About Young Children

Screen Sense: What the Research Says About the Impact of Media on Children Aged 0-3 Years Old  - Zero to Three,  (June 27, 2022)
Research on the impact of media on young children’s learning and development continues to gain momentum in this digital age. This report discusses research findings in the context of supporting the “3 C’s,” (child, content, and context).

Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents  - American Academy of Pediatrics | Policy Statement, (reaffirmed in July 2022)
Media can have both positive and negative effects on children and adolescents. This policy statement provides recommendations for parents, educators, and pediatricians to support healthy media habits.

Media and Young Minds - American Academy of Pediatrics | Policy Statement, (reaffirmed in July 2022)
Digital media can provide potential educational benefits and pose risks when young children are exposed at an early age. This policy statement provides recommendations for pediatricians and families to support young children’s developmental needs by monitoring and limiting media use.

About Tweens, and Teens

Unpacking Grind Culture in American Teens: Pressure, Burnout, and the Role of Social Media - Common Sense, (October 2024)
Social media can both ease and add stress to teens’ lives. According to this study, most teens find self-care challenging to prioritize daily. However, those who engage in it regularly report lower stress. This report recommends removing barriers to self-care and encouraging healthy habits to help mitigate the mental health pressures teens face.

News Literacy in America: A survey of teen information attitudes, habits and skills (2024) - Common Sense, (October 2024)
Teens face challenges distinguishing credible sources as they navigate social media, ads, and rumors. This report, based on a survey of over 1,100 teens, provides insights into teens’ news literacy habits and offers guidance for integrating news literacy education in schools.

Lateral Reading on the Open Internet: A District-Wide Field Study in High School Government Classes - Journal of Educational Psychology, (April 2022)
This study tested the effectiveness of “lateral reading,” a method used by professional fact-checkers on high-school students’ ability to judge the credibility of digital content. With less than six hours of instruction, students demonstrated significant improvement in their ability to make sound decisions about media.

About Adults and Seniors

Protecting Older Consumers 2023–2024: A Report of the Federal Trade Commission - Federal Trade Commission (FTC), (October 18, 2024)
This FTC report outlines its efforts to protect older adults from consumer fraud through law enforcement actions, education campaigns, and partnerships. Key initiatives include addressing scams targeting older adults, issuing refunds where possible, and enhancing outreach to educate this demographic on recognizing and avoiding fraud.

Media Habits and Misinformation Susceptibility of Adults Aged 55 Years and Older - RAND Research Report, (Feb 28, 2024)
Findings from a RAND American Life Panel Survey indicate that older adults may be particularly vulnerable to misinformation online, potentially impacting their voting behavior. However, those surveyed indicated that they trusted information from personal contacts over public figures.

State of the News Media (Project) - Pew Research Center, (updates added regularly)
The Pew Research Center's "State of the News Media" project offers comprehensive data and analysis on the U.S. news media industry, covering various sectors such as digital news, newspapers, and television. It provides a series of fact sheets and reports on a rolling basis.