Humans, by nature, are social creatures. We want to be popular with our peers. Too often, we, especially younger people, tend to gravitate toward the popular thing to do. And in the digital age, where we use platforms that are designed to be addictive, this can mean a wide variety of strange behaviors.

It’s important to understand and be aware of how these platforms work, especially as parents of kids who currently use or might use these platforms someday. We have to protect them, or they will get manipulated into doing or saying something they might regret or get hurt.

In this segment of Dad Think, Joe talks about social contagion and how social media platforms and their algorithms make us do strange things, like pouring buckets of ice water on our heads or eating Tide pods for clicks and likes.

This is a new segment called "Dad Think" where Joe researches a topic and gives his perspective, both as a millennial and as a father. This was originally published on our YouTube Channel. Click here to subscribe.

Support the Craft Parenting Podcast on Buy Me a Coffee. 

Sources:

• https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-dopamine
• https://time.com/3136507/als-ice-bucket-challenge-started/
• http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tide-pod-challenge-ingesting-detergent-risks/
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/25/condom-challenge-teens-internet
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/25/milk-crate-challenge-tiktok-doctors-warnings
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/202209/social-contagion-how-others-secretly-control-your-behavior
• https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tiktok-causing-tics-in-teen-girls/
• https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.06.4.19
• https://fortune.com/2022/03/31/teen-girls-tourette-tics-tiktok/
• https://time.com/5357262/snapchat-plastic-surgery/
• https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/08/tech/snapchat-dysmorphia-plastic-surgery/index.html

Support the show