UC children's media expert Nancy Jennings is cited in article on the drive social media creates for children and teens to practice dangerous behaviors; specifically pranks that can easily be mistaken for criminal intent.
"They get excited. They're interested in trying to get more likes and more people to watch their videos," Jennings told Local 12 in a news segment on the dangers of social media driven pranks. For example, one prank that is trending is to jump in front of moving cars, the article states.
The more people are exposed to these challenges, the more "it keeps exploding," says Jennings.
Professor Jennings, a professor in the School of Communication, Film and media studies, is the director of UC's Children's Education and Entertainment Research Center and studies the impact of media on the lives of children and their families and public policies, and practices involved with children's media. Her research focuses on children's cognitive and social development and their use of media.
Featured image at top: iStock/arthobbit
