New laws require porn sites to (actually) verify users’ ages, Riley hits puberty in Inside Out 2, and the Surgeon General proposes a tobacco-like warning label for social media. But first:
“Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter
The summer of Sabrina Carpenter continues with a new song about the fear of being embarrassed in public by a problematic or insensitive boyfriend. Part of the song’s chorus (which includes the only swearing in the song) has taken on a life of its own as posters online apply the sentiment to their own lives (like this post [strong language] about being embarrassed by your hyperactive dog). “Please Please Please” is lyric-forward, with a softer pop sound and muted, country vibe. For the full lyrics, click here (strong language).
THREE BIG CONVERSATIONS
1. Blocked and Reported
What it is: Laws that require pornographic websites to verify users’ ages will take effect in several states, beginning on July 1.
Why it’s happening: After years of campaigning to restrict minors’ access to pornography, activist organizations like Exodus Cry are seeing legislative traction. Idaho, Kansas, Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, and Nebraska will be the latest to join the ranks of states requiring that pornographic content be gated by a strict age verification process. Pornhub, the second most visited adult website (and the 13th most visited website in the world) has responded by blocking access to their content in several other states that have passed such legislation, including Louisiana, North Carolina, and Montana. This legislative tug-of-war could be part of the reason why last year, Pornhub’s traffic decreased from 2 billion views to 1.5 billion.
Continue the conversation: How do you think our world would be affected if no-one under 18 was ever exposed to pornography?
2. Inside Out 2
What it is: Inside Out 2, the sequel to Disney-Pixar’s movie about anthropomorphized feelings, made more money worldwide on opening weekend than any animated film ever.
Why it’s a breakout success story: It’s been a while since the beloved animation studio had an uncontested hit. Continuing the story of Riley from the first movie, Inside Out 2 explores the conflict that comes with puberty and its new associated emotions: Ennui, Embarrassment, Envy, and Anxiety. It’s a refreshingly complex and heartwarming story, effectively discussing how emotions can affect us in negative ways and how self-control can make us into better friends and kinder people. [For more on Inside Out 2, check out this week’s deep dive podcast!]
Continue the conversation: Why do you think a movie about teenage emotions is striking a chord with so many people?
3. A Cautionary Tale
What it is: US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is urging Congress to require a warning label on social media platforms.
Why it’s such a big deal: Public concern over teen technology use has reached a fever pitch. During his tenure as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy has issued warnings about the loneliness crisis and the teen mental health crisis—and emerging research connects social media to both of these big issues. The US Office of Health and Human Services also issued an advisory this week, pointing to several studies suggesting we don’t really have evidence that social media is “sufficiently” safe for teens to use at all, even if there are some benefits. Social media isn’t just any other product, so plenty of questions linger over how the proposed warning label would be implemented, how tech companies might challenge it, and if it would have the desired effect.
Elixired or Enlightened
In the 19th century, McMunn’s Elixir was pushed as a remedy to sleeplessness, anxiety, pain, frustration, and generally unpleasant feelings. For some people, it worked as advertised! The downside was that it was actually pure opium, so the side-effects were… well, the standard side-effects of taking opium.
It’s easy to look back at the past and laugh at how silly those people were. How could they not know that giving opium concoctions was a bad idea? While we have the advantage of hindsight, it took time to learn exactly why taking pure opium was a bad idea. And with regard to emerging research on the effects of social media use, we might just be in the middle of a similar process.
In Proverbs 4:7 it says, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Our world is trying to do this with regard to social media, which is good and important. But even if we all definitively learn the “right answers,” does that mean we’ll all automatically make the right choices?
Many parents know what it’s like to try to protect someone from their own worst impulses. But the truth is, we all need this sort of protection. Humanity’s stubborn insistence on doing what we know is harmful can’t be cured with bans, laws, or warning labels. The only real solution is the defeat of darkness accomplished by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only person who has ever been capable of always doing the right thing stands in our place, doing holiness on our behalf. All we can do is lean completely into Him and trust His promise to make us more like He created us to be.
For more on this week’s topics, check out the Monday Roundtable on our Culture Translator podcast. In the meantime, here are three questions to help spark conversations with your teens:
- How do you think a warning label would change how people think about social media?
- What are some times you’ve found yourself doing what you don’t want to do and not doing what you want to do?
- What does it mean for Jesus to “do holiness on our behalf”?