Social Media and Screen Time

Rahul spends hours scrolling social media every night, and his parents sit him down to talk about setting healthy screen time limits.

Meanings in Rahul, Father, Mother

Key words and phrases

screen timethe amount of time spent using a phone, tablet, or computerHis screen time has increased a lot this month.

to scrollto move through content on a screen by swipingShe scrolls through her feed every morning.

notificationan alert sent by an app to get the user's attentionHe gets constant notifications from social media apps.

addictivecausing a strong urge to keep doing somethingShort videos can be very addictive.

digital detoxa period of avoiding phones and screens on purposeWe're trying a digital detox this weekend.

screen time limita set boundary on how long a device can be usedWe agreed on a two-hour screen time limit.

privacy settingsoptions that control who can see your online informationCheck your privacy settings before posting.

cyberbullyingusing the internet to harass or hurt someoneThe school held a talk about cyberbullying.

productiveachieving useful or meaningful resultsHe wants to spend his time more productively.

balancea healthy proportion between different activitiesIt's important to find a balance between study and screens.

feedthe continuously updating stream of posts on a social media appHe kept refreshing his feed for new posts.

followersomeone who subscribes to see another person's postsHer account gained a thousand new followers.

viralspreading very quickly online to many peopleThe funny video went viral overnight.

screenshotan image captured of what is shown on a screenShe took a screenshot of the funny message.

to blockto stop someone from contacting you or seeing your posts onlineHe blocked the account that was bothering him.

algorithma set of rules an app uses to decide what content to show youThe algorithm keeps showing him similar videos.

offlinenot connected to the internetThey kept their phones offline during dinner.

mindful useusing something with full awareness and intention, not out of habitHis parents encouraged mindful use of his phone.

influencera person who has a large online following and affects others' opinionsHe follows several fitness influencers.

appa program installed on a phone for a specific purposeHe deleted a few apps to reduce distractions.

Useful sentences

Ask How much time do you spend on your phone daily?
Answer Honestly, probably four to five hours.
Ask Why do you keep scrolling even when you're tired?
Answer I don't know, it's become a habit I can't break.
Ask Can we set a screen time limit together?
Answer Sure, let's try two hours a day for now.
Ask Do you know how to change your privacy settings?
Answer Yes, I already made my account private.
Ask Would you like to try a digital detox this weekend?
Answer Let's try it, it might actually feel good.
Ask Why do you keep refreshing your feed?
Answer The algorithm keeps showing new videos, so I feel curious.
Ask Have you ever had to block someone online?
Answer Yes, once someone sent me rude messages, so I blocked them.
Ask Do you follow any influencers?
Answer Yes, mostly ones who share study tips.
Ask Can we keep our phones offline during dinner?
Answer That's a great idea for mindful use.
Ask Did that video really go viral?
Answer Yes, it got a million views and a lot of new followers.

Dialogue

FatherRahul, you've been on your phone for three hours straight.

RahulSorry, Dad. I lost track of time scrolling.

MotherThat's exactly why apps send so many notifications.

RahulYou're right, it's really addictive without me noticing.

FatherLet's set a screen time limit for weekdays.

RahulOkay, I'll try two hours and use the rest of my time better.

MotherMaybe we can also keep our phones offline during dinner.

RahulThat sounds good. I'll also stop following accounts that just waste my time.

FatherThat's mindful use, Rahul. I'm proud of you for thinking about it.

RahulThanks, Dad. I'll try the digital detox this weekend too.

Common mistakes

Saying "I am scrolling since morning" instead of "I have been scrolling since morning."
Saying "addicted of social media" instead of "addicted to social media."
Saying "put a limit on screen time" without "a," incorrectly as "put limit on screen time."
Saying "This video is viral now" instead of "This video has gone viral" (use "go viral," not "is viral," for the process).
Saying "I blocked to him" instead of "I blocked him" ("block" takes a direct object, no preposition).
Saying "I have many follower" instead of "I have many followers" (don't drop the plural "s").

Quick quiz

1. What is a "digital detox"?

2. Using the internet to harass or hurt someone is called ___.

3. Complete: "It's important to find a ___ between study and screens."

4. What is a "follower" on social media?

5. The set of rules an app uses to decide what content to show you is called the ___.

6. Complete: "He deleted a few ___ to reduce distractions."

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