social media platforms, and create safer, healthier online environments to protect children. 
In Singapore, it is not uncommon to see upper primary school children with their own mobile phones. Some teachers use WhatsApp to communicate with their secondary school students. 
In this episode, ST's senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Ms Joanne Wong, the head of Touch Cyber Wellness, a service of Touch Community Services, about the issues that she sees in Singapore, and what parents and young people can do to protect themselves.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:29 Youth social media consumption issues in Singapore
4:41 Signs of excessive social media use
7:51 How parents can help children understand the importance of having a life outside of social media
13:15 Cyber wellness issues in Singapore
21:25 What parents can do to protect youths from social media harms
Helplines MENTAL WELL-BEING •  Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) •  Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) •  Singapore Association for Mental Health: <a href="tel:18002837019" data-stringify-link="tel:18002837019" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-283-7019</a> •  Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 •  Tinkle Friend: <a href="tel:18002744788" data-stringify-link="tel:18002744788" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-274-4788</a> •  Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 •  Women’s Helpline (Aware): <a href="tel:18007775555" data-stringify-link="tel:18007775555" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-777-5555</a> (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)COUNSELLING •  TOUCHline (Counselling): <a href="tel:18003772252" data-stringify-link="tel:18003772252" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-377-2252</a> •  TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 •  Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180 •  Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366ONLINE RESOURCES •  <a href="http://mindline.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://mindline.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">mindline.sg</a> •  <a href="http://ec2.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://eC2.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">eC2.sg</a> •  <a href="http://tinklefriend.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://tinklefriend.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">tinklefriend.sg</a> •  <a href="http://chat.mentalhealth.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://chat.mentalhealth.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">chat.mentalhealth.sg</a> •  <a href="http://carey.carecorner.org.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://carey.carecorner.org.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">carey.carecorner.org.sg</a> (for those aged 13 to 25) •  <a href="http://limitless.sg/talk" data-stringify-link="http://limitless.sg/talk" data-sk="tooltip_parent">limitless.sg/talk</a> (for those aged 12 to 25)
Produced by: Joyce Teo (<a href="mailto:joyceteo@sph.com.sg">joyceteo@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Eden Soh
Edited by: Eden Soh
Read more: <a href="https://str.sg/iJqa">https://str.sg/iJqa</a>
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRX"> https://str.sg/JWRX</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaQ"> https://str.sg/JWaQ</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/J6Wv"> https://str.sg/J6Wv</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Joyce Teo's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/JbxN"> https://str.sg/JbxN</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf"> https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career:<a href="https://str.sg/wB2m"> https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab:<a href="https://str.sg/w9TX"> https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Discover BT Podcasts:<a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL"> https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2"> https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZn"> https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZB"> https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuJa"> https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Podcaster: Joyce Teo

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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