On the Radar: The Book of Bill, ChatGPT Roast and Good Facial Harmony

‘The Book of Bill’ Might Be a Bestselling Nightmare

What? The Book of Bill, written by Alex Hirsch (the creator of Disney show Gravity Falls), is a parody novel told from the perspective of Bill, the demonic antagonist of Gravity Falls. It’s quickly become a bestseller and is currently sold out nationwide.

So What? The self-described “deeply cursed” book has been dubbed the “Satanic bible for kids” by some concerned Christian parents. Admittedly, Bill is a “dream demon” whose cartoonish visage resembles the Eye of Providence (or All-Seeing Eye). And early pages of The Book of Bill encourage readers to enter their name and “summon” Bill’s spirit.

Now What? Honestly, read Plugged In’s review of The Book of Bill and decide what to do for yourself. Obviously, The Book of Bill is meant to be funny—and older teens may be able to understand the nuance of its parody. That said, it definitely dives into in some dark spirituality that your family may not want to touch with a 10-foot pole.

Instagram Users Asking ChatGPT to ‘Roast’ Their Profiles

What? Recently, social media users figured out a way to employ ChatGPT (Open AI’s AI-powered chatbot) as a sort of auditor, uploading screenshots of their Instagram profiles and asking for the chatbot’s impressions.

So What? This mostly harmless trend has garnered popularity for its “often savage” but entertaining responses, prompting other users to share their own ChatGPT “roasts.” But some users are also worried with how folks are responding to this “brutally honest” feedback. And, unsurprisingly, there are some worries regarding privacy since the process involves sharing personal photos with an AI chatbot.

Now What? Talk to your teens about this trend and how the results make them feel. A favorable AI review may feel validating in a world where our digital footprints are part of our identities, says Dr. Ozan Toy (a psychiatrist based in Baltimore, Maryland). But less-than-flattering assessments might sting more than a teen would think. And it might also be a catalyst for introspection and allow our teens to consider how they’re presenting themselves online.

Gen Z Is Obsessed with ‘Good Facial Harmony’

What? One of the latest TikTok trends to hit teenagers’ feeds is “facial harmony.” According to New York Post, users are “asking and analyzing” whether their individual facial features look “subjectively ‘good’ or ‘bad’” when put together.

So What? Although there’s allegedly a “science” behind this trend, experts warn that it could lead to comparison, which could negatively affect self-esteem. Plastic surgeons also weigh in, warning about the dangers of “following fleeting fads,” and the negative influence on body image this one could have.

Now What? The “facial harmony” trend could help some teens feel better about their features, while others might feel a dip in their self-esteem. Either way, though, parents need to weigh in on the conversation, too. First, talk with your child about what it means to be made in God’s image, and how that influences our sense of identity. In addition, our unique facial features also serve as a sort of visual history of our families. So your teen may not like having grandpa’s nose, mom’s dimples and dad’s ears, but when those features come together, it’s a beautiful portrait of a family, no matter what the internet says about “harmony.”