Over the past year, concerns about the impact of social media platforms and digital technology on the mental health of young people have risen globally, drawing attention from parents, educators, public health professionals, and policymakers. Responding to this crisis, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation in April 2023 to restrict children under 13 from joining social media, and in May 2023, the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory urging action to protect children online.

Recognizing the need for science-based solutions, The Melissa Institute initiated efforts to address this issue. TMI Scientific Board member and cyberbullying expert, Dr. Debra Pepler, connected us with Dr. Yvonne Skipper, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Glasgow and founder of Project Real, an educational program designed to help young people develop skills to identify fake news online.

In Project Real, we discovered an evidence-based tool to assist young people in the U.S. Dr. Skipper, an inspiring and creative scholar, enthusiastically joined TMI's efforts to address this crisis. Our objective is to create an intervention that leverages Dr. Skipper's original program while integrating research literature on positive youth development. This innovative intervention aims to empower young people with skills to recognize fake news while fostering qualities like social support, online companionship, confidence, compassion, and a sense of community—attributes known to promote healthy socialization and mental well-being. We are privileged to have Dr. Skipper as the program developer for this impactful project, affectionately referred to as Project Real, USA.

Central to the initiative's development is a Student Advisory Board (SAB), collaborating with project developers and selected social media influencers to shape program activities and learning experiences. In addition to implementing protective policies, we believe that sustainable solutions to harmful content on social media require scientific rigor and the active participation of young people as advocates for safety, peace, harmony, and mental health.