Notifications In Class, Gen Z’s Financial Openness, and Brain Implants

Social media companies are being sued for engaging students during school hours, Gen Z is more comfortable disclosing their personal finances than any other generation, and why a chip being inserted into our brains might be the least of our problems. But first: 

Resource of the Week – The Sermon on the Mount Experience

The Sermon on the Mount is a defining text for Christians, but it’s also quite challenging. The passage in Matthew doesn’t offer us lifehacks or optimization, but a genuine reflection into the heart of Jesus and His teachings. But did Jesus actually expect us to live this way? In our brand new three-week video series, we dive into the Sermon on the Mount, offering historical context and actionable, youth-focused insights. Each day includes a short video that ends with conversation starters as well as an action challenge that emphasizes service and justice. This resource was created in partnership with TENx10, and we’re so excited for you to check it out on YouVersion or the Axis website! 

And now for our three conversations..

1. Under the Desk 

What it is: The world’s leading social media companies are strategically trying to steal kids’ attention during the school day, as evidenced by documents in a class action lawsuit against the tech giants, reports The New York Times.

Why it’s hurting teens: Snapchat sent phone alerts during school hours, prompting teens to “show off your classroom.” Meta created a program to incentivize teens to promote Instagram and hand out merch. TikTok opted not to disable its notifications during the school day, despite recommendations from its own safety team. Even with ongoing conversations about the negative impact that phones have on learning environments, the NYT’s review of documents revealed that the companies purposefully targeted teenagers during school hours. More than 1,400 school districts have now filed lawsuits against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube in a rising backlash against social media. One of the lead lawyers in the class action suit said, “It is so constantly tempting to these kids to be on a platform that promises endless, infinite, varied entertainment rather than actually focusing on what they should be at school to do.” 

Continue the conversation: What is one thing you do that helps you focus?

2. Money Talks

What it is: Gen Z is more likely to talk openly about money with friends than previous generations, according to a survey published by Bank of America. 

Why it’s changing: Gen Z has grown up with the idea that posting personal experiences online is a key way to make sense of our lives. This has often included sharing aspects of life that some might consider “too intimate,” so it makes sense that they might be more willing to share the details of their financial situation with others. The survey found that 27% of Gen Zers were willing to discuss their salary with friends, compared to 20% of Millennials, 12% of Gen Xers, and just 3% of Baby Boomers. Courtney Connley-Hampton at Forbes speculates (paywall) that this shift could be driven by economic anxiety, as well as a desire for transparency and fairer pay. Whatever the reason, Gen Z are also statistically more likely to meet the moment by sticking to a budget—even if they still regularly look for ways to “treat themselves.” 

Continue the conversation: How would you describe your generation’s attitude towards money?  

3. Chipping Away

What it is: China has recently approved the world’s first coin-sized commercial brain implant called NEO, a technology meant to help people with spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Elon Musk has called similar advances “Jesus-level technologies” because of their potential to restore lost abilities.
Why it’s not something to be afraid of…yet: Headlines about brain chips have often sparked fear (and inspired films) about privacy and mind-reading technology. But one teen we spoke with pointed out that “people get too focused on these fantasy problems that are going to oppress you, but the problems already exist.” Brain chip technology raises important and ethical questions about the invasion of privacy, but many companies already collect enormous amounts of data through phones, apps, social media, and health wearables. The challenge for teens (and parents) may be less about a chip being implanted in their brain someday and more about how much information they’re already giving away. It’s easy to accept terms and conditions as we hurry through app downloads or even fill our homes with Alexas, but perhaps slowing down and rejecting convenience is the first practical step in protecting ourselves as technology advances. 

Let’s translate this one further…

Perhaps the dystopian fears of surveillance technology are already truer than we realize. But what about the utopian hopes of technology for other uses—like healing? 

In his book Miracles Today, Dr. Craig Keener tries to explain why miracles aren’t more common in the cultural West. Part of his answer was that God often chooses to bless natural (scientific) methods of healing when they are available. He writes, “God usually performs dramatic signs either when people desperately need them or when He is getting people’s attention for the good news of Christ’s love in a special way. As African Christians who have witnessed miracles often tell me, ‘You don’t need them as much in America. Your medical system works better!’ ” 

Of course, being hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt is no one’s idea of things “working better.” But if Keener’s basic point is correct, then it should follow that brain implants might also be something God would work through. The issue is not that more people might be healed “apart from God,” because God is present in the ingenuity that can lead to advances in technology. The main problem is that human beings are forgetful. 

In Albert Camus’s novel The Plague, Dr. Rieux argues that it’s better for his patients that he is an atheist, because then he’s less apt to wait on divine intervention for their healing. But this perspective ignores that many of the world’s greatest scientific pioneers believed in God—men like Newton, Kepler, Pascal, and Faraday, whose devotion to God led them to study His world. The modern scientific enterprise stands on their shoulders. But again, it’s easy for human beings to forget how we got to where we are. 

In Proverbs 30:8-9, Agur son of Jakeh writes, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” In other words, desperation might drive a person to sin, but abundance might cause them to forget that we are ultimately dependent on God for everything—even the things that we create with our own hands. Our very ability to make anything—to do anything at all—is a gift. 

So perhaps it’s reasonable to be cautiously optimistic about the potential of this technology. Our role will simply be to remind others of the Apostle Paul’s searching question in 1 Corinthians 4:7: “What do you have that you did not receive?”

For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, here are three questions to help you continue the conversation with your teens: 

Parenting together,

Evan Barber and the Axis Team

In Other News…

1. The 2026 World Cup, hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, kicked off this Thursday in Mexico City. If it matches 2022’s viewing numbers, the tournament will attract 5 and a half billion global viewers.
2. Popular and sometimes controversial teen fast-fashion store Brandy Melville announced they’re removing their fitting rooms, a decision that’s been particularly derided on TikTok.  It doesn’t help that the store also has a limited in-person return policy.
3. “Dirty sodas” are rising in popularity, but these drinks, which combine soda with things like flavored syrups and cream, can often be metabolic catastrophes with absurd amounts of sugar and calories.
4. The first week of June is all about announcements of upcoming video games, with the highlights this year being a remake of Ocarina of Time, a new Spyro game, and a single-player, story-based Among Us game. There’s also what feels like 100 other games coming out this September, a strategy to avoid competing with October’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and November’s Grand Theft Auto 6.
5. Are board shorts the look of the summer? Some think so. We’ll let you know if you should buy puka shell necklaces again, too.

PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!