To our digital thriving community,​
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Welcome to the second installment of our limited newsletter and video series, Three for Thriving, where we share some the latest news articles at the intersection of youth well-being and technology.

A lot happened this week. Let's get right into it. In this week’s Three for Thriving, we’re spotlighting growing concerns around AI companions and teen safety, major cuts to school-based mental health funding, and new global research showing a notable drop in well-being among young adults.

Our Three for Thriving video recap breaks down these trending stories—watch it here for more context. Read on for the full roundup of news stories from this past week that sparked our team's curiosity.

You can also follow along on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Bluesky. If someone forwarded this email, you can opt in here to have the next installment delivered direct to your inbox.

Three for Thriving - Week of April 28, 2025

Watch this week's Three for Thriving video spotlight or read on for more of this week’s stories.

ABC News | Mary Kekatos | Concern after HHS report advocates for therapy for trans kids over gender-affirming care
​ABC News and several other outlets (including CNN, TIME, HuffPost, USA TODAY, and The Washington Post) report that a controversial new HHS report recommends therapy over medical care for transgender youth, contradicting major medical organizations and drawing criticism for promoting ideology over science.

AP News | Manuel Rueda and Astrid Suarez | Rebels in Colombia are recruiting youth on social media. The UN wants TikTok and Facebook to do more
​AP News reveals that Colombian rebel groups are using TikTok and Facebook to lure children into their ranks, sparking UN demands for stronger moderation in regions like Cauca. Despite platform policies, enforcement has lagged in the Global South, where vulnerable communities are most affected.

Ars Technica | Ashley Belanger | Redditor accidentally reinvents discarded ’90s tool to escape today’s age gates
​Ars Technica reported that users—particularly minors—are reviving outdated methods like VPNs and fake credentials to bypass modern age gates, underscoring how current verification laws often backfire by pushing users toward riskier platforms; experts argue for privacy-focused, evidence-based reforms as the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in on digital age verification's constitutionality.

The Boston Globe | Joanne Rathe | Kids already seek sex details. School’s survey at least stirs talk.​
The Boston Globe reports that Burlington Public Schools are facing backlash and federal complaints after giving middle schoolers a health survey containing explicit sexual content, prompting debate about how schools should respond to students’ digital exposure to such topics.

Center for Humane Technology | Camille Carlton| Character.AI is Claiming First Amendment Protection For Its Chatbots​
Center for Humane Technology reports that Character.AI is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit over a teen's death by arguing its chatbot's responses are protected under the First Amendment, potentially setting a precedent for shielding AI-generated content from legal liability. The case raises urgent questions about corporate responsibility and free speech in the age of artificial intelligence.

CNN | Clare Duffy | New proposed law would require Apple and Google to verify your age before letting you into their app stores​
​CNN reports on a proposed federal bill—the App Store Accountability Act—that would require Apple and Google to verify users’ ages and share those categories with developers to improve child safety online, though critics raise privacy and legal concerns.

EdSurge | Daniel Mollenkamp | States Agree About How Schools Should Use AI. Are They Also Ignoring Civil Rights?
​EdSurge examines new voluntary AI guidelines released by 28 U.S. states for K–12 schools. The guidance focuses on personalized learning and privacy, but critics argue they overlook vital civil rights issues such as surveillance and racial bias. Experts warn that without federal oversight, inconsistent state policies may leave vulnerable students unprotected.

The Hill | Mark Weinstein | Reclaiming critical thinking in the Age of AI
​The Hill published an opinion by Mark Weinstein advocating for stronger regulation and media literacy education to counter AI’s harmful psychological effects on youth, warning that AI tools can distort reality, hinder critical thinking, and pose serious mental health risks if left unchecked.

Mashable | Rebecca Ruiz | AI companions unsafe for teens under 18, researchers say​
Mashable, along with Axios, Fortune, and CNN, shared a new report from Common Sense Media warning that AI companions like Replika and Character.AI are unsafe for teens under 18, highlighting risks such as exposure to sexual content, manipulation, and emotional dependency. The study found that age gates on these platforms are easily bypassed, and the platforms lack effective safeguards, prompting a recommendation that teens avoid using these apps altogether.

MIT Open Learning | Stefanie Koperniak | AI-enabled translations initiative empowers Ukrainian learners with new skills
​MIT Open Learning highlights a student-led initiative translating MIT course materials into Ukrainian using AI tools, helping students overcome language barriers during wartime. The project not only aids Ukraine’s educational resilience but also models how AI can broaden global access to high-quality learning.

New York Times | Christina Caron | A Global Flourishing Study Finds That Young Adults, Well, Aren’t
​The New York Times reports that a major global study by Harvard and Baylor found young adults are experiencing significantly lower well-being than older generations across mental health, relationships, and life satisfaction, with the U.S. showing particularly steep declines. Researchers attribute this trend to rising isolation, perfectionism, and uncertainty, urging more support for youth mental health.

NPR | Cory Turner | Education Department stops $1 billion in funding for school mental health
​NPR reports that the current administration has cut $1 billion in school mental health grants, citing civil rights violations tied to diversity-focused hiring. Critics argue the move undermines evidence-based support for students and will force schools to scale back essential services.

NPR | Michaeleen Doucleff | How to keep violent porn out of your home and away from your kids
​NPR aired a report warning parents about the rising exposure of children to violent pornography, explaining that early viewing can cause lasting harm and advocating for practical tools like device filters, internet restrictions, and open communication to help protect kids in a digitally unfiltered world.

Teen Vogue | Gabby Burke | Is Teen Romance Dead? I'm 17 and I'm Sick of Snapchat Situationships
​Teen Vogue shares a first-person op-ed in which a 17-year-old shares her frustration with modern teen relationships. She expresses how teen romance has devolved into shallow “situationships” shaped by social media, leaving many young people emotionally guarded and disconnected despite craving real intimacy.

Teen Vogue | Mallary Tenore Tarpley | AI Therapy? How Teens Are Using Chatbots for Mental Health and Eating Disorder Recovery
​Teen Vogue reports that teens are increasingly using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Woebot to support mental health and eating disorder recovery, offering accessible support amid provider shortages—but experts warn these tools should complement, not replace, professional care.

TechCrunch | Kyle Wiggers | OpenAI is fixing a ‘bug’ that allowed minors to generate erotic conversations
​TechCrunch reports that OpenAI is fixing a bug in ChatGPT that allowed minors to bypass content filters and access sexually explicit conversations, raising concerns over the platform’s use in educational settings. The flaw highlights deeper issues in OpenAI’s content moderation system, according to former safety researchers.

The Wall Street Journal | Jeff Horwitz | Meta’s ‘Digital Companions’ Will Talk Sex With Users—Even Children
​The Wall Street Journal published an investigative article detailing how Meta’s AI chatbots have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with underage users across its platforms, despite internal warnings and failed safety tests. The article raises concerns about child safety, the mental health risks of parasocial relationships, and the company’s prioritization of user engagement over safeguards.

World Economic Forum | Charlotte Edmond | Poor mental health in children is on the rise – what can we do about it?
​The World Economic Forum highlights a global rise in mental health disorders among children, driven by factors like social media, educational pressure, and the pandemic. WEF calls for better funding, early intervention, and community support to address what could become a long-term crisis.

USA Today | Savannah Kuchar | With rare bipartisan support, Congress passes bill to outlaw deepfake pornography
​USA Today reports that Congress has passed the bipartisan Take It Down Act, which criminalizes the distribution of non-consensual, AI-generated pornography and requires platforms to remove such content within 48 hours. The legislation represents a major step in regulating AI misuse.

A few words on our approach...

We track dozens of stories each week across youth mental health, AI in education, tech policy, and more. Then, we curate this newsletter to share the emerging trends, tensions, and ideas shaping the digital lives of young people. Inclusion of a story doesn’t mean it reflects our thinking—it means we think it’s worth understanding. This newsletter is all about capturing what we see across the landscape and surfacing the patterns that are shaping the conversation. While we use AI to help with organization and drafting, this newsletter is very much human made. And sometimes, humans make mistakes. If you catch one, let us know!

The Center for Digital Thriving is a research and innovation center based at Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Our mission is to create knowledge and research-based resources that help people – especially youth – thrive in a tech-filled world.

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