WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. wholesale inventories rose more than expected in August, suggesting that restocking was less of a drag on economic growth on the eve of a fiscal battle in Washington than analysts had thought.
The Commerce Department said on Friday wholesale inventories rose 0.5 percent in August, the biggest increase since January. The government also said inventories rose more than initially estimated in July.
Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.5 percent annual pace in the April-June period, and most analysts expect a significant slowdown in the third quarter. A government shutdown that left hundreds of thousands of people out of work for weeks this month is expected to make the fourth quarter even weaker.
Economists expect the pace of inventory accumulation to slow a bit in the July-September quarter after consumer spending moderated in the previous quarter.
Wholesale inventories in August were boosted by increases in stocks of professional equipment and autos.
Sales at wholesalers increased 0.6 percent, beating economists' expectations.
At August's sales pace it would take 1.17 months to clear shelves. The inventories/sales ratio was unchanged from July.
(This story is refiled to correct reference to timing of government shutdown)
(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann; Editing by James Dalgleish)
FILE - In this May 24, 2000 file photo, Patsy Ramsey and her husband, John, parents of JonBenet Ramsey, look on during a nws conference in Atlanta regarding their lie-detector examinations for the murder of their daughter. A Colorado judge on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 ordered the release of the 1999 grand jury indictment in the killing of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, possibly shedding light on why prosecutors decided against charging her parents in her death. Patsy Ramsey died in 2006. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File)
FILE - In this May 24, 2000 file photo, Patsy Ramsey and her husband, John, parents of JonBenet Ramsey, look on during a nws conference in Atlanta regarding their lie-detector examinations for the murder of their daughter. A Colorado judge on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 ordered the release of the 1999 grand jury indictment in the killing of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, possibly shedding light on why prosecutors decided against charging her parents in her death. Patsy Ramsey died in 2006. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File)
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A grand jury that reviewed evidence in the death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey believed her parents were involved in the crime but that another unknown person killed the young beauty queen, according to documents released Friday, 14 years after the grand jury made its recommendation.
At the time, the panel recommended that both her parents be charged with child abuse resulting in death and being an accessory to a crime, including murder.
However, the documents allege that both parents intended to delay or prevent the arrest of the person who killed their daughter.
The proposed charges were disclosed for the first time in the documents. However, no new light was shed on who committed the killing.
Prosecutors at the time declined to actually file charges against John and Patsy Ramsey, who have since been treated as victims in the case.
The district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, who presented the evidence to the grand jury, said in 1999: "I and my prosecutorial team believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges against anyone who has been investigated at this time."
John Ramsey's attorney, Hal Haddon, issued a letter earlier this week opposing release of the indictments, pointing out that Hunter's successor, former district attorney Mary Lacy, cleared the Ramseys based on new DNA testing in 2008.
He also cited Lacy's apology in a letter to John Ramsey at the time, in which she said "no innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion, especially when public officials have not had sufficient evidence to initiate a trial in a court of law."
Haddon said Friday he would have no further comment on the release of the indictments.
Patsy Ramsey died in 2006.
Lurid details of the crime and striking videos of the child in adult makeup and costumes performing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest profile mysteries in the U.S. in the mid-1990s.
The grand jury met three years after JonBenet's body was found bludgeoned and strangled in the family home in Boulder on Dec. 26, 1996.
The Ramseys maintained their innocence, offering a $100,000 reward for information about the killer and mounting a newspaper campaign seeking evidence.
Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner said the case remains open but is not an active investigation. He predicted the indictment's release wouldn't change anything.
"Given the publicity that's been out there, many people have formed their opinions one way or another," he said.
Former prosecutor and law professor Karen Steinhauser said grand juries sometimes hear evidence that won't be admitted during trial that can form the basis of indictments.
But she added that prosecutors must have a good faith belief that they could prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt before pursuing charges.
"I'm not sure that the release of this indictment is going to change the fact that there has not been able to be a prosecution and probably won't be able to be a prosecution," she said.
David Lane, a defense attorney who was not involved in the case, said the indictments could have been an attempt to force the parents to turn against each other, which he said was unlikely because both were protected by laws that limit testimony of one spouse against another.
"Somebody killed JonBenet Ramsey," Lane said. "It sounds like they were accused of aiding and abetting each other, with the hope someone would crack and break. That didn't happen, and prosecutors may have decided not to go forward."
The Daily Camera reported earlier this year that the grand jury had issued the indictment. The actual documents were released Friday in response to a lawsuit by the Daily Camera and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett determined the release would not violate grand jury secrecy rules, and transferred the documents to Robert Lowenbach, a retired Weld County judge, for review.
Lowenbach said Wednesday that only pages signed by the grand jury foreman would be releasable as official actions of the jury. His order mentioned 18 pages in all — nine relating to each of JonBenet's parents. Four pages — two each relating to the parents — were released Friday.
John Ramsey didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in 2006, the same year a globe-hopping school teacher was arrested in Thailand after falsely claiming to have killed JonBenet. Former District Attorney Mary Lacy cleared the Ramseys in 2008 based on new DNA testing that suggested the killer was a stranger, not a family member.
Lacy did not return a phone call on Friday.
Over the years, some experts have suggested that investigators botched the case so thoroughly that it might never be solved.
Earlier this week, John Ramsey asked officials to release the entire grand jury record if the unprosecuted indictment was made public.
However, Lowenbach said transcripts of grand jury proceedings and evidence presented to it are not considered official action under the law governing criminal court records. He also said releasing such information could hurt other grand juries, whose work is secret.
An attorney representing John Ramsey, L. Lin Wood, has said he's confident that no evidence in the grand jury case implicated the Ramsey family and the public should be able to see that for themselves.
_____
Associated Press writers Steven K. Paulson and Dan Elliott contributed to this report.
After brief test runs in Australia and New Zealand, EA and PopCap have released Plants vs. Zombies 2 for Android users worldwide. The new version is virtually identical to the iOS game released this summer, letting players fend off the undead hordes on both phones and tablets. The biggest change ...
In this photo provided by WNCN, emergency crews respond to the scene where a ride malfunctioned at the North Carolina State Fair, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 in Raleigh, N.C. Several people were sent to the hospital with unknown injuries. (AP Photo/WNCN) MANDATORY CREDIT: WNCN
In this photo provided by WNCN, emergency crews respond to the scene where a ride malfunctioned at the North Carolina State Fair, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 in Raleigh, N.C. Several people were sent to the hospital with unknown injuries. (AP Photo/WNCN) MANDATORY CREDIT: WNCN
In this photo provided by WNCN, emergency crews respond to the scene where a ride malfunctioned at the North Carolina State Fair, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 in Raleigh, N.C. Several people were sent to the hospital with unknown injuries. (AP Photo/WNCN) MANDATORY CREDIT: WNCN
In this photo provided by WNCN, emergency crews respond to the scene where a ride malfunctioned at the North Carolina State Fair, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 in Raleigh, N.C. Several people were sent to the hospital with unknown injuries. (AP Photo/WNCN) MANDATORY CREDIT: WNCN
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An accident occurred on a ride at the North Carolina State Fair on Thursday night, sending five people to the hospital with unknown injuries.
The accident on the "Vortex" ride, which spins, twirls and flips passengers upside down, happened about 9:17 p.m., said State Fair spokesman Brian Long. He said an ambulance was on the scene immediately, and that two of the injuries "appear to be serious; the other three not as serious."
A preliminary investigation indicated that the passengers were injured when the ride started up again as they were getting off, Long said.
The injured riders ranged in age from 14 to 39, Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told a news conference. Linda Fowler, clinical administrator for WakeMed in Raleigh, confirmed that five people were admitted to the hospital from the fair, but did not give out further information.
Long said the ride would undergo inspection by the N.C. Department of Labor, and that the sheriff's office would also conduct its own investigation and look for witnesses.
Television station WRAL in Raleigh quoted witnesses as saying that several people were thrown off the ride and that some were unconscious.
A witness identified as Caleb Norris told WNCN television that he heard a crashing sound just after getting off the Vortex. He turned around and saw two people lying face down. Norris also said he saw the ride operator fall to his knees and start crying.
The accident occurred shortly before the fair was shutting down for the night. Long said the fair would reopen on Friday as scheduled. It closes Sunday.
In 2002, a ride operator at the fair was killed when he was struck by the ride while it was still in operation.
___
Associated Press Writer Skip Foreman in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report.
Children with brain injuries nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
25-Oct-2013
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Contact: Debbie Jacobson djacobson@aap.org 847-434-7084 American Academy of Pediatrics
Findings may help to identify, treat children at risk of depression
ORLANDO, Fla. Adults with head injuries are known to be at high risk for depression, and yet little research had been done on the topic related to children. In the abstract, "Depression in Children Diagnosed with Brain Injury or Concussion," presented Oct. 25 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, researchers sought to identify the prevalence of depression in children with brain injuries, including concussions, in the U.S.
Using data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, researchers identified more than 2,000 children with brain injuries, reflecting the national child brain injury rate of 1.9 percent in 2007; and 3,112 children with diagnosed depression, mirroring the 3.7 percent national child depression rate that year. Compared to other children, 15 percent of those with brain injuries or concussions were diagnosed as depresseda 4.9 fold increase in the odds of diagnosed depression.
"After adjustment for known predictors of depression in children like family structure, developmental delay and poor physical health, depression remained two times more likely in children with brain injury or concussion," said study author Matthew C. Wylie, MD, author of the abstract, "Depression in Children Diagnosed with Brain Injury or Concussion."
The study, the largest to look at an association between brain injury and depression in children and adolescents, "may enable better prognostication for brain-injured children and facilitate identification of those at high risk of depression," said Dr. Wylie.
###
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit http://www.aap.org.
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Children with brain injuries nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
25-Oct-2013
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Contact: Debbie Jacobson djacobson@aap.org 847-434-7084 American Academy of Pediatrics
Findings may help to identify, treat children at risk of depression
ORLANDO, Fla. Adults with head injuries are known to be at high risk for depression, and yet little research had been done on the topic related to children. In the abstract, "Depression in Children Diagnosed with Brain Injury or Concussion," presented Oct. 25 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, researchers sought to identify the prevalence of depression in children with brain injuries, including concussions, in the U.S.
Using data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, researchers identified more than 2,000 children with brain injuries, reflecting the national child brain injury rate of 1.9 percent in 2007; and 3,112 children with diagnosed depression, mirroring the 3.7 percent national child depression rate that year. Compared to other children, 15 percent of those with brain injuries or concussions were diagnosed as depresseda 4.9 fold increase in the odds of diagnosed depression.
"After adjustment for known predictors of depression in children like family structure, developmental delay and poor physical health, depression remained two times more likely in children with brain injury or concussion," said study author Matthew C. Wylie, MD, author of the abstract, "Depression in Children Diagnosed with Brain Injury or Concussion."
The study, the largest to look at an association between brain injury and depression in children and adolescents, "may enable better prognostication for brain-injured children and facilitate identification of those at high risk of depression," said Dr. Wylie.
###
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit http://www.aap.org.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010, AT 6:19 PM Tornado Kills at Least Five in Oklahoma
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011, AT 3:07 PM Obama Gets Firsthand Look at a Tornado Damage
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010, AT 6:19 PM Tornado Kills at Least Five in Oklahoma. Very long title. Long long long. Tornado Kills at Least Five in Oklahoma. Very long title. Long long long.
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010, AT 6:19 PM Tornado Kills at Least Five in Oklahoma. Very long title. Long long long. Tornado Kills at Least Five in Oklahoma. Very long title. Long long long.
MTV, AP-NORC Center survey finds that online bullying has declined
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
24-Oct-2013
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Contact: Eric Young young-eric@norc.org 301-634-9536 NORC at the University of Chicago
Report shows downward trend across 26 of 27 forms of digital abuse, incidence of sexting drops nearly 20 percent, less than half of young people report experiencing digital abuse
New York, NY October 24, 2013 MTV and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research today released the results of a new survey exploring the pervasiveness of digital abuse among teens and young adults, how it is affecting America's youth and how they're responding to it. According to the survey, trends show that the share of young people affected by digital abuse has declined since 2011, with less than half (49 percent) of those surveyed stating that they have experienced digital abuse, compared to 56 percent in 2011. Additionally, virtually every form of digital abuse tracked in this study 26 out of 27 listed has declined*. When experiencing digital abuse, 44 percent of young people state that they seek help from their parents or family, up over 25 percent from 2011, and the majority (66 percent) say that telling their parents made the situation better.
Sexting is down nearly 20 percent from 2011, with only about a quarter of young people reporting that they have sent or received "sext" messages, compared with one in three in 2011. Meanwhile, just over 10 percent of 14-24 year olds say they have shared naked pictures of videos of themselves. While this number remains relatively consistent over the past few years, the percentage of teens and young adults who say they sent naked pictures to someone they only know online has decreased by more than half since 2009. Additionally, young people report less pressure to send naked pictures or videos of themselves, down over 40 percent compared to 2011 (12 percent vs. 7 percent). Unfortunately there has been less progress on digital dating abuse. On par with 2011, nearly 40 percent of young people in a relationship report experiencing some type of digital dating abuse, with one in five stating that their partner has checked up with them multiple times per day online or via mobile, and that their significant other has read their text messages without their permission.
The MTV and Associated Press-NORC Center study was released today as part of MTV's "A THIN LINE" campaign, which has already empowered more than 1.5 million young people to take action to stop the spread of digital abuse.
Detailed findings from the October 2013 study include:
I. POSITIVE MOMENTUM AND RESPONSE
Less than half of young people (49 percent) report experiencing digital abuse, representing a nearly 15 percent decline from 56 percent in 2011. Some of the positive gains include:
Drops in 26 of 27 forms of digital abuse (2013 vs. 2011)*. Some of these include:
A nearly 30 percent drop in reports of people using email, IM or cell phone text messages to spread rumors that weren't true (15 percent vs. 21 percent)
An almost 30 percent decline in reports of people impersonating the respondent by logging into his or her email or social media accounts without permission (15 percent vs. 21 percent)
A nearly 25 percent decrease in reports of spying by logging into personal email and/or social media accounts without permission (16 percent vs. 21 percent)
When responding to digital abuse:
More young people are seeking help from parents or family, up over 25 percent from 2011. Among the 1 in 3 who asked their parents for help in 2013, a majority (66 percent) say it made the situation better, up 35 percent compared to 2011 (49 percent). Additionally, nearly 20 percent asked a sibling for help, and among that group- over half (57 percent) report that it made the situation better.
The most effective responses to digital abuse include:
Changing email, IM, or social networking passwords (nearly three-quarters, or 73 percent, report that this made the situation better)
Changing an email address, screen name or cell phone number (72 percent report this made the situation better)
Deleting a social networking profile (72 percent report this made the situation better)
Telling parents (66 percent report this made the situation better).
Retaliation is now cited as the least effective response, with 20 percent saying that it made the situation worse. Nearly 50 percent viewed retaliation as an effective response in 2011, compared to less than 30 percent in 2013, representing a nearly 40 percent decline.
II. SEXTING AND RELATIONSHIPS
The number of young people who have sent or received "sext" messages has declined. Of the young people who have shared naked pictures or videos of themselves, over half (66 percent) say they sent naked pictures of themselves to their boyfriend or girlfriend, and less than 15 percent have shared naked pictures with someone they only know online, marking a more than 50 percent decline since 2009.
While fewer young people report sending or receiving "sext" messages, digital dating abuse has unfortunately remained relatively consistent, with nearly 40 percent of young people who are currently in a relationship experiencing some form of digital abuse:
Around one in five report that their partner has checked up with them multiple times per day online or via mobile (22 percent), and that their significant other has read their text messages without their permission (21 percent).
Nearly 10 percent say their significant other has called them names, put them down, or said mean things to them on the Internet or on their cell phone (9 percent) or demanded to know the passwords to their email and Internet accounts (8 percent).
Nearly 20 percent of young people say they feel pressured by their partner to respond to their phone calls, emails, texts, or instant messages.
###
To access the full MTV/AP-NORC research findings from 2013, 2011 and 2009, please go to http://www.research.ATHINLINE.org. Additional information, including the Associated Press stories based on the survey results and the survey's complete topline findings can be found on The AP-NORC Center's website at http://www.apnorc.org.
Launched in 2009, MTV's "A THIN LINE" campaign empowers America's youth to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse, which includes all forms of digital bullying, dating abuse and discrimination. MTV is addressing these issues through thought-provoking PSAs, integration into MTV's top-rated shows, innovative online and mobile tools, and curricula. For more information on MTV's "A THIN LINE" please head to http://www.ATHINLINE.org.
Methodology
This survey was conducted by the GfK Group using the Web-enabled KnowledgePanel, a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. Initially, participants are chosen scientifically by a random selection of telephone numbers and residential addresses. Persons in selected households are then invited by telephone or by mail to participate in the Web-enabled KnowledgePanel. For those who agree to participate, but do not already have Internet access, GfK provides at no cost a laptop and ISP connection. People who already have computers and Internet service are permitted to participate using their own equipment. Panelists then receive unique log-in information for accessing surveys online, and then are sent emails throughout each month inviting them to participate in research.
Interviews were conducted in English between September 27 and October 7, 2013 with 1,297 young people ages 14-24 (489 ages 14-17; 808 ages 18-24). A total of 4,321 panel members were randomly drawn from GfK's KnowledgePanel. 1,297 (excluding breakoffs) responded to the invitation, yielding a final stage completion rate of 30.0 percent. The recruitment rate for this study, reported by GfK, was 13.2 percent and the profile rate was 66.7 percent, for a cumulative response rate of 2.6 percent. The overall margin of error is +/- 3.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Once the sample has been selected and fielded, and all the study data are collected and made final, a post-stratification process is used to adjust for any survey non-response as well as any non-coverage or under- and oversampling resulting from the study-specific sample design. Post stratification variables included, age, sex, education, race, and metropolitan status using the August 2013 Current Population Survey (CPS). The weighted data, which thus reflect the U.S. population of 14-24 year olds, were used for all analyses.
Once GfK collected the data, the AP-NORC Center conducted the analysis along with MTV's Insights and Innovation department. All analyses were conducted using STATA (version 13), which allows for adjustment of standard errors for complex sample designs. All differences reported between subgroups of the U.S. population are at the 95 percent level of statistical significance, meaning that there is only a 5 percent (or less) probability that the observed differences could be attributed to chance variation in sampling. A comprehensive listing of all study questions, complete with tabulations of top-level results for each question, is available on the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research website: http://www.apnorc.org.
The study design was a collaborative effort between MTV and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Funding for the study was provided by MTV.
*Data reveals a downward trend, however not all of the changes are statistically significant.
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent research organization headquartered in downtown Chicago with additional offices in the University of Chicago campus, the D.C. Metro area, Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco. NORC also supports a nationwide field staff as well as international research operations. With clients throughout the world, NORC collaborates with government agencies, foundations, education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to provide data and analysis that support informed decision making in key areas including health, education, crime, justice, energy, security and the environment. NORC's more than 70 years of leadership and experience in data collection, analysis, and disseminationcoupled with deep subject matter expertiseprovides the foundation for effective solutions to issues confronting society.
About The Associated Press
AP is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP.
About MTV
MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy, Grammy and Peabody award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to http://www.mtvpress.com.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
MTV, AP-NORC Center survey finds that online bullying has declined
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
24-Oct-2013
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Contact: Eric Young young-eric@norc.org 301-634-9536 NORC at the University of Chicago
Report shows downward trend across 26 of 27 forms of digital abuse, incidence of sexting drops nearly 20 percent, less than half of young people report experiencing digital abuse
New York, NY October 24, 2013 MTV and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research today released the results of a new survey exploring the pervasiveness of digital abuse among teens and young adults, how it is affecting America's youth and how they're responding to it. According to the survey, trends show that the share of young people affected by digital abuse has declined since 2011, with less than half (49 percent) of those surveyed stating that they have experienced digital abuse, compared to 56 percent in 2011. Additionally, virtually every form of digital abuse tracked in this study 26 out of 27 listed has declined*. When experiencing digital abuse, 44 percent of young people state that they seek help from their parents or family, up over 25 percent from 2011, and the majority (66 percent) say that telling their parents made the situation better.
Sexting is down nearly 20 percent from 2011, with only about a quarter of young people reporting that they have sent or received "sext" messages, compared with one in three in 2011. Meanwhile, just over 10 percent of 14-24 year olds say they have shared naked pictures of videos of themselves. While this number remains relatively consistent over the past few years, the percentage of teens and young adults who say they sent naked pictures to someone they only know online has decreased by more than half since 2009. Additionally, young people report less pressure to send naked pictures or videos of themselves, down over 40 percent compared to 2011 (12 percent vs. 7 percent). Unfortunately there has been less progress on digital dating abuse. On par with 2011, nearly 40 percent of young people in a relationship report experiencing some type of digital dating abuse, with one in five stating that their partner has checked up with them multiple times per day online or via mobile, and that their significant other has read their text messages without their permission.
The MTV and Associated Press-NORC Center study was released today as part of MTV's "A THIN LINE" campaign, which has already empowered more than 1.5 million young people to take action to stop the spread of digital abuse.
Detailed findings from the October 2013 study include:
I. POSITIVE MOMENTUM AND RESPONSE
Less than half of young people (49 percent) report experiencing digital abuse, representing a nearly 15 percent decline from 56 percent in 2011. Some of the positive gains include:
Drops in 26 of 27 forms of digital abuse (2013 vs. 2011)*. Some of these include:
A nearly 30 percent drop in reports of people using email, IM or cell phone text messages to spread rumors that weren't true (15 percent vs. 21 percent)
An almost 30 percent decline in reports of people impersonating the respondent by logging into his or her email or social media accounts without permission (15 percent vs. 21 percent)
A nearly 25 percent decrease in reports of spying by logging into personal email and/or social media accounts without permission (16 percent vs. 21 percent)
When responding to digital abuse:
More young people are seeking help from parents or family, up over 25 percent from 2011. Among the 1 in 3 who asked their parents for help in 2013, a majority (66 percent) say it made the situation better, up 35 percent compared to 2011 (49 percent). Additionally, nearly 20 percent asked a sibling for help, and among that group- over half (57 percent) report that it made the situation better.
The most effective responses to digital abuse include:
Changing email, IM, or social networking passwords (nearly three-quarters, or 73 percent, report that this made the situation better)
Changing an email address, screen name or cell phone number (72 percent report this made the situation better)
Deleting a social networking profile (72 percent report this made the situation better)
Telling parents (66 percent report this made the situation better).
Retaliation is now cited as the least effective response, with 20 percent saying that it made the situation worse. Nearly 50 percent viewed retaliation as an effective response in 2011, compared to less than 30 percent in 2013, representing a nearly 40 percent decline.
II. SEXTING AND RELATIONSHIPS
The number of young people who have sent or received "sext" messages has declined. Of the young people who have shared naked pictures or videos of themselves, over half (66 percent) say they sent naked pictures of themselves to their boyfriend or girlfriend, and less than 15 percent have shared naked pictures with someone they only know online, marking a more than 50 percent decline since 2009.
While fewer young people report sending or receiving "sext" messages, digital dating abuse has unfortunately remained relatively consistent, with nearly 40 percent of young people who are currently in a relationship experiencing some form of digital abuse:
Around one in five report that their partner has checked up with them multiple times per day online or via mobile (22 percent), and that their significant other has read their text messages without their permission (21 percent).
Nearly 10 percent say their significant other has called them names, put them down, or said mean things to them on the Internet or on their cell phone (9 percent) or demanded to know the passwords to their email and Internet accounts (8 percent).
Nearly 20 percent of young people say they feel pressured by their partner to respond to their phone calls, emails, texts, or instant messages.
###
To access the full MTV/AP-NORC research findings from 2013, 2011 and 2009, please go to http://www.research.ATHINLINE.org. Additional information, including the Associated Press stories based on the survey results and the survey's complete topline findings can be found on The AP-NORC Center's website at http://www.apnorc.org.
Launched in 2009, MTV's "A THIN LINE" campaign empowers America's youth to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse, which includes all forms of digital bullying, dating abuse and discrimination. MTV is addressing these issues through thought-provoking PSAs, integration into MTV's top-rated shows, innovative online and mobile tools, and curricula. For more information on MTV's "A THIN LINE" please head to http://www.ATHINLINE.org.
Methodology
This survey was conducted by the GfK Group using the Web-enabled KnowledgePanel, a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. Initially, participants are chosen scientifically by a random selection of telephone numbers and residential addresses. Persons in selected households are then invited by telephone or by mail to participate in the Web-enabled KnowledgePanel. For those who agree to participate, but do not already have Internet access, GfK provides at no cost a laptop and ISP connection. People who already have computers and Internet service are permitted to participate using their own equipment. Panelists then receive unique log-in information for accessing surveys online, and then are sent emails throughout each month inviting them to participate in research.
Interviews were conducted in English between September 27 and October 7, 2013 with 1,297 young people ages 14-24 (489 ages 14-17; 808 ages 18-24). A total of 4,321 panel members were randomly drawn from GfK's KnowledgePanel. 1,297 (excluding breakoffs) responded to the invitation, yielding a final stage completion rate of 30.0 percent. The recruitment rate for this study, reported by GfK, was 13.2 percent and the profile rate was 66.7 percent, for a cumulative response rate of 2.6 percent. The overall margin of error is +/- 3.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Once the sample has been selected and fielded, and all the study data are collected and made final, a post-stratification process is used to adjust for any survey non-response as well as any non-coverage or under- and oversampling resulting from the study-specific sample design. Post stratification variables included, age, sex, education, race, and metropolitan status using the August 2013 Current Population Survey (CPS). The weighted data, which thus reflect the U.S. population of 14-24 year olds, were used for all analyses.
Once GfK collected the data, the AP-NORC Center conducted the analysis along with MTV's Insights and Innovation department. All analyses were conducted using STATA (version 13), which allows for adjustment of standard errors for complex sample designs. All differences reported between subgroups of the U.S. population are at the 95 percent level of statistical significance, meaning that there is only a 5 percent (or less) probability that the observed differences could be attributed to chance variation in sampling. A comprehensive listing of all study questions, complete with tabulations of top-level results for each question, is available on the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research website: http://www.apnorc.org.
The study design was a collaborative effort between MTV and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Funding for the study was provided by MTV.
*Data reveals a downward trend, however not all of the changes are statistically significant.
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent research organization headquartered in downtown Chicago with additional offices in the University of Chicago campus, the D.C. Metro area, Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco. NORC also supports a nationwide field staff as well as international research operations. With clients throughout the world, NORC collaborates with government agencies, foundations, education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to provide data and analysis that support informed decision making in key areas including health, education, crime, justice, energy, security and the environment. NORC's more than 70 years of leadership and experience in data collection, analysis, and disseminationcoupled with deep subject matter expertiseprovides the foundation for effective solutions to issues confronting society.
About The Associated Press
AP is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP.
About MTV
MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy, Grammy and Peabody award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is the leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to http://www.mtvpress.com.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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