Howdy-

In today’s fact, Why American Teens Are So Sad, my headline missed the mark.

Thanks to readers Omid K., Sarah J., Christian M., Ginelle M., and John C., who replied that this headline is misleading. Christian’s email back to me summed it up nicely:

Yes, but why?

I didn’t go into the drivers behind the rise of American high-school students’ persistent sadness or hopelessness, which I should have.

The author of the article, Derek Thompson, proposes four forces propelling the increase in American teen sadness:

1. Social media use on smartphones may cause anxiety about how someone is judged by others (i.e., friends, family, teachers)

2. Smartphone use is replacing activities like sleep and in-person interaction

3. News about the world’s stressors, including gun violence, climate change, and the political environment

4. More preparation for a competitive college admissions process

Have constructive criticism that can help me improve Fact of the Day 1? Feel free to hit “reply” anytime and share your thoughts. I read every email that hits my inbox.

Happy Thursday,
Danny