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 school, gamin...
Nov 07, 2024•50 min
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 Parents: Fight the N...
Nov 04, 2024•43 min
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 for ...
Nov 02, 2024•35 min
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 investigation) Roblox ...
Nov 01, 2024•8 min
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 2009. Anna's ...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 1 min
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 from his ongo...
Oct 28, 2024•34 min
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 February 2024 after...
Oct 27, 2024•26 min
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 Channel 7 News So...
Oct 26, 2024•31 min
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 Roblox Makes Parental Contr...
Oct 25, 2024•9 min
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 conversation, Lenore discuss...
Oct 24, 2024•36 min
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 Young People's All...
Oct 21, 2024•37 min
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 Ages List of end-to-end e...
Oct 18, 2024•9 min
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 Biology, a...
Oct 17, 2024•34 min
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 system. This conver...
Oct 14, 2024•29 min
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 Begins Testing 2...
Oct 11, 2024•8 min
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 kids online. ...
Oct 10, 2024•34 min
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 order to w...
Oct 07, 2024•42 min
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 back on Fridays for e...
Oct 04, 2024•8 min
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 conversatio...
Oct 03, 2024•50 min
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 founder and CEO ...
Sep 30, 2024•49 min
I brought in CMO of Bark Technologies, Titania Jordan, to discuss the implications of Apple's iOS 18 update, focusing on its impact on child safety and parental controls. We also discuss implications of privacy and general advice related to kids and devices. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids . *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF Learn about the Bark Watch...
Sep 28, 2024•24 min
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: Snapchat Integrates Google's AI to Enhance Snapchat Chatbot Snapchat Offers Older Teens 16+ Public Sharing Snapchat Testing Simplified Version of the App States Race to Ban Phones at School Administrators Toolkit by Phone Free Schools Movement The Battle to Ban Screens From School Now Includes Chromebooks and Tablets Instagram Announces Teen Accoun...
Sep 27, 2024•9 min
Laura Lawrence is a wealth of knowledge between her experience as a teacher, speaker, author and most importantly, a mom of 4. We had an honest conversation that covers all areas of screen time and social media. I am especially grateful to Laura for sharing a sensitive story about her son's experience with an online harm. Laura Lawrence is a 4x best-selling author, motivational speaker, mindfulness coach, entrepreneur, philanthropist and mother of four. Connect with Laura On Instagram @lauralawr...
Sep 26, 2024•39 min
Today's episode of Scrolling 2 Death features a vulnerable conversation with a mom in Colorado named Lori Schott. Lori tragically and suddenly lost her 17-year-old daughter to suicide in November of 2020. After Anna's death, Lori turned to her phone for answers. What she found on TikTok is every parent's worst nightmare -- a steady stream of videos targeting Anna with promotion of self-harm, suicide and depression. Lori is fighting back against the companies who harmed her daughter through advoc...
Sep 23, 2024•27 min
I was honored to speak with pro football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith about his work in raising awareness of the dangers of opioid use. Emmitt Smith teamed up with Emergent BioSolutions to break down the stigma around opioid use and accidental overdose, which continues to fuel a national epidemic impacting people from all walks of life. During Emmitt's decorated 15-year professional career, Smith faced multiple injuries and often chose to play through the pain, because he knew the risk...
Sep 22, 2024•17 min
This is the worst story I've ever heard, but I'm so grateful I got to know Emily. Today we meet an incredibly kind and animal-loving teenager named Emily Popolo. Her mom describes her with a smile on her face, despite Emily's struggles with bipolar disorder and learning disabilities. Emily faced bullying that became relentless after the bullies took to social media to target her. It was too much for Emily and at 17 years old, she died by suicide. This tragic story doesn't end there. The bullies ...
Sep 19, 2024•51 min
Let's face it. Kids are struggling and one of the main reasons is social media; the addictiveness, the inappropriate content, the cyberbullying, the constant comparison. The list of threats goes on and on. Turns out, social media platforms are not legally required to keep our kids safe or protect their mental health. This is why Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal created the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). I brought in Josh Golin of Fairplay to explain what KOSA is and what it is not. Josh busts t...
Sep 16, 2024•35 min
After finding a self-harm video being promoted to my child on her school-issued device, I decided to embark on a journey of opting my child out of devices at school. And boy, has it been a journey. I chose to share my experience with parents on social media, and it turns out that parents all over the country are having the same experiences. So from there, I brought in Julie Liddell of the Ed Tech Law Center to help parents understand our rights around tech at school. For 7 questions to ask your ...
Sep 14, 2024•55 min
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: The link between social media use and suicide My journey opting out of school-issued devices 42 State Attorney Generals Demand Warning Label for Social Media ( CNN ) Support the Kids Online Safety Act ( contact your Rep here ) KOSA interviews with Alix Fraser , Patrick Lyden and Senator Ted Cruz TikTok Heads to Appeals Court Interview with Project ...
Sep 13, 2024•7 min
Are our kids digital superlearners, or did we just complete a decades-long hardware dump on an entire generation with no research to support that kids will actually benefit from over-integration of tech at school? This is what I explore in today's episode with special guest, Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes . We dive into the research related to the educational benefit of screens and global test scores, in addition to the distractions and privacy issues associated with school-issued tech. Res...
Sep 12, 2024•47 min
