How to be safe online, from a young person | Aurelia Torkington | TEDxYouth@Christchurch

An i-SAFE Foundation study found that over half of teenagers have been cyber-bullied. Heavy use of social media can make you 13-66% more depressed and 47% of teens say they’re addicted to their phones. But, experiences on social media don't have to be negative. In this honest, funny, and pragmatic talk about social media, Aurelia Torkington offers three key tips for positive social media use. Aurelia is a social media influencer and art student currently living in Wellington. They’re most well known for their bold makeup looks but use that platform to educate their young audience on current social issues surrounding queerness, mental health and body positivity.

They grew up in a family of nerds and have been attending the conference Foo Camp for years, only recently beginning to lead sessions on social media and youth mental health. Three documentaries later, Aurelia’s goal is to lead a conversation in New Zealand about social media use in teenagers and how we can make it safe online without trying to limit their online presence.

Beyond that, they have experience in computer programming, interactive fiction and most importantly, assembling the perfect big mac! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx