Our Mission:
Our mission is to conduct research that families, schools, and policy-makers can use to promote youth online safety and mental health. We aim better understand and mitigate the potential harm of social media on youth wellbeing and to actively promote a healthier, safer online environment through research, outreach, and policy. We aim to achieve this mission by bringing together national experts in social media and health from across New Jersey and nationwide. In partnership with schools, community and professional organizations, State agencies, and young people from New Jersey, we will lead research, outreach, and policy activities that center youth online safety and mental health.
Our Vision:
The New Jersey Social Media Research Center will generate timely, relevant, and impactful research that advances awareness and solutions to social media and critical mental health issues facing youth and families in New Jersey. We aim to be a national model for evidence-based research, outreach, and policy on youth social media use and health and wellbeing.
The Social Media Research Center (SMRC) will engage in impactful research, education and training, and outreach activities focused on three pillars:
- Assessment: Understand how people experience social media and its impacts on health and wellbeing to identify specific targets of intervention and prevention.
- Intervention: Mitigate and reduce harmful aspects of social media and problematic use through direct intervention and research-informed policy.
- Prevention: Actively promote responsible, healthy social media use through free, evidence-based resources.
Our ultimate goal is to conduct research that New Jersey families, schools, practitioners, and policy-makers can use to promote youth online safety and mental health.