In its annual report of British people’s online habits, the media regulator said that there were more visits to porn sites between 9am and 5.30pm than at other times of the day. (Sellman, The Times UK)
Read MoreAmerica’s mental-health crisis drove suicides to a record-high number last year. Nearly 50,000 people in the U.S. lost their lives to suicide in 2022, according to a provisional tally from the National Center for Health Statistics. The agency said the final count would likely be higher. The suicide rate of 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people reached its highest level since 1941. (Wernau, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreAn unsealed complaint in a lawsuit filed against Meta by 33 states alleges the company is not only aware that children under the age of 13 use its platforms, but has also “coveted and pursued” this demographic for years on Instagram. (MacDonald, Engadget)
Read MoreMerriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023 is authentic—the term for something we’re thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever. A high-volume lookup most years, authentic saw a substantial increase in 2023, driven by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media. (Merriam-Webster)
Read MoreThe process of classifying books can be somewhat inconsistent. Books usually get an initial designation from authors and publishers. Then, professional book reviewers usually weigh in with their own age-bracket recommendation, and distributors and booksellers can do the same. But ultimately, local library staff make the final call about the books they buy and where they should go. (Smith, NPR)
Read MoreLoneliness is an epidemic — by 2026, it’s predicted that about two million older people in Britain will feel persistently lonely, without the company and conversation that so many of us take for granted. We’re living longer and facing many more years alone after losing our partners. Divorce rates are soaring. Children have busy lives of their own. It means you can quite quickly find yourself feeling lost, as your once full life suddenly falls into a black hole. (Howley, The Times UK)
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