As a psychologist working in the community; particularly with children, teens, and young adults, I feel a responsibility to speak to something many families are quietly struggling with: the impact of repeated exposure to disturbing images and videos online and on television.
Earlier this year, I wrote about how ongoing visual coverage of the wildfires in the Altadena and Palisades communities affected both adults and children. Those events highlighted how repeatedly seeing images from a single traumatic moment can stay with us long after the news cycle moves on.
More recently, I was reminded of how dramatically our media environment has changed. In a session, a young person described an unedited video circulating on social media that showed a real person being killed. When many of today’s adults were growing up, violence was something we knew happened, but rarely saw. News coverage generally stopped short of graphic detail. Today, real-life violence can be viewed instantly, repeatedly, and without warning.
This shift matters. The human brain, especially the developing brain, does not easily distinguish between witnessing trauma in person and witnessing it through a screen. Children, teens, and even young adults are still building the impulse control, emotional regulation, and perspective needed to understand and process what they are seeing. What once belonged to movies or video games now shows up as real life, and that can be overwhelming.
Accepting the reality of exposure
While limiting news intake, turning off the television, or modeling mindful media use are still important, they are no longer enough on their own. The reality is that many parents cannot fully control what children encounter online. Images and videos are shared quickly, sometimes carelessly, and often without consideration of how they may affect others.
Even content warnings, (phrases like “some viewers may find this disturbing”) can have the opposite effect for young people. Curiosity, peer pressure, and the desire not to feel left out can lead kids and teens to seek out material they are not emotionally prepared to handle.
Rather than assuming we can prevent all exposure, it may be more helpful to assume that many children have already seen things that were upsetting, confusing, or frightening. It is an adult’s responsibility to respond accordingly.
Shifting the role: from protector to guide
In this environment, parents and caregivers are being asked to take on a slightly different role. Not to replace therapists, but to lean into skills that therapists use every day:
- Listening more than lecturing
- Asking open-ended questions
- Tolerating discomfort without rushing to fix it
- Offering reassurance without overexposure to details
Children need to feel safe, especially when the world feels unpredictable. News that unsettles adults can feel terrifying to kids who don’t yet have the life experience to put events into context.
Practical ways to open the door
For children of all ages, simple and consistent check-ins can make a meaningful difference:
- “What were people talking about at school today?”
- “Did anyone mention something they saw online or on TV?”
- “If you hear or see something that makes you feel worried, you can always tell me.”
These questions don’t assume exposure, but they make room for honesty if it has already happened.
As kids get older and gain more independence online, it helps to acknowledge reality out loud:
- Social media can be entertaining and upsetting.
- Not everything online is accurate, complete, or meant for young eyes.
- Seeing something disturbing doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.
When young people feel they won’t be judged, punished, or dismissed, they are far more likely to share what they’re seeing.
Holding on to humanity
Being a psychologist is, at its core, about being human. And being human means staying connected, both to our feelings, and to one another. Constant exposure to graphic or dehumanizing imagery can quietly erode empathy, making it easier to see people as “others” rather than as fellow human beings.
My hope is that, through open conversations and compassionate listening, we can help children and teens process what they encounter without becoming overwhelmed or numb. The goal isn’t to shield them from the world entirely, but to help them understand it in a way that preserves their sense of safety, empathy, and connection.
In a media-saturated world…presence matters. Listening matters. And reminding our kids that they don’t have to carry frightening images alone may be one of the most protective things we can offer.
