AI “friends” and companions are increasingly providing children and adolescents with social interactions and perceived “relationships,” despite being a technology that itself has no need for empathy or emotional reciprocity. What are the costs of attachment to these AI products to children and adolescents’ social skill development?   

On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr. Pilyoung Kim, Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver and the Director of the Brain, Artificial Intelligence, and Child Center. A developmental psychologist with a background studying child brain development and early relationships, Dr. Kim recently pivoted her work to focus on these pertinent questions about the effects of children socializing with AI products. Dr. Kim describes her research examining children’s responses to different types of AI systems, explains what makes certain children more vulnerable to developing problematic attachments to chatbots, and suggests better product design approaches to minimize harm while facilitating helpful uses. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• What makes AI chatbots feel “human” to kids and why that matters
• Which children are more vulnerable to forming strong attachments to AI “best friends” — and the hidden costs of constant interaction with unconditionally supportive AI tools
• Why children who are still developing their understanding of relationships and appropriate boundaries may be at risk from human-like AI companions  
• How proactive design changes could make AI companions safer for youth to use
• What parents and caregivers can do to help children and adolescents navigate AI companions  more safely 
• What researchers urgently need to study next to identify and support youth most at risk of overattachment to AI chatbots

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Schools are increasingly deploying AI-powered technologies in classrooms that promise to revolutionize education, yet there is growing concern over the risks to children and adolescents’ learning by doing so. What do children, adolescents, and teachers think about how AI is being used in the classroom, and do these technologies actually impact learning and key cognitive skill development? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these questions with educational technology expert Dr. Adam Dubé, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences at McGill University. Dr. Dubé describes his research on how youth and educators view AI, key pitfalls to avoid when using AI for learning, and how past lessons from introducing technologies can inform the way we think about educational AI. He shares what parents need to know about selecting a good educational app for their children, and how to make informed decisions about utilizing technology to enhance, not replace, the learning process. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How relying on AI for task completion can interfere with the development of fundamental skills like creativity and detailed reading.
• Simple questions educators and students can ask to determine if AI use is offloading thinking or supporting learning.
• How teachers’ opinions of AI use in the classroom have changed over time and what’s causing growing concern. 
• What is needed for more thoughtful integration of AI into classrooms.
• How to identify a quality educational app and why parents often overlook those features when selecting digital apps for children.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Children are increasingly encountering AI characters for both educational and entertainment purposes, but many of the chatbots and other AI products they interact with are not designed with child development and safety in mind. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry pulls back the curtain on AI and child-centered design with Dr. Sonia Tiwari, a children’s media researcher and AI design expert. Drawing on her experience in game character design and her work bridging industry and academia, Dr. Tiwari explores how children think about and are drawn to AI characters, why AI products commonly used by children and adolescents today often fail at prioritizing child development, and the primary risks of child interactions with AI characters. She also offers insights on how products can be better designed to meet children’s and families’ needs, and what kinds of uses of AI characters might be helpful for children.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How AI characters are experienced differently  than traditional media characters – and why it matters for children and adolescents.
• Why the developing brains of younger children have a more difficult time understanding the fictional nature of today’s AI characters.
• What defines a child-appropriate AI character grounded in developmental science.
• How parents and caregivers can use AI characters with children in purpose-driven and healthy ways.
• What social AI platform developers should consider to ensure their products are more ethically designed and centered on children’s developmental needs. 

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

What is the social cost of looking at your phone when in the company of other people? Is smartphone and social media use making us less connected, more lonely, and addicted to the endless videos on our feed? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the ways people are becoming more attached to their phones and less connected to others with Dr. Meredith David, Associate Professor of Marketing at Baylor University. Drawing on her diverse portfolio of research, Dr. David shares evidence on how social media use contributes to feelings of loneliness and FOMO, how design features of popular short form video platforms facilitate addictive behaviors, and how “phubbing” – phone-snubbing – negatively impacts a myriad of social relationships.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What a nine year study shows about how social media use and loneliness influence each other. 
• How a “negative cycle” can form between people using their phones in front of each other, reinforcing more phone use in front of others.
• What a consensus study from more than 120 leading researchers says about social media, sleep, and attention.
• Why short-form video platforms are so addictive – and which platform is designed to be the most addictive to use.
• How excessive use of short-form video platforms affects self-control and contributes to what many people call “brain rot.”

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

A child’s first smartphone is a modern "rite of passage" and today's parents face a challenging decision – when is the right time? Peer pressure and fear of missing out loom heavily, yet there are significant risks to introducing a smart device before a child is ready. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with psychologist and creator of iParent101, Dr. Adam Pletter, about developmental readiness and practical steps for safely introducing a “pocket-sized computer” that allows access to the entirety of the internet. Drawing on his clinical experience and work with both parents and adolescents, Dr. Pletter describes the signs parents can look for to determine whether a child is ready for a smart device, the benefits of parental controls and family communication, and what to do if a child was given access before they were ready. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to spot the signs that a child may be able to handle the responsibility of smartphone ownership.
• Why parents and caregivers should plan ahead for adult content exposure when considering the  introduction of a smartphone.
• How easing into personal device ownership with a less-connected “dumb” device is often helpful to prepare children for full smartphone access.
• Strategies to navigate conflict around child smartphone ownership and media use.
• How to advocate for safer smartphone design that defaults to child safety and privacy. 
• Why parental controls and family media plans should be part of an evolving and collaborative conversation with kids around screen use.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Should phones be allowed in the classroom? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Abraham Flanigan, an associate professor of educational psychology at Georgia Southern University about what phones actually do to attention, memory, and classroom climate. Drawing on his research on digital distraction, Dr. Flanigan sheds light on what teachers and students really think, what changes after phones go away, and perspectives on the utility and impacts of limiting device-use in the classroom. The discussion also addresses how some approaches are more effective than others in engaging students and maintaining rapport. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• What the latest research shows on how phones in the classroom affect focus, motivation, self-regulation, and grades.
• Why multitasking is cognitively impossible.
• How smartphone use leads to a "dopamine loop" in the brain that can interfere with motivation for other tasks.
• How students and educators feel about school smartphone bans.
• Why student smartphone access during school emergencies may actually make them less safe.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Parents increasingly recognize how family screen time shapes child development. But that awareness can bring guilt or shame when digital devices creep into daily life. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Lara Wolfers, a leading researcher on how stress and guilt intersect with family media use, and Assistant Professor of Digital Lives and Head of the Center of Digital Lives at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Wolfers explains when guilt can be constructive versus when it can be harmful to the parent-child relationship. She offers suggestions for navigating societal pressures and daily demands, and encourages parents to practice self-compassion. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How parents use media for coping and media use links to stress and guilt. 
• Why social standards around limiting digital media use can cause guilt and stress—yet also help adults curb their own use around children.
• How parent guilt and stress around screen habits can negatively impact parent-child relationships.
• Why being more intentional with media use can restore control and ease guilt and stress.  
• Why there is a disconnect between how we judge others’ media use vs. our own use.
• Which variables matter when deciding if screen time is “good” or “bad.”

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
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Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Social development for today’s youth often includes navigating online social cruelty, such as cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by cyberbullying expert Dr. Elizabeth Englander, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, to discuss her research on teens’ online social behaviors, including cyberbullying and sexting, and her perspective on how to help youth develop resilience with these challenges. Dr. Englander addresses the risk factors associated with these behaviors, including why children engage in them, potential mental health impacts, and who is most vulnerable. Parents will find actionable guidance on how to intervene proactively by initiating conversation, as well as what to do if you suspect your child is a victim of cyberbullying. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How today's technology and the "mob effect" can facilitate cyberbullying and amplify unintentional online cruelty, with longstanding impacts on children.
• Why even “popular” or self-confident children aren’t immune to cyberbullying.
• How to prepare children for use of smartphones and other digital devices – and the protective effect of doing so.
• Why girls are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting.
• What to do if you suspect your child if is being cyberbullied.
• Best practices for helpful and productive conversations with youth about cyberbullying and sexting.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
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LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
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Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Many people think of mental health disorders as arising later in childhood or adolescence. However, there is increasing evidence that even young children can experience mental health problems like anxiety and depression. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Joan Luby, a Professor of Child Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine and an expert in early childhood mental health. Dr. Luby discusses how to identify mental health problems in preschool-aged children, and the role of screens in exacerbating these issues. Drawing on her clinical experiences and research, she provides suggestions for parents on how to promote the best socio-emotional outcomes for their young children. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How improved diagnostics tools are helping to identify psychiatric and mood disorders in children as young as three years old.
• What unique signs and symptoms to look for in young children that may indicate they are experiencing anxiety, depression, or other concerns. 
• Why considering environmental factors is important when evaluating child mental health.
• How high amounts of screen use by young children can impact their mental health and social/emotional regulation.
• The five essential ingredients young children need to thrive.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

From parent and school restrictions on smartphone use to the design of the latest AI tools, what does it mean to center children’s own perspectives and rights in ensuring safety in their online worlds? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry sits down with Sonia Livingstone, Professor at the London School of Economics and leader of the Digital Futures for Children centre and the Five Rights Foundation, to explore the intersection of children’s rights, parental mediation, and public policy in the digital world. Drawing on her research and policy work, Dr. Livingstone describes how parents can best help mitigate online risks, and how policies should help protect children from harmful online content and mechanisms while reinforcing their rights to privacy and autonomy. Dr. Livingstone emphasizes the importance of talking to children to learn how they feel about various technologies and incorporating their insightful perspectives into both household rules and macro-level policy.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What children themselves say about the kinds of support they need from parents and communities. 
• Research results on the most effective parenting strategies for keeping children safe online
• How income, access, and background shape online safety risks. 
• How the new AI Design Code could help developers prioritize children’s safety in in design.
• Why addressing harmful algorithms through regulation of online platforms is key to increasing child online safety.
• What the latest research says about the effectiveness of school phone bans and their impact on learning and child well-being. 

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Instagram: @childrenandscreens
LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
X: @childrenscreens
Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au