Webinar Recording Now Available: Social Media & Our Youth
November 7, 2024
The recording and slides are now available from our November 1st webinar, Social Media & Our Youth, featuring Dr. Jill Walsh, Sociology Professor at Boston University and Founder of Digital Aged, and Liza Hirsch, Director of the Children’s Justice Unit at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. National conversations around social media safety and mental health have intensified, with 42 state attorneys general calling for a Surgeon General warning label. In this webinar we covered the evolving landscape of social media and its influence on young people, potential benefits and risks, the role of parents and educators in promoting healthy usage, implications of the proposed Surgeon General warning, strategies for addressing social media-related challenges, as well efforts underway by the Office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.
Speaker Bios
- Jill Walsh is a Sociology professor at Boston University. She is also the founder of Digital Aged, a consulting group that educates students, families, and educational institutions about positive technology use. She earned a PhD in Sociology from Boston University, a Masters in Public Policy from Brown University and a B.A from Harvard University. Before going to graduate school, she taught 9th-12th grades at an independent school in the Boston area. Her research looks at the way that digital media use impacts psychosocial well-being and development. Her book Adolescents and their Social Media Narratives: A Digital Coming of Age was published in 2017 and she publishes academic research on youth development and emerging media. Her research interests include social media and identity work, parasocial relationships, and the links between technology and mental health.
- Liza Hirsch is the Director of the Children’s Justice Unit at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office where she works to advance justice and equity for Massachusetts children and youth through civil investigations, litigation, policy, and community engagement. She is a member of the AGO team working to address the impacts of social media on youth mental health. Prior to joining the AGO, Liza was a Senior Attorney at Massachusetts Advocates for Children, where she provided representation to low-income families in special education and school discipline matters and directed a program on disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. She previously worked as a manager in the Holyoke Public Schools, and as a Skadden Fellow/Staff Attorney at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and at Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston where she represented homeless and low-income families in housing and shelter matters. She is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.
Webinar Materials
- Video recording
- Attorney Liza M. Hirsch's slides
- Dr. Jill Walsh's slides
- Q&A - coming soon!
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Online sports betting became legal in Massachusetts in 2022, and now the Legislature is considering a bill (H4431) to legalize internet casino gambling—also known as “iGambling” or “iGaming.” What would more options for 24/7 gambling mean to the public health of our communities? Watch the recording from the 1/9/26 webinar. Speakers included Mark Gottlieb of Northeastern Law’s Public Health Advocacy Institute, Samantha Hamilton of Public Health Institute of Western MA, Victor Ortiz from the MA Dept. of Public Health Office of Problem Gambling, and State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa. The discussion was moderated by Jessica Collins of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. Webinar Materials recording slides Video shared by Mark Gottlieb- Online Casino Gambling Ad Take Action This month, PLEASE email the MA Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies and ask them to SUPPORT Sen. Keenan’s bill (S.302) to add regulations on sports-betting, AND, OPPOSE H.4431, a bill that would legalize online casino gambling. Instructions & Email Template Links Shared during webinar Read speaker bios Understanding Youth Gambling Behavior in Springfield: Findings from the Springfield Youth Health Survey PHIWM Written Testimony An Act relative to internet gaming An Act addressing economic, health and social harms caused by sports betting The MA Problem Gambling Helpline , 800-327-5050
Access the Action Alert on Google Docs or below. This month, PLEASE email the MA Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies and ask them to: A. SUPPORT Sen. Keenan’s bill (S.302) to add regulations on sports-betting AND B. OPPOSE H.4431, a bill that would legalize online casino gambling. Step 1. Write and send this email on your own time, from your personal email , unless you are representing your employer, with their approval. This action is lobbying. Step 2. Use any (or all) of the template below to write your email; be sure to tailor the highlighted blanks with your own words.
Online sports betting became legal in Massachusetts in 2023, and now the Legislature is considering a bill (H4431) to legalize internet casino gambling—also known as “iGambling” or “iGaming.” What would more options for 24/7 gambling mean to the public health of our communities? Speakers include Mark Gottlieb of Northeastern Law’s Public Health Advocacy Institute, Samantha Hamilton of Public Health Institute of Western MA, Victor Ortiz from the MA Dept. of Public Health Office of Problem Gambling, and State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa. The discussion will be moderated by Jessica Collins of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, and attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during a live Q&A.
