YASBM Trend May Reduce AI Slop What? YASBM, which stands for “Your AI Slop Bores Me,” is a website where humans go to pretend to be artificial intelligence. According to Mashable, humans are essentially fighting the AI “infinite slop machine” by creating the same sort of content we typically request from chatbots. So What? The site went viral recently. But its very existence speaks into some of the inherent problems with AI: the nonsensical “slop” that image generators often crank out, the negative impact on human creativity and sycophantic programming of chatbots. Now What? If your tween or teen has stumbled across YASBM content, they’ve probably had a good laugh. Many of the responses submitted by creators to the given prompts demonstrate cleverness and creativity. Were they perfect? Certainly not. But parents may be able to leverage this viral obsession to talk to their kids about the problems with AI and remind them that human creators (and the patience required to work with them) still have great value, even in today’s world of instant gratification. Gen Z May Be the Most Studied Generation Yet What? Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z may just be the most studied, analyzed and surveyed generation in history, according to The Guardian. Gen Zers are the first to grow up with ubiquitous internet and screen-based technology—and some even had social media profiles before they were born. So What? Because of that online presence, Zoomers have been providing the world with much more data about themselves from a much younger age than previous generations. But that doesn’t mean that every study, analysis and survey applies to your teen. Now What? One marketing agency that frequently utilizes such studies cautioned that those surveys can be very inaccurate: “50% of our office is Gen Z, so we can see how much of it just isn’t true.” So when you come across new information, don’t make assumptions about your child. Rather, ask your teen whether they relate to the results. Observe to see how their teenage experience compares to your own, offering guidance when you see similarities and using differences as an opportunity to inquire further and connect with your kids. Screen Time Can Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Kids and Teens What? According to the American Heart Association, more screen time among adolescents is linked with higher risk of heart disease, “including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance.” So What? Researchers found that this association was even stronger in youth who slept fewer hours, “suggesting that screen use may harm health by ‘stealing’ time from sleep.” Now What? Experts suggest that screen free—or screen reduced—evening routines can help kids and teens avoid these risks. Try creating screen-free times, such as at dinner. Incorporate a screenless bedtime routine to help your family wind down naturally. And avoid the circadian-upsetting blue light of screens by establishing a no-screens-in-bedrooms (including TVs) rule. The post On the Radar: YASBM, Gen Z Studies and Screentime Heart Risks appeared first on Plugged In.