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New Research Reveals Positive Associations Between Online Content Creators and Community Connection for LGBTQ+ Young People

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3 months ago

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — New research from Hopelab, in collaboration with media psychology expert Dr. Bradley Bond, sheds light on the powerful role that social media and parasocial relationships play in the lives of LGBTQ+ young people. The study, Parasocial Relationships, AI Chatbots, and Joyful Online Interactions Among a Diverse Sample of LGBTQ+ Young People provides a nuanced understanding of how unique online connections with media figures, such as social media content creators, contribute to the positive experiences, community connection, and identity development for Queer young people. The study also features data on LGBTQ+ young people’s use of AI chatbots to engage in interactive conversations.

The findings suggest that parasocial relationships—one-sided relationships formed with media figures—are strong sources of support and connection for LGBTQ+ young people, a group that experiences loneliness and depression at significantly higher rates than their peers. The data suggest that parasocial relationships are also especially important for transgender and nonbinary young people.

“Conversations about the well-being of LGBTQ+ young people often focus primarily on harms, rather than ways to improve joy,” said Dr. Mike Parent, Principal Researcher at Hopelab. “Our data highlight that visibility matters and relatable content creators provide a pathway to the development of programs and policies that support Queer young people as they navigate an evolving technology ecosystem.”

Key Findings:

Transgender and nonbinary young people benefit most from parasocial relationships: These connections are linked to higher levels of transgender pride and community connectedness among transgender and nonbinary young people.Smaller-scale content creators resonate deeply: LGBTQ+ young people often identify with smaller, relatable creators whose content feels authentic and less curated. These creators frequently focus on personal growth and LGBTQ+ identity.High chatbot use among transgender and nonbinary youth: 40% of respondents report engaging with AI chatbots for ongoing conversations, with another 16% indicating openness to using chatbots in the future.Online interactions foster joy and connection: LGBTQ+ young people report finding joy through supportive online conversations, connecting with others who share similar identities, and experiencing relatability that helps them feel less alone.

Additionally, the report examines the use of social media and generative AI, highlighting that tools such as chatbots may lessen the impact of in-person isolation and loneliness for transgender and nonbinary young people. A greater understanding of the ways LGBTQ+ young people navigate emergent technology and leverage parasocial relationships is crucial to informing efforts that minimize harm while constructing social media literacy and developing policies and programs in support of Queer joy.

“In a hetero- and cisgender-normative society, it is essential for marginalized populations, such as transgender and nonbinary young people, to have access to resources as they develop their sexual and gender identities,” said Dr. Bradley Bond, media psychology and parasocial relationship expert. “Parasocial relationships and technology like generative AI can play a vital role for LGBTQ+ young people who are dealing with isolation and lack of in-person support.”

Data for this study was collected via a national survey of 1,715 U.S.-based LGBTQ+ teens and young adults, ages 13-22. To provide additional depth and context, Hopelab conducted co-distillation and sense-making sessions with nine LGBTQ+ young people, offering a fuller perspective on the findings.

Download the full report here.

About Hopelab
Hopelab envisions a future where young people have equitable opportunities to live joyful and purposeful lives. As a researcher, convener, and science translator, Hopelab is dedicated to fostering greater mental health and well-being outcomes for young people. Learn more at hopelab.org.

Bradley J. Bond, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of San Diego. His research examines the development and maintenance of parasocial relationships with media personae and the influence of media on identity and outgroup attitudes. Much of his current work focuses on the depiction of marginalized individuals in entertainment media and the effects of exposure on identity, stereotypes, and prejudices. He serves as a Research Associate with the Media and Diversity Center, on the Advisory Council for the Center for Scholars & Storytellers, and as Board President for FilmOut San Diego.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-reveals-positive-associations-between-online-content-creators-and-community-connection-for-lgbtq-young-people-302263271.html

SOURCE Hopelab

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MagFone Christmas & New Year Sale: Unbeatable Discounts for the Holiday Season

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4 hours ago

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December 22, 2024

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The festive season is upon us, and MagFone is here to make your holidays even brighter with an exclusive Christmas & New Year sale! From incredible discounts on best-selling products to special deals on new products, MagFone is the ultimate destination for holiday shopping. From December 18, 2024 to January 6, 2025, this sale offers up to 80% off discount for everyone. Let’s dive into the details of the most awaited sale of the year.

HONGKONG, Dec. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — What Can You Get from MagFone Christmas & New Year Sale?

New arrival – Location Changer is only $1.99 to everyone in this MagFone Christmas & New Year Grand sales. Moreover, everyone can enjoy up to 80% OFF.

1. Best-Selling Products at Up to 70% OFF

Resolving various iOS system issues or unlocking locked Apple devices like iPhone and iPad by yourself at home with MagFone’s flagship products, now available at unbeatable prices. Best-selling products such as iPhone Unlocker, Activation Unlocker, and iOS System Recovery are up for grabs with discounts of up to 70% off. Don’t miss out on this chance to get MagFone’s best-selling products at jaw-dropping prices.

MagFone iPhone Unlocker at $20.95/month and $41.95/lifetime.MagFone Activation Unlocker at $20.95/month and $41.95/lifetime.MagFone iOS System Recovery at $17.95/month and $48.95/lifetime.

2. New Arrival to Get with Only $1.99

Whether you want to change your location on your mobile device or simulate GPS movement in various games, MagFone’s new product – Location Changer – is perfect for you. Designed for both iOS and Android users, this tool comes equipped with advanced location changing features, flexible movement speed, and customizable route. With only $1.99, it is a must-have for this Christmas sale if you have the demand to change your device location.

3. 4-in-1 Bundle to Maximize Your Savings

MagFone values all loyal customers and offers exclusive pers during the Christmas & New Year sale. A super 4-in-in bundle is at reduced prices, which enables you to get all products from MagFone with an 80% off discount. This bundle includes all the tools you need, whether you’re looking to resolve various system problems and unlocking issues or change iPhone and Android device’s location. Don’t miss this chance to get all MagFone products at unbeatable prices.

MagFone Christmas & New Year Sale is a limited-time event, running from December 18, 2024 to January 6, 2025. With discount this good, products are expected to get at the lowest price this year. Don’t wait until the last minute—start shopping now to get MagFone products at the best deals.

About MagFone:

MagFone is redefining tech innovation with state-of-the-art technology and intuitive design. Whether their flagship products like iPhone Unlocker or newly-released tools like Location Changer, MagFone products are built for performance and flexibility.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@magfone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magfone/

X: https://x.com/magfone

Media Contact

Olivia Wood, MagFone, 86 19186985874, support@magfone.com, https://www.magfone.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/magfone-christmas–new-year-sale-unbeatable-discounts-for-the-holiday-season-302337015.html

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Dr. Ashley Milhizer Sees 300% Growth in 2024 at Real Results Medical & Aesthetics

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9 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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After nearly two years in business, Dr. Ashley Milhizer’s Tempe-based center for naturopathic medicine and aesthetics has experienced the type of growth that rival industry titans. Real Results Medical & Aesthetics – soon to be opening a second location in Scottsdale in early 2025 – has seen an impressive 300% growth since opening their doors in March 2023.

TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — After nearly two years in business, Dr. Ashley Milhizer’s Tempe-based center for naturopathic medicine and aesthetics has experienced the type of growth that rival industry titans. Real Results Medical & Aesthetics – soon to be opening a second location in Scottsdale in early 2025 – has seen an impressive 300% growth since opening their doors in March 2023.

Aside from patient referrals and cutting-edge technology, Milhizer credits social media as one of the biggest avenues for growth. “Between TikTok and Instagram we’ve amassed over 25,000 followers and that accounts for about 70% of our new business.”

Aside from patient referrals and cutting-edge technology, Milhizer credits social media as one of the biggest avenues for growth. “Between TikTok and Instagram we’ve amassed over 25,000 followers and that accounts for about 70% of our new business,” said Dr. Ashley Milhizer, Founder of Real Results Medical & Aesthetics.

On both platforms, Dr. Milhizer shares educational videos and insights into various medical & aesthetic procedures. Her engaging content not only highlights the quality of care she provides but also educates her audience on the latest trends and treatments in the field.

Originally from Michigan, and a graduate of UC Davis and the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, it was Dr. Milhizer’s personal experience in seeing how natural remedies can significantly impact the body that inspired her to get into the field.

“While I was in school, a friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and was given up to 18 months to live and I became determined to research every kind of remedy that could potentially help,” said Dr. Milhizer. “From a healthy diet, supplements and a host of other naturopathic strategies, we tried everything we could find and two months later he was in remission, and he’s still alive today.”

The power of naturopathic remedies, following an early career path in sports medicine – which enabled her to work with some of the state’s top professional athletes – is what led her to forming Real Results Medical & Aesthetics. The company’s broad depth of services is also what allowed her to expand her reach of clientele beyond athletes to everyone from the Valley’s elite CEOs and stay at home Moms to patients ranging from their early 20s to upper 80s.

The naturopathic services offered at Real Results Medical & Aesthetics include hormone optimization, peptide therapy, IV therapy, natural pain relief, weight loss, food allergy testing and overall diagnostic testing. While the aesthetics side of the business offers services such as hair restoration, skin resurfacing, botox, fillers, microneedling, RF Plasma skin resurfacing, laser treatments, vein removal and body contouring.

For more information on Real Results Medical & Aesthetics, visit www.realresultsmedical.com or call/text 480.245.5636. For ongoing news, updates and service offerings, follow Dr. Milhizer on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Kendra Riley, Real Results Medical & Aesthetics, 1 4802206051, kendra@dawningpr.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/dr-ashley-milhizer-sees-300-growth-in-2024-at-real-results-medical–aesthetics-302337009.html

SOURCE Real Results Medical & Aesthetics

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ICEYE expands its Earth Observation capabilities with launch of two SAR satellites for mid-inclination orbit on the Bandwagon-2 mission with SpaceX

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14 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Mid-inclination orbit provides more SAR-imaging opportunities at middle latitudes of the globe for ICEYE customers.

HELSINKI, Finland, Dec. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ICEYE, the global leader in SAR satellite operations for Earth Observation and persistent monitoring, announced today that it has launched two new satellites to its constellation of SAR satellites. Both satellites expand the availability of ICEYE’s latest imaging technology to deliver additional 25 cm imaging capacity. The satellites were integrated via Exolaunch and launched as part of the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Both satellites have established communication, and early routine operations are underway. With today’s launch, ICEYE has successfully launched 40 satellites into orbit since 2018, with nine satellites launched in 2024 alone.

The new SAR satellites were launched into mid-inclination orbits; compared to a polar orbit, these mid-inclination orbits provide more than twice the collection opportunities at middle latitudes of the globe. ICEYE customers have many areas of interest in these middle latitudes (+/- 45 degrees), and these customers will benefit from increased persistence over these regions. Customers with imaging interests outside these middle latitudes will continue to benefit from the frequent revisit enabled by ICEYE’s dozens of satellites in polar orbits. ICEYE’s unique mix of mid-inclination and polar orbits provides its customers with deep revisit capabilities for targets all around the globe. The new satellites will serve ICEYE’s commercial missions as part of the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation owned and operated by ICEYE.

Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE said: “This launch marks another significant milestone in ICEYE’s ability to provide our customers with a rich diversity of collection opportunities. We bolster our industry-leading SAR constellation and expand our customers’ collection opportunities in the areas most important to them.”

Today’s launch is another step forward in ICEYE’s steady drumbeat of innovative breakthroughs in Earth Observation. This year alone, ICEYE has, for example, introduced Dwell Precise, a new 25 cm imaging mode that offers its customers the highest-fidelity 25cm imaging capability, and adds advanced capability to ICEYE’s line of Dwell products; launched an API that allows customers to directly task its SAR satellite constellation; and launched ICEYE Ocean Vision to provide actionable intelligence for maritime domain awareness.

About ICEYE

ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before.

Owning the world’s largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable high-quality data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions. As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development.

ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Japan, UAE, Greece, and the US.  We have more than 700 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

Media contact: press@iceye.com

Visit www.iceye.com and follow ICEYE on LinkedIn and X for the latest updates and insights.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iceye-expands-its-earth-observation-capabilities-with-launch-of-two-sar-satellites-for-mid-inclination-orbit-on-the-bandwagon-2-mission-with-spacex-302337876.html

SOURCE ICEYE

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