In today's digital age, scrolling through social media can have more impact than you might think.

A disturbing video showing the alleged assassination of conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk, is circulating widely online, and many people say it appeared in their feeds without them ever choosing to watch it. The clip has reignited questions about how social media platforms handle violent content and the impact it can have on children and families.

From the shooting of Charlie Kirk to attacks targeting two lawmakers in Minnesota to the shooting of President Trump on the campaign trail, acts of political violence are increasingly part of the national conversation.

As kids head back to school, it's crucial to set limits on screen time to ensure it doesn't interfere with their routine.

A heavy topic took center stage Tuesday night as about 150 people gathered at the Grandin Theatre for a screening of Can’t Look Away, a documentary that explores the dangerous impact of social media on children and teens.

The link between social media, anxiety, depression and suicide — that’s what a community panel discussed tonight in Roanoke.

Many of us spend hours scrolling through social media every day.

This policy is designed to ensure that all K-12 Virginia students stay off their phones during school hours. This also is designed to limit how much screentime students have and keep them off social media during class. The hope is to avoid the drawbacks that come from social media, such as mental health setbacks.

The Lynchburg Police Department announced Friday that they had brought charges against multiple individuals after an investigation into a viral video that the department said involved a physical altercation during which one man was assaulted.

After the tragic death of 10-year-old Autumn Bushman, a local group is hosting a public event to help families better understand the impact of social media and smartphones on young minds.

Nelson County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday that they have been notified of a social media account posting photos of Nelson County Public School students.

A new law, signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin, will restrict children under 16 to one hour of social media per day, effective Jan. 1.

You may have noticed all of your friends on social media are turning themselves into Barbie dolls and action figures. WSLS tried it. We show you how you can do it, too.

TikTok said Sunday that it would be restoring service to U.S. users after blocking it the evening before.

The upcoming TikTok ban could set a new precedent in the social media landscape.

With a ban on TikTok in the United States looming, Virginia Senator Mark Warner offered a statement on the possibility of users losing access to the social media service.

President Joe Biden has signed a bill that could see the popular social media app TikTok taken off app stores.

A new report from the Pew Research Center is diving into how screen time affects us and especially teens.

If you’re having trouble logging into Facebook or Instagram, you’re not alone.

The school division says they'll continue to have conversations regarding the damaging effects of school threats.

The supreme court is looking at two landmark social media cases that could reshape how Americans interact online.

A new lawsuit filed on Valentine's Day alleges that the dating apps Tinder, Hinge and The League are "designed to be addictive."

Rockbridge County school leaders are taking legal action against popular social media sites, with plans to join a lawsuit alongside over 400 school divisions nationwide.

As legislative discussions are underway involving social media, Meta invited us to discuss youth safety on their popular platforms, Instagram and Facebook.

While a student at Harvard in 2003, Mark Zuckerberg developed what was then known as Facemash, an online platform intended to judge the attractiveness of students at the university.

From laughs to shocking moments caught on camera, let’s take a look back at some of the top viral videos of 2023.

As we’re covering the war in Israel, we wanted to speak with a mental health expert about children and the effects of seeing war on television and online.

Take a look at these small steps to take at home to help teens control their social media consumption.

Ever since Elon Must bought Twitter, millions of users have complained about.

Is there someone you follow on social media because they produce content about your hometown?

A Virginia Tech expert weighs in on Montana's TikTok ban.

Calling all content creators! We want to meet you!

I’m very much aware that I have no control over the decisions social media apps and organizations make, but it would have been nice to know that a strange little AI bot was going to show up as a Snapchat friend.

The American Psychological Association has released guidelines for adolescents using social media.

Romanian authorities have seized four more luxury vehicles for a total of 15 that have been seized in the investigation into Andrew Tate.

Romanian authorities say that divisive social media personality Andrew Tate has been arrested on charges of human trafficking and rape.

A 15-year-old girl is now safe with her family after being abducted and found in Michigan, but social media could have led to her disappearance.

You have to meet Jonathan and Ben Carlin, if you’re not familiar with them already.

We’ve all been there: You’re trying to go to bed, but you can’t stop scrolling past the endless number of videos on TikTok.

There’s a new No.1 app in Apple’s App Store on Monday.

Continued research shows the alarming impact it’s having on teenage girls, including increased anxiety, depression and poor body image.

Samantha Bush created the Instagram account @BravoHistorian on a whim, just looking for an outlet to share her opinions about all the ridiculous reality TV shows on the Bravo network.

Wednesday on Capitol Hill, the CEO of Instagram faced tough questions from a Senate committee on whether his company’s new safety measures go far enough to protect kids online.

Jordan Nallen is just like any other mom. She has a 2-year-old daughter and posts photos on social media to share with friends and family.

It’s hard to imagine our daily lives without things like Facebook or Instagram.

The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining... Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday, January 7, 2021YouTube pulled down the President’s address to the rioters Wednesday. Twitter banned the President for 12 hours. When Trump got back on Twitter, he posted a video in which he conceded to Biden and condemned the ‘heinous attack’ on the Capitol. Dr. Horning believes this move will do little long-term to stop the spread of misinformation. Social media experts say the precedent this move sets for future leaders is unknown.

ROANOKE, Va – The uncertainty of the election has caused the spread of misinformation on social to spread at an alarming rate. It can be overwhelming to log onto social media at a time like this. 10 News verification expert Fergus Bell monitors elections across the world and says the spread of misinformation is not uncommon. Bell says social media giants like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have taken measures to stop the rumors in their tracks, even from the president. “In the last few days related to the election, Twitter especially has put warnings on tweets it has hidden them and it has prevented them from being shared,” Bell said.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Some Virginia voters doubted if their votes had been counted on Election Day after a viral, but misleading, social media post. The post claimed some votes were ignored by the Commonwealth based on a section of the Virginia Department of Elections' voter information page. “Different offices across the state are different sizes and have different numbers of staff, which means they move at different paces.”The Virginia Department of Elections also used social media to counter the claims about the ballots. Clark hopes voters understand there is no need to worry about a ballot once it is in the system. “We’ve probably been working anywhere from 10 to 16 hour days at the election office," Clark said.

BLACKSBURG, Va – A social media expert from Virginia Tech is warning of the spread of false information as the November presidential election is just around the corner. Mike Horning with the Virginia Tech School of Communication says the spread of misinformation after the election could make some American’s think the process is unfair. “They are paying attention to the possibilities and anticipating that there could be problems and it’s difficult because the rate of information really flows faster than there are people to fact check it,” social media expert, Mike Horning said. In a recent study, Horning looked at how audiences are dealing with misinformation on social media. The results found that people were worried about the spread of fake news.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University alum Lauren Smith reacted to Jerry Falwell, Jr. taking an “indefinite leave of absence” as university president with a Facebook post. Within a day, her post gained popularity in the Liberty University community. They said it is important for Liberty alums to remember their biblical lessons during Falwell’s time of adversity. It can be judgment or it can be grace.”“This is an opportunity right now to show the rest of the world, who is watching, who Jesus really is and what he’s all about,” Lauren Smith said. “That’s grace, that’s forgiveness, that’s mercy.

DANVILLE, Va. Police shared a warning on Tuesday evening that unconfirmed rumors circulating on social media of a violent raid planned for the Danville Walmart are not true. Danville police shared a photo that suggests a planned smash & grab." They wrote, The picture below is FALSE information.Police said they are aware of the misinformation and said the rumor is several days old, however, because it had been widely shared on social media, Walmarts management decided to close the store early on Tuesday as a precaution. There have been no issues regarding a violent event at Walmart, Danville police said.

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order asking federal agencies to explore ways to hold social media more accountable for perceived biases on social networks.

Have you ever celebrated Earth Day, perhaps by planting a tree or doing something good for the environment? Considering the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Earth Day Network has announced a shift to “global digital mobilizations.”It’ll be Digital Earth Day! Earth Day Network will provide live coverage of these “global digital mobilizations," which you can follow on its social media accounts. But organizers still want to “mobilize millions in a call for transformative action for our planet.”“At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. That’s now been postponed to October 24-25, 2020 to mark the half birthday of Earth Day.

Anyone else finding themselves spending more time than usual on social media, considering the coronavirus pandemic? But like most things, Facebook is whatever you want to make it. You don’t have to give up on social media in general, or even Facebook in particular. The social media giants say they’re working hard behind the scenes to remove bot accounts and build a better platform. In the meantime, here are some simple yet effective things you can do to make your own Facebook interactions less contentious and more civil.

Have you ever celebrated Earth Day, perhaps by planting a tree or doing something good for the environment? Considering the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Earth Day Network has announced a shift to “global digital mobilizations.”It’ll be Digital Earth Day! Earth Day Network will provide live coverage of these “global digital mobilizations," which you can follow on its social media accounts. But organizers still want to “mobilize millions in a call for transformative action for our planet.”“At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. That’s now been postponed to October 24-25, 2020 to mark the half birthday of Earth Day.

Peruse the Instagram page of the late, great Kobe Bryant and you’ll notice a few things: The love he had for his wife and daughters, and just how thoughtful he was in several facets of life. In the post before that one, Bryant gave thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr., saying, “Thank you for THE dream. Bryant posted the sentiment on Jan. 20, which marks the federal holiday on which we celebrate and honor the life of MLK. This wasn’t the only time Bryant has commented on the icon that was Civil Rights leader MLK. And the determination to stick with that, and believe that the human spirit will eventually triumph, are the things that inspire me the most.”#DearBlackAthlete: Kobe Bryant on Martin Luther King, Jr.