Resource Roundup
On sports betting, AI nudification, chatbots, and parental controls
In the realm of things relevant to women in youth ministry, here are some links I’ve found helpful lately:
Kalshi and Polymarket are using influencers to lure in the 50% who don’t bet on sports gambling sites: women — I’ve been hearing about the epidemic of sports betting addictions amongst young men. Now prediction markets are ambitiously targeting a new demographic: young women. I can’t remember ever talking with high school girls in my student ministry days, but this may become much more needed soon. (Side note: if you aren’t familiar with the rise of prediction markets and how they work, take a quick dive into that topic!)
Study: Teen girls are using AI to create sexual imagery — Think it’s mostly guys using AI to create sexual images? Think again. “A new study suggests that teen girls use so-called nudification apps at the same rate as teen boys.” The researchers aren’t clear on why, and admit that this is just one study — but it’s a notable one for those discipling teenage girls to be aware of.
What Teens Are Doing With Those Role-Playing Chatbots — “If you think your child is not talking to chatbot companions, you’re probably wrong,” said Mitch Prinstein, co-director of the Winston Center on Technology and Brain Development at U.N.C. Chapel Hill in this NY Times piece. The article gives insights into how teens are interacting with these chatbots and how they understand their relationships with them.
How to put parental controls on an iPhone — Reading this Substack post from Jean M. Twenge, who studies and writes on generational differences and technology use, made me grateful to not have to worry about anything in this article. Putting in parental controls that actually work can be complex, as there are often many ways for teens to work around them. Twenge’s guide walks you through the process.