In this episode, Titania Jordan dives into her book Parental Control , sharing real-world advice for parents trying to navigate the wild world of raising kids in the digital age. We cover everything from the impact of technology on mental health to building resilience and setting up solid parental controls. Titania breaks down why protecting kids' sleep is a game-changer, how to create safe environments, and the very real dangers lurking online and even in schools. Plus, she shares must-have res...
Apr 03, 2025•30 min
In 2015, Tessa Stuckey noticed a troubling trend as teenagers began flooding her therapy office. Their grievances were no different than those she faced as a teen - failing tests, feeling left out, disappointing mom and dad – but their discomfort was leading straight to thoughts of self-harm and suicide. A correlation between rising harms and screen time became clear to her. As a mom of four, Tessa was all-in on iPads as a “babysitter” when they went to restaurants or a quick fix for tantrums. H...
Mar 31, 2025•47 min
When Chromebooks hit the market in 2010, they were a flop. Desperate to avoid significant losses, a savvy group of Google executives struck a deal with educators to provide Chromebooks to schools. “To help children build 21st century skills,” they said. Instead, we’re uncovering a growing number of harms and real-life tragedies caused by school devices. The problem? A Chromebook is essentially just a ‘browser in a box,’ giving kids unlimited – and often unsupervised - internet access. Meanwhile,...
Mar 27, 2025•52 min
This episode is dedicated to the life of Avery Ping, forever 16. Avery's dad, Aaron Ping, joins Nicki on Scrolling 2 Death to expose the dark reality of social media’s role in the fentanyl crisis, focusing on the devastating loss of Aaron’s son, Avery. Avery’s death was not a tragic accident—it was the direct result of drug dealers operating with impunity on Snapchat. In this gripping conversation, Aaron shares his painful journey through the legal system following Avery's death. Nicki and Aaron...
Mar 23, 2025•43 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: Facebook Whistleblower Releases Tell-All Memoir (and Meta silences her) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (a recap) Community Notes on Meta - What to expect [STUDY] Virtal TikTok Videos on ADHD Spread Misinformation State of Massachusetts Sues TikTok Former NYC Teacher Solicits Sexual Images from Children on Snapchat NYC Man Sexually Assaults ...
Mar 21, 2025•9 min
In this eye-opening episode, Nicki Reisberg and Denise Champney dive deep into the growing influence of technology in education—unpacking both its false promises and its perils. With schools increasingly reliant on screens and AI-powered tools, what’s being lost? From the risks of inappropriate content slipping through school devices to the hidden dangers of data collection and declining critical thinking skills, this conversation challenges the blind adoption of EdTech. Nicki and Denise advocat...
Mar 20, 2025•37 min
In this episode, I sit down (virtually) with Lauren Paer, Programs Manager for Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network, to unpack the complicated relationship between education and technology. We dive into the growing presence of EdTech in classrooms—how it’s shaping learning, where it’s helping (and where it’s hurting), and what parents really need to know. Lauren and I tackle big questions: Is all this screen time actually making kids better learners, or is it just a distraction? What are the hi...
Mar 17, 2025•54 min
Meta has silenced Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, winning an emergency ruling to stop her from telling her story. Sarah worked directly with Facebook executives for 7 years and describes the dark realities of working at Facebook in her new book, Careless People . I was booked to interview Sarah here on Scrolling 2 Death this morning, March 13th, but the interview was canceled following the ruling. Since we are unable to hear from Sarah directly, I'm giving you a few highlights here a...
Mar 13, 2025•7 min
Kate Doerksen, co-founder of Sage Haven, appears on Scrolling 2 Death to share insights from her research on tech challenges families are facing. After witnessing her family member suffer from a mental health crisis caused by bullying and harmful social media interactions, Kate interviewed hundreds of parents, youth, and child psychologists to try to find a solution to the harms of the current digital landscape. Key themes indicate families struggle with screen addiction and screen-time disputes...
Mar 13, 2025•32 min
Nicki Reisberg and Titania Jordan dive into the real impact of technology on parenting and kids’ mental health, sharing insight from a recent lecture by Jonathan Haidt they attended in Santa Barbara, CA. They also break down the biggest digital dangers kids face today though Bark's new Annual Report—like exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and online predators. With so many challenges, parents are left trying to figure out how to make the best tech choices for their kids. This conversati...
Mar 10, 2025•32 min
Many people ask if there’s a safer social media option. Until now, we’ve said no. But there’s hope on the horizon: scrollhappy.com . Founded by Nick Rotola, who was appalled by the lack of ethics in big tech and concerned for his daughter’s future, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Up (the parent co of scrollhappy.com ) hired top engineers from Meta - who were equally concerned for their children's future - to build a science-backed algorithm that will uplift users, not addict t...
Mar 06, 2025•50 min
Are you concerned about your child using AI chatbots? Research shows that face-to-face connection is vital for healthy brain development and mental well-being, yet companion bots continue to draw users deeper into a virtual reality. We recently covered the dangers of Character.ai, but there’s another troubling app on our radar: Replika. Marketed as an “AI companion who cares” and “is always on your side,” Replika uses deceptive tactics to target vulnerable people, such as those going through a b...
Mar 03, 2025•32 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: Denmark to Ban Mobile Phones in Schools (and recommends no smartphone or tablet until 13) New Bill in Georgia Would Bar Kids Under 14 from Social Media TikTok Users Are Dropping Heavy Things on their Feet (new trend) [REPORT] Buying to Belong by Fairplay [RESEARCH] Early Childhood Mental Health & Social Media Use by Children & Screens Check...
Feb 28, 2025•10 min
Worried about your child’s smartphone use? It’s not too late to make a change. Kathleen Barlow, founder of the “Swimming UpScreen” blog, returns to Scrolling 2 Death to tell us how she reclaimed the simplicity of childhood for her kids. With six children aged 18 to 31, Kathleen has seen the dramatic impact smartphones have on childhood development. In 2018, she gave her twin daughters (then age 12) smartphones - which was typical at the time. At 17 and nearing ‘adulthood,’ she worried that their...
Feb 27, 2025•37 min
We asked digital safety advocate Adam Dodge which social media app is safest for kids. Sadly, his answer was none. He goes further to say, “While I can’t recommend one, I can recommend the one to stay away from: Snapchat.” Not surprised. However, an alarming new social trend worries him even more - chatbots. Research shows kids spend more time on Character AI than TikTok. Why? Companion bots, like Character AI, are more addictive than social media because they simulate real human relationships w...
Feb 24, 2025•45 min
I sat down (virtually) with Chris Kaspar, founder of Techless and creator of the Wisephone , to tackle one of today’s biggest struggles—smartphone addiction. But this time, it's about adults (not kids). We dive into how constant connectivity is affecting parents, why intentional tech use is more crucial than ever, and how the Wisephone is reshaping the way families interact with technology. Chris shares his journey in creating a device designed for digital wellness, offering a real alternative t...
Feb 20, 2025•31 min
This conversation is with Liam Walsh, father of Maia. Liam is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from the use of TikTok. TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then flood...
Feb 17, 2025•52 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: 4 UK Parents Sue TikTok for Deaths of Children TikTok's Response to Latest Lawsuit TikTok Announces Digital Safety and Privacy Guide Snapchat's 3rd Annual Digital Well-Being Index Meta Launches Child Safety Curriculum Meta Cuts Thousands of Jobs to Invest in AI KiDS Campaign for Warning Label Designs (submit here!) Check back on Fridays for everyth...
Feb 14, 2025•8 min
This conversation is with Ellen Roome, mother of Jools. Ellen is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from the use of TikTok. TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then fl...
Feb 13, 2025•23 min
I'm giving up my iPhone (for a healthier phone). For the next 30 days, I will be forgoing my iPhone for a Wisephone. My goals are to be more present with my kids, find better screen time balance and improve my need to be productive at all times. To slow down! I will be documenting this process in real-time and sharing @Scrolling2Death on Instagram , for parents who are interested in alternative phones. I chose the Wisephone for this test because it is the most advanced, intentional phone for adu...
Feb 11, 2025•6 min
This conversation is with Lisa Kenevan, mother of Isaac. Lisa is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from the use of TikTok. TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then fl...
Feb 10, 2025•38 min
This conversation is with Hollie Dance, mother of Archie. Hollie is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from the use of TikTok. TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then...
Feb 07, 2025•27 min
In this episode, Scrolling 2 Death host Nicki Reisberg sits down with Titania Jordan to tackle the questions they get most when speaking to youth at schools. Some of the questions may shock you! This casual catch-up covers several topics that parents are worried about including devices at school, Minecraft's educational platform and social media addiction. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids *Use code SCROLL...
Feb 06, 2025•33 min
Are school-issued devices fueling children’s screen addiction? The American Academy of Pediatrics sets screen-time standards, and we do our best to limit kids’ time on devices, but what is happening in classrooms? Matt Todd, host of The Ranch Podcast , first realized the extent of the problem while volunteering in his son’s first-grade classroom. After his son finished an assignment early, he was “rewarded” with free time on his school-issued Chromebook. With internet browsers and YouTube enable...
Feb 03, 2025•53 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: Research: Youth Anger Linked to Age of Smartphone Access Apple's Parental Controls Fail in New Test Investors Make Offers for TikTok Nigerian Man Extradited in Sextortion Case After Teen Suicide Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day. This episode is sponsored ...
Jan 31, 2025•7 min
Someone recently commented on my Instagram, "Are you ever going to interview someone you don't agree with?" Well, this is that interview. Mackenzie Price, founder of 2 Hour Learning believes that "school is broken" and aims to fix it with an A.I. based educational model. The structure is 2 hours of screen time in the morning led by an AI tutor, followed by life skills workshops led by human guides. It's claimed that students are learning 2x as fast in academics using this model. I was eager to d...
Jan 30, 2025•45 min
A teenage girl falling prey to a human trafficker. A suicide attempt over a leaked nude. Young children acting out scenes from a pornography video. These are just a few of the incidents that led Jason Frost and his wife to start Human Wired, an organization dedicated to protecting children from online harm and exploitation. As former teachers, they witnessed the loss of innocence with the rise of social media– and it devastated them. What started as a tool for connection transformed into the mos...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min
In this episode, Utah State Senator Mike McKell joins Nicki Reisberg to tackle the pressing issue of online safety for teens. Together, they delve into the mental health crisis fueled by social media and the urgent need for legislative action to protect children from harmful content. Senator McKell shares insights into Utah’s groundbreaking efforts to implement age verification for online platforms and overcome fierce opposition from Big Tech lobbyists. The conversation highlights the pivotal ro...
Jan 23, 2025•32 min
Do you always need to be productive, even when you’re not at work? As our families and careers grow, responsibilities pile on while time slips away. It’s no wonder that we try to maximize efficiency throughout the day. The smartphone seemed like a great solution, offering convenient ways to tackle our mental to-do lists. Amazon order? Done. Email reply? Sent. We’ve taken multi-tasking to a new level—but at what cost? Your claimed efficiency is diminishing your presence – especially with the peop...
Jan 20, 2025•43 min
Today, January 17, 2025, marks a monumental day as the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the controversial "TikTok divest-or-ban" law. This decision is being hailed as a major victory by advocates for online safety and national security, but it also leaves families, policymakers, and Big Tech wondering—what happens next? In this episode, we dive deep into the implications of this historic ruling. Will President Trump follow through with enforcing the law? What could this mean for your family...
Jan 17, 2025•18 min
