The truth about dares on social media | Marie Bragg, PhD | TEDxNYU Langone Health

Social Media's Impact on Children - Social media amplifies risky dares, leading to dangerous challenges like the TidePod Challenge and the Blackout Challenge, resulting in severe harm and even fatalities among children [6][7][8] - Social media platforms provide unprecedented access to children for adults, increasing the risk of financial extortion and exposure to inappropriate content, including potential sex offenders [12][13][15] - The goal of social media incentivizes going viral, leading to riskier videos and more harm to children compared to traditional games like Truth or Dare [11] Advertising's Role and Responsibility - Advertising revenue is the primary source of income for major social media companies, making advertisers complicit in the negative impacts of social media on children [17][18] - Advertisers have the potential to influence social media companies to redesign their platforms to provide a safer balance of risk and reward for children [19][21] Child Influencer Market - A marketplace exists on Instagram where parents post photos of their underage daughters, sometimes leading to exploitation and exposure to potentially harmful individuals [14][15] - The highest-paid YouTube star was a 9-year-old who made $30 million, highlighting the financial incentives driving child influencer culture [18] Historical Context and Evolution of Dares - Traditional games like Truth or Dare helped children experiment with risks and rewards in a safer environment with clearer rules and in-person interaction [4][9][11] - Social media has warped the ecosystem of dares, amplifying risky content to millions of users and making it difficult for children to discern safe boundaries [8][9]