Relationships Behind the Screen...

Many teenagers have or know of someone who has had an experience with online dating, however, Tinder has recently put a ban on under 18s using their dating site. This is because of the increasing dangers of minors being catfished by older predators. Nowadays, technology helps predators not only to lie about their identity but to also to find out personal information through social media. Snapchat has dangerous features such as snap maps, allowing you to share your location with anyone you accept on your Snapchat account. Although this is a dodgy and creepy setting, there is an option called ghost mode that means no one can see you on the map; it's like you are a ghost. 

Reasons people catfish... 

• Insecurities: people catfish for the chance to be a different person, to have a new identity. They might use other people's photos because they feel ugly or not good enough. They get a chance to hide behind a screen and be liked by people who would not usually like them.
• Boredom: Many people catfish because they are bored with their own life and want to take someone else's more interesting identity. 
• Revenge: People can hide behind a screen and manipulate others as a form of revenge on an ex, a past friend or someone important in their life who has hurt them.  
• Insecurity: They might feel they are not good enough and that people won't like them for who they are, so they use dating websites as a chance to be someone else, someone more exciting.  

A 15 year old girl found a 16 year old boy, they both thought they were perfect for each other.  Talking via Instagram, Snapchat and of course Tinder, they decided to meet at a public place. They decided when and where, and each brought a friend. Both were who they said they were; however, they were both looking for different things in a relationship. The boy simply wanted something casual or a one-night stand with no strings attached and the girl was looking for something more long term. At the time she didn’t know the differences of what they each wanted. They went ahead with the relationship, believing they each had what they were looking for. 

She soon found out that she going to be a teen mum. She believed that the boy would support her, and she told him with confidence. However, he told her they only had a casual relationship and that she was not the only one. He then told her that she should get an abortion, and that it was mainly his decision. The girl and her family felt differently and decided that she should keep the baby. He eventually decided he should move away from this "problem". 

This story had an enormous impact on this girl and there are many others who have gone through a similar experience to her.

After sending out a survey on online dating to people aged between eleven and eighteen, many results have come in with a variety of different thoughts and opinions. Some people said they liked to use the app to meet people for a hookup or something unconditional. Although they were thinking responsibly and said that using a dating app such as Tinder was not for younger teens and that it is best to wait until you are eighteen as there are many older people that use the app for a different purpose. They do however recommend the idea of online dating if you are careful.

However, many people also believe that online dating is not a good way to get into a relationship successfully. They see it as a way for people to hide their identity and manipulate minors into thinking they made a bad decision that could lead to long term effects. 

Catfishing is a serious topic and when there are underaged children using the same dating apps as older predators, many see it as an unsafe environment. That is partially the reason that Tinder moved to an under eighteen ban. 

There are ways to attempt or lower the risk of child endangerment, or just endangerment in general when dating apps are being used. Here are eight signs that you are being catfished: 

• The relationship progress is happening at a very quick pace
• The person never wants to show you their face 
• Social media usage is sparse 
• They ask for money 
• Everything about the relationship seems too good to be true 
• Their “job” sends them around the world 
• Proper grammar is lacking 
• They make up elaborate stories 

There were also many neutral survey responses with positive and negative opinions about online dating. Some said that they know someone or have a friend that has or is currently using online dating to have themselves a successful relationship, whereas they wouldn’t personally use it for themselves. Others said they think people that are a part of the LGBT community would prefer to use online dating, especially as teenagers, because they may struggle to find someone who has come out to their family and friends about their sexuality.  

In conclusion, putting yourself out there on dating websites at a young age comes with a lot of dangers but there is also a chance of meeting the person you have been waiting for!

Smartphones and Slot Machines have Something in Common

Addiction is a serious problem that all humans face. The average adult will spend 3 hours, 43 minutes on their phone every day. Why do we continue to spend hours every day on our phones?

One of the very addictive features of phones is called the slot machine effect. It’s that feeling of anticipation when you pick up your phone.

You never know when you’ll get an important message, or if you’re missing out on something valuable. This creates a weight that’s constantly on your shoulders.

Psychologists have a term for that irresistible feeling of unpredictability. It’s called intermittent rewards. This means that anticipation can be “rewarded”. This is when you finally get an important text. You have about a 10% chance of actually receiving this “reward”. 

A slot machine also has the same mental effect. Your chance is small, but you take it anyways. Why?  Because when you win you get a release of dopamine.

Dopamine is a brain chemical that is released to make you happy. For example, after you do physical exercise, that dopamine is released. This is the same thing that is in vapes, making them so addictive. Every time you receive a notification, dopamine is released. 

That’s why you check your phone so much because sometimes you get rewarded. The little piece of technology in your pocket is basically a slot machine. 

Is the Snap Map dangerous?

Our main mission was finding out how dangerous people think the Snapchat Snap Map is. Our hypothesis was that most people would find it dangerous. 

This is the app logo.

This is the Map.

The Snapchat snap map is a feature in the app Snapchat. Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app in which the user can send photos and messages to people around the world. These photos and messages disappear either straight after being opened or 24 hours after being opened. The snap map enables users to share their location with either everyone they have added, certain friends or no one (a.k.a. ghost mode). Users are able to create an avatar that is placed on a map in a surprisingly accurate representation of where you are. It can even show whether you are in a car or a plane, walking or even sleeping by putting your avatar in that situation. 

These are the avatars (bitmojis).

Here are some examples of the answers we got to our questions; 

One of our questions was; Why do you/do you not share your location? 

Out of the 47 people who responded to this question, 31 people do share their location and 16 people don’t share.  A lot of the people who do share, only share with close friends and family, often just in case something bad happens to them. Others share it because it’s popular to do so and because they feel obliged to share it with friends who share it back. People who don’t share it mainly say that it is because they feel that people don’t need to know where they are or where they live 

Another question was; What stories do you know about people being in danger because of the snap map? 

43 of the people who answered this question didn’t respond with any stories about danger caused by the snap map but 7 of the people had heard about friends and strangers being stalked, paedophilia occurring and others being blackmailed because of aspects of the snap map. An example is the very accurate location tracker, making it easier to track people down.  

We asked our survey responders to give new snap-chatters some advice on how to stay safe on Snapchat. Most of the answers were along the lines of only add people you know and if you really want the snap map, only share your location with close friends. Otherwise, just put yourself on Ghost Mode so no one can see you.  

We conclude that our hypothesis was pretty much correct. Most people thought that if used correctly, with some common sense, you can reduce the risks. For example, many people who didn’t think it was dangerous only shared with their close friends and family.  

Are Instagram Models Killing Us?

Instagram models are known for being pretty, having a small waist, big butt, big boobs and flawless skin. Although most of us know this is fake and the "perfect" body is an unattainable one, a lot of us still let this affect us. "It makes me feel kind of sad cos I think I could never be that beautiful." This was said in one of our survey results and reflects how a large population feels about the Instagram model community.


Instagram models want this! They want us to idolize them and make us think that we need to look like them, this is how they gain a following.

They (Instagram models) post on Instagram and get paid thousands of dollars for each photo. They get a lot of sponsorships and brand deals due to the fact that they have millions of followers that want to be them or look like them.

A lot of the time, most of what you see is FAKE! They overuse editing apps and face tune their bodies until they get their "perfect" bodies. They do this to present themselves as what they want to look like even if they are self-conscious of their bodies. Just remember that you can't always see this editing, although sometimes there may be a warped wall or a hand with six fingers. Don't always fall for the trick of Photoshop.



Instagram models aren't all morphing themselves into the "perfect" person. There are many positive models that embrace themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin without heavily editing every flaw. These body positive models encourage others to be happy and comfortable with their body and not making them feel as if they need to change.

We created this graph with the results from our survey that we gave to 50 teen girls. Their results showed us that the most followed Instagram model was Kylie Jenner with eight mentions and Kendall with four mentions. They are both known for having the "perfect body", either having curves and small waists or flat stomachs and being quite skinny. They are also known for using photoshop as many of their photos have photoshop fails eg Kylie has many pics where you can spot warped walls.

This is a graph that shows the feelings teenage girls get when they follow Instagram models. We had an expected result of nearly half of the girls having negative feelings. A few said "Sometimes it's like I wish I was them", "They set unreal expectations for teenage girls" and "I don't follow Instagram followers as it could impact my self esteem". We felt like the results would be like this due to all the Photoshopping and heavy editing. Some of the people who didn't mind said "Doesn't really affect me as it's their job", "They are just modelling and that's fine, I have nothing against them"



Our advice? Make sure you stay true to yourself and remember that you are perfect the way you are!

Are you Safeguarded from Mature Content on Wattpad?

Have you ever found a story that sounded interesting on Wattpad, and while reading it, you unexpectedly come across an inappropriate scene? I can guarantee you have and it's got me thinking, can we be safeguarded from inappropriate content on the app or has it become normalised within the Wattpad society to not disclose warnings?

Our Hypothesis: 

A moderator button does exist on the app but publishers are not aware of it or don't switch it on to gain a reaction.

Wattpad is a story-telling entertainment company established in Canada, Toronto. The app is targeted at 13 years and over and around 70+ million people use the app monthly. Wattpad provides opportunities for people to read stories by others as entertainment, to pursue their passion for writing and to publish stories. Furthermore it gives a chance to express voices, share ideas and for others to start a career.

I had an experience when first trying out the app as I enjoy reading during my free time. While reading a story that appealed to me, I approached an inappropriate description I didn't expect to find. I was so confused as to why there was no warning at the beginning of the story. Like books that contain inappropriate content, I expected mature stories to have a warning on Wattpad. Then I realized, if the book I read didn't, then there could be other stories out there with no warning of Mature Content. Other readers could have the same experience I did. This was when I started asking, how is Mature Content moderated on Wattpad so others are aware of the content? Is the app safe for readers to read stories freely?

Here are my findings on how Mature Content is moderated on Wattpad.

The rating button is found in the story details
of when your book is created.

Management of Mature Content:
The app has a rating button for stories containing Mature Content. It is expected that authors rate their Mature stories so the story has a correct audience of 17 and up and users are aware of the content they are reading. When rated, there will be a label with the word 'Mature' beside the description of the story.

Mature Content intended as: 
Explicit Sex Scenes
Self Harm
Graphic Duplications of Violence.
If the content in stories is too explicit or is rated
incorrectly, the story will be prohibited.

Observation:
On the app, I did a survey about Mature Content and got interesting responses.

20% of the users who took the survey are 15 years old. The maximum being 26 and the minimum 13 years old. They started using the app between the ages of 10 to 19.

They started Wattpad...
- to showcase their work
- to read stories
- because they were recommended the app by friends

The top genres they read are
-Romance
-FanFiction
-Short Stories
-Thrillers
-Teen Fiction
-Humour
-Fantasy

Romance and FanFiction are the most popular.

80% of the users read stories that contain mature content because it's part of the story, is amusing and shares knowledge. Whereas 20% don't because they find it uncomfortable to read and they consider themselves young and sensitive.

The main question we are focusing on is, 'Have you ever come across Mature Content without realising the story had Mature Content?'.
53% said yes and 26% said no. This confirms that more stories out there aren't rated and not suitable for those who prefer to not read inappropriate content.

What's even more interesting is that the answers come with consequences. Not only do readers get a surprise from approaching an unexpected scene but they...
- Become dirty minded
- Are traumatized and have a visual understanding of sex
- May behave in a certain way eg masturbate

A lot of users (46%) said they became dirty-minded as a consequence.

When asked if they published stories with Mature Content, 53% said they don't, 20% who are planning to publish said maybe and 20% said Yes.

For those who said Yes, I asked if they would add a warning. 100% answered yes with some stating reasons why. They wouldn't want the readers to feel uncomfortable. Adding a warning or rating their story would give a heads up and let readers continue by skipping that bit. I also found out while doing my research that some people put their own warning at the beginning of their stories because they are determined to gain the correct audience for their stories.

Interesting information I collected from this answer is that most users who publish stories may not be aware of the rating button or do not understand the use of it. Another reason may be because they intend to give their readers a surprise and not switch the rating button on. This is evident by the majority of the people who took my survey and said 'yes' to the question 'Have you come across Mature Content without realizing the story had Mature Content?' Some also claim that there was no warning in the stories that contained Mature Content.

I've also learnt from my survey that Mature Content is more likely to be found in Fanfiction and Romance. 80% read mature content because it is part of the story.

We can now confirm Wattpad has a rating button for Mature Content so readers, especially those who use the app for entertainment, can see the use of ratings. I believe Wattpad is useful to start a career, showcase ideas and to discover new knowledge.

If you're a publisher on Wattpad and planning to add a Mature scene to build-up a character relationship or the story itself, don't forget to rate your story or add a warning in the beginning. This is coming from a Wattpad reader as I use the app myself. Not everyone is going to love a surprise!

Bibliography Research:
https://www.wattpad.com/about/
https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/200774334

Dating Apps May Not be as Reliable as You Think

We wanted to find out how many teenagers in the Nelson region have a dating app account and for what reason. We first planned to survey students from NCG and Nelson College but only managed to get responses from NCG. The larger percentage of girls surveyed said that they do not have a dating app account, however, six out of 106 students surveyed said that they do have a dating app account. Those six students shared some experiences with us. One student said they felt uncomfortable on the site as she knew most of the people who were appearing on her suggested. This may be because we have a small population meaning there will be less eligible people in a nearby location that she doesn't know. 

We wanted to get a different perspective on the subject so we interviewed a 27-year-old male who had a dating app account from the age of 14. When he was 19 he traveled abroad and met someone on Grinder and they have been in a relationship for nine years. This suggests that you are more likely to meet someone from a dating app in a bigger area and out of your normal environment. Most dating apps are meant for people to find a connection no matter where they are, but our results prove otherwise. 

The demographic on the left proves that our hypothesis that teenage boys use Tinder more than teenage girls is correct.  However, we were not able to gather results to prove this over the Nelson region. To answer our question if dating apps are reliable we have concluded that it depends on where you live and population size as discussed earlier in the blog. Studies show that online dating is the most common way to meet people in 2019. However, consider the possibility of knowing many of the users and your matches if you live in a small place.

Risking Your Life From Behind a Screen.

Alaa Basatneh

Most teenagers have social media accounts, only a few risk their lives from behind their screen.

Social media was used effectively during the Syrian Revolution. The Syrian Revolution also known as the Syrian Civil War started on March 15th 2011 and is still ongoing.

In 2011 non-violent protests (the Arab Springs) started against Assad to try and overthrow him as president. 15 Syrian school children were arrested and tortured for grafting inspired by the Arab springs and one of the boys was killed. The arrests caused outrage and protests became more demanding for the release of the remaining children as well as greater freedoms for all citizens of Syria.

Syrian protest

The government responded by arresting and killing hundreds of protesters. This sparked anger among protesters and they started to demand Assad to resign. When Assad refused to step down war broke out between his supporters and his opponents.

Streets of Syria

Social media helped spread the word on how extreme situations were in Syria. Alaa Basatneh was a 19 year old student attending college while risking her life to organize protests in Syria from the comfort of her home in Chicago.

Alaa Basatneh

 Alaa is now 27 years old and has graduated college with a masters in global affairs and security. Alaa still organizes protests and helps where she can in the Syrian civil war but has found that her service is not needed as much as it was back when Chicago Girl was filmed. I reached out to Alaa Basatneh, an activist originally from Damascus Syria but who moved to Chicago USA when she was six months old because conditions got too dangerous for her family to live in.

 I asked Alaa how she thought social media played a role in the Syrian revolution, Alaa replied “social media is a huge tool to help the Syrian Revolution. Activists were able to organize, spread the word through the social media platforms. Without social media we would not have heard about the atrocities that took place on the ground as fast as we have.”

Alaa used Twitter and Skype the most when organizing protests online. She went on to say that organizing protests was not easy and safety was the number one concern, that’s why Alaa used her real name and photos so other activists knew who she was and what she looked like. Without social media we wouldn’t know the full extent of what happened in Syria and it gave people who wouldn’t be able to help or get involved because of political or security reasons a chance to help/donate.

How to get Shut Down on Instagram

Instagram has policies against Ccopyright breaches (posting content copied from the internet or from another account), nudity in photos (although things like cancer scars and breastfeeding are allowed), spamming (repeatedly commenting or contacting people or collecting followers or likes artificially), breaches of the law (no selling weapons or drugs through your account), asks that you respect other members of Instagram, do not glorify self-inflicted injury and that you be considerate of important news events.  

Instagram has a team of people who monitor when accounts are reported and take the appropriate actions to ensure that the situation is managed effectively and professionally. The public is also sometimes able to settle issues with problems like copywriting and trademarking between themselves by filing a report. They advise you don’t overdo it, however, as this can be classified as harassment. 

Reports are the most common way of Instagram becoming aware of accounts that could be fake or scam. After you report an account it can take up to 24 hours for Instagram to view the report and decide on the action it will take. For things like spam or inappropriate content, Instagram would usually send a notice of warning to the account so that they have time to fix their mistake. If the instance is more severe or breaches the Instagram privacy policy however, Instagram has the authority to immediately shut down an account. 

The shutting down of an account is usually controlled by members of the public noticing and reporting content and accounts that could be offensive. Sometimes the content may offend you, as the viewer, but not a general audience. In this case, Instagram suggests that you block the account. This prohibits the account from contacting you or being able to find you the platform. 

Survey

My survey of 100 people showed that around 50% of them have reported an account during their time on social media. 51% said that they had (for various reasons) and 49% said that they had never reported an account or post. The most popular reasons for people reporting accounts were bullying (against themselves or other people) and harassment (people constantly sending them message requests/ inappropriate messages). Other reasons included animal abuse, nudity, hate speech and impersonation.  

Of the 100 people who answered, only three had ever had their account reported. The reasons for this were either as a joke or the respondent wasn’t sure. I believe that there is a low amount of people who have had their account reported because the survey was for girls aged between 11-18, and they are probably less likely to post content that others our age find inappropriate. 

Stories of other accounts (not their own) being reported included: a lot of people reporting one account that was posting content that included a person abusing dogs, celebrities posting nude photos, and bullying. These were mainly from accounts that already have a high follower count and are possibly more confident in posting inappropriate content and that more people would notice if they did. Other stories came from people talking about friends or schoolmates who had been bullying others and ended up being reported.  

In conclusion, It is relatively hard to have your account officially shut down by Instagram, unless you are doing something very bad. Being reported doesn't necessarily mean that your account will be shut down, it simply allows Instagram to have a look and check that you aren't doing anything against their terms and conditions. The main reasons that teenage girls report accounts are because of bullying or harassment. Most people tend to be fairly aware and careful with what they post themselves, as only three out of one hundred have ever been reported. Overall I think the system is pretty good, however, I know that there will be accounts that manage to slip through the cracks and stay on the platform.