Ben Tracy is running across America to keep kids safe online. 120 marathons in 120 days, engaging at schools, community groups and with lawmakers along the way to raise awareness about issues of online safety for children. Ben and his team stopped in the middle of Kansas to give Scrolling 2 Death an update on their progress and give advice to parents. Follow the Tracy Trek on their website and Instagram. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark App for...

In this conversation, Nicki Reisberg and Dawn Wible discuss the critical issues surrounding digital wellness and safety for children. Dawn shares her journey as the founder of Talk More. Tech Less., highlighting the importance of advocacy, education, and legislation in addressing the challenges posed by technology and social media. Dawn takes parents through the risks associated with children's use of digital devices, the necessity of open conversations between parents and children,...

Parents everywhere are worried about the rise of empathetic, human-like AI chat bots. I brought in Noah Coffman of Young People's Alliance to dive into the evolution of AI chatbots and unpack how these bots are engaging users emotionally. We discuss both the perks and pitfalls of AI, from its potential in mental health support to the ethical issues around privacy and dependency. We emphasize the importance of open conversations with kids about the risks of unregulated AI, and why...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: Parents Must Talk to Their Kids About Porn (early and often). Resources: Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Book series Kids and Porn (podcast episode) with Kristen Jenson Talking to Kids About Pornography (podcast episode) with Parker Hymas 14-year-old Sewell Setzer dies after falling in love with an AI chatbot "An AI...

In this conversation, Dr. Lisa Strohman discusses the intersection of technology and child psychology, focusing on the implications of gaming, social media, and educational technology on children's safety and mental health. She emphasizes the need for parents to be proactive in understanding the risks associated with these platforms and advocates for educational programs that empower youth to navigate the digital landscape responsibly. We cover a ton of topics including; screens at...

In this conversation, I brought in Parker Hymas of Fight the New Drug to discuss the significant impact of pornography on youth, relationships and society. The changing landscape of pornography makes having open and early conversations with our kids vital. This discussion provides parents with actionable resources and guidance on how to have these important conversations. We also cover questions that were submitted by parents through Instagram. Thank for those! Resources for...

Trigger warning: The following content contains sensitive subject matter, including depictions of suicide and self-harm. Please view or listen with caution. What is empathetic AI and is it safe for our kids? In this conversation, Laurie Segall discusses the urgent need to address the impact of technology, particularly AI, on youth. She highlights the risks associated with social media and the emergence of empathetic AI companions, emphasizing the lack of regulation and the potential dangers...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: Can AI be blamed for 14-year-old Sewell Setzer's suicide? "An AI Chatbot killed my son." (with Megan Garcia) Chatbots of Dead Teens Found on Character AI Google Has Deep Ties to AI Startup Accused of Causing Teen Suicide NYC Teens Reject Cell Phones and Social Media Roblox is a Pedophile Hellscape for Kids (a breakdown of the...

This is the grooming conversation that all parents need to listen to. Anna Sonoda, LCSW, corrects misconceptions about grooming and educates parents on how to prepare, prevent and protect our children from predators (both online and offline). Anna Sonoda, LCSW, graduated from Emory University with a double major in anthropology and French Studies before earning her master’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia in 2006. She became a licensed clinical social worker in...

In this conversation, Nicki Reisberg interviews Michael Lawson Neff, a founding partner at Neff Injury Law, about the legal implications of online harms, particularly focusing on the case against Snapchat related to its deadly speed filter. They discuss the challenges of holding tech companies accountable under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the impact of social media on youth, and the importance of parental guidance in navigating these issues. Neff shares insights...

Trigger warning: The following content contains sensitive subject matter, including depictions of suicide and self-harm. Please view or listen with caution.  This is a story that every parent must hear. The future is here, and that includes AI chatbot companions who emulate human relationships. These products are unregulated and unsafe, particularly for children.  I spoke to Megan Garcia, an attorney from Florida. Megan is the mother of Sewell Setzer III, who died by suicide in...

Is Roblox safe for kids? The fact that Nickolodeon gave Roblox the 2024 Teen Choice Award for Favorite Video Game would incidate that Roblox is in fact, safe. But the reality is much darker.  A new report by Hindenburg Research labeled Roblox a "pedophile hellscape for kids." In today's episode, Titania Jordan of Bark and Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death break down the report findings and make recommendations for parents. Resources mentioned in the episode: Meta Exposed documentary by...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: Can AI be blamed for 14-year-old Sewell Setzer's suicide? Big Tech Spends $51 Million on Lobbying Against Kids Safety Bills Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise Hold Up Kids Online Safety Act Contact Speaker Johnson Contact Majority Leader Scalise New iMessage Feature Allows Children to Report Nudity to Apple ...

Lenore Skenazy's life completely changed after allowing her child to navigate the New York City subway alone at just 9 years old. She went on to publish a book called Free-Range Kids which grew into a movement. Now, Lenore is the president of Let Grow, the national nonprofit she co-founded with three others, including Jonathan Haidt of "The Anxious Generation." Her mission is to make it easy, normal and legal to give kids back some old-fashioned independence. In this...

The average age that kids get a smartphone is nearing 10 years old. Watches are being given closer to 5. Parents primarily make these decisions for safety; to be able to track their children and get ahold of each other in case of an emergency. But do these devices actually keep children safe? Or are we hindering their autonomy and sense of independence while also potentially exposing them to the dangers that come along with a device? I brought in youth advocate Ava Smithing of...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: Instagram Announces New Education Campaign to Fight Sextortion Meta Exposed Documentary by Channel 7 News Meta Confirms Layoffs Across Companies Social Media Faces Big Changes in UK Under New Ofcom Rules First UK-US Online Safety Agreement to Keep Kids Safe Online Survey: Colorado Teens use Social media More and at Younger...

I was super eager to catch up with long-time educator Matt Brady about screens at school. We dive deep into phone bans and also school-issued tech. Meet Matt Brady: Matt Brady is a Physics and Chemistry teacher in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Came in through lateral entry after spending 10 years writing about comic books and pop culture for various outlets. Prior to that, he was in graduate school for a PhD in Physiology & Pharmacology; prior to that, earned a Master’s in Marine...

For this interview, I brought in Dawn Hawkins, CEO of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. NCOSE is the leading organization exposing the connections between all forms of sexual exploitation, including sex trafficking, prostitution, pornography, and child sexual abuse. In addition to running NCOSE, Dawn is a mom of 5 and I loved learning about her approach to screens and her decision to homeschool after learning about the reliance on screens at her local public school...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: [REPORT] Roblox is a Pedophile Hellscape for Kids 14 U.S. States Sue TikTok for Harm to Children TikTok Redacted Documents in Teen Safety Lawsuit Revealed [REPORT] CDC Warns Parents About Social Media Link to Suicide Families Sue Social Media for Harm to Children [WARNING] DEA Issues Warning About Illegal Online Pharmacies Snapchat...

I checked my Instagram messages last week and saw that the incredible Andrea Brambila had reached out. She asked very simply, "How do I get involved in advocacy?"  I'm not an expert, but have learned a lot in the past 12 months through attending Congressional hearings, lobbying in D.C. and advocating on a local level at my school district and school board meetings.  Andrea led the conversation by asking questions that many parents may have about how to get more involved in protecting...

Harrison Haynes was a 12-year-old, video game-loving middle school student who met a stranger on Xbox. The stranger became Harrison's "best friend," sharing intimate conversations and advice. Over the next 18 months, Harrison became the victim of "grooming," where predators establish an emotional connection with a minor under the age of consent, to lower the child's inhibitions with the objective of sexual or emotional abuse. On today's episode, Harrison vulnerably shares his story in...

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. Social Media & Big Tech highlights for this week: State of New Mexico Sues Snapchat for Failing to Protect Kids [New Yorker] Has social media fueled a teen suicide crisis? U.S. Surgeon General Recommends Social Media Warning Label (bill introduced in Congress) Roblox and Google Partner to Create a Weird Online Safety Game AAP Releases Glossary of Digital Media Platforms Check...

The internet is now, decidedly, unsafe for kids...including A.I. generated platforms. At Angel Kids AI, their mission is to use AI to flip the script; making the internet safe for kids.  I brought in Tim Estes, founder of Angel Kids AI, to educate parents about A.I., the harms, the potential and how to introduce our kids to A.I. tools safely and productively. Tim and I dig into online harms, reviewing popular AI products like Amazon's Alexa, ChatGPT and others. Parents will leave this...

Rick Lane was there at the beginning; when MySpace was the leader of the pack and Facebook was moving fast and breaking things. He had a front row seat to it all going wrong and is speaking out. In this eye-opening conversation, Rick describes how the initial intention of self-regulation and light government touch in the tech industry has led to the lack of accountability and failure in protecting children online. Rick Lane is a tech policy expert, child safety advocate, and the...