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How your teen is using social media
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Teens are constantly using social media. And it turns out that Facebook is their main hangout spot. - photo by Herb Scribner
Teens use social media at an almost constant rate, according to the Pew Research Centers latest report on teens and social media. And Facebook, somewhat unsurprisingly, still leads the way.

The report found that Facebook is the most popular and most frequently used social media app for American teens, with 71 percent of American teens using the social network. About half of all teens use Instagram, 41 percent use Snapchat and 33 percent use Twitter and Google+, Pew reported.

And 41 percent of teens use Facebook more frequently than any other social media app. Instagram was the second most frequently used app at 20 percent and Snapchat was right behind with 11 percent. Twitter, Google+, Tumblr and Vine were among the least frequently used social media platforms.

Boys and girls use social media in different ways, too. As you can see in this graph, Pew found that girls are more likely than boys to use Instagram, Snapchat, online pinboards like Pinterest and Tumblr.

The Pew Research Centers report also found a social media disparity between income levels. Though Facebook still reigns supreme as the most used social media platform for all households, teens from wealthier families use Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter more than people from low-income families. In fact, teens from families with a household income of $100,000 or more used Snapchat twice as much as those from a family with a household income of less than $30,000.

It should be noted that some of these differences may be artifacts of differences in use of these sites by these different subgroups of teens, Pew reported. For example, Instagram and Snapchat are image-based apps that often highlight lavish purchases, vacations and activities that low-income families may not be exposed to.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.