The technology in our lives can be so helpful; it has literally changed the world. Communication systems are so mind blowing these days that you can be connected with the world 24/7. But this makes me so agitated because it prevents me from concentrating on things fully. What if there is an important email that needs my immediate attention? A text I might have that’s urgent. Is someone calling me and not able to reach me? Have I put my phone on silent by mistake? All these thoughts constantly distract me. It feels like I am forced to be alert, and active all the time.

We live in a world where fake news is expanding 6X faster than the truth. Advertisers are the customers and the users are the product being sold. And it’s free. You’re being sold every single day.

Let’s see the full picture.

On May 1st, LookUp lost one of our most ardent champions, Ann Reynolds, Co-Founder and Believer in Chief. Ann believed in LookUp’s mission. Truly believed. As a life-long educator and youth advocate, she knew that if we tapped into the energy, courage, creativity, and first-hand experience of students - then we could create a more authentic, humane, and kind society for generations to come.

Growing up, everyday technology use has looked the same—mindless hours spent on addictive technology like social media, video games, Netflix, and so on. Living a life distracted by technology has come with many negative side effects, but it took a pandemic for me to appreciate the value of my time and to truly want something better

The pinnacle of my self-awareness, social-awareness, and motivation to make a difference initialized during lockdown. I lost access to an assortment of activities, especially socializing with my friends which gravitated me toward my phone.

According to CNN, teenagers spend, on average, 7 hours a day on their screens. Most of us already knew this shocking statistic but my concern is the mass amount of time spent on social media, the true beast causing the widespread issues in our society. You can always get more money, but you can never get more time; it is precious.

“If not me then who, if not now then when?”

This quote, recited by Emma Watson at the HeforShe Summit, was clearly exemplified during the 2021 LookUp Innovator Showcase, I attended this past week…

We want to hear from you!When you think of activists or advocates who are changing the world, do you think of those who are writing, blogging, and speaking as change agents? We do, and we want to share the “LookUp to Thrive” Writing Challenge with you.

This unique panel convenes young women who are willing to take a stance against major corporations and tackle misogynist algorithms with the young girls who have been negatively impacted by social media…

The Summit was truly an example of youth leading and inspiring youth. From startups to TED Talks, these young leaders are already taking action and creating change…

Two leading forces, LookUp, a youth-inspired social enterprise, and the Netflix Docu-drama, The Social Dilemma, are teaming up to embolden Gen Z to take action and pitch solutions via a StartUp Grant Competition and the Youth 4 Youth Summit…

We empower Gen Z to create and develop solutions that counteract the harms of social media dependence, digital overload, and social isolation while activating tech for good and digital activism. The release of The Social Dilemma brings these issues to the forefront. Have you seen it?

In our transient world, technology is redefining our human experience. Apps that are connecting friends over thousands of miles are simultaneously bringing nations to the brink of war…

In order to maintain relationships throughout quarantine my friends and I would schedule weekly zoom calls that would consist of different games, talking to one another about how we were feeling emotionally/ mentally…

After running a pilot at Dartmouth College, I realized adult solutions might be good for some, but many other students had their own ideas about how to manage their technology use…

In my perspective, I saw giving up social media as giving up the connection I had with my friends. So, why would I want to do that? I made this choice when I was diagnosed with clinical depression…

I’ve heard this so many times. My generation is one of the first to have cell phones and technology as such a large part of our lives and the problems this causes are not being addressed. I see this everywhere I look: from myself, to my classmates, to the kids I babysit...

What happens, then, when conversations become too emotional or complex to work out through a series of Tweets or text messages?

I see the most misuse of technology when I’m with my friends. Most of the time when we hang out, my friends ignore me because they are so consumed by their phones. Not only do I lose quality time with my friends, but also I feel extremely disrespected…