Scrolling 2 Death

I brought in The Screentime Consultant Emily Cherkin to tackle the complexities of raising kids in the digital age. We dive into the idea of being "tech intentional"—how to use technology thoughtfully, in a way that aligns with family values and supports kids’ development.

The conversation covers a range of important topics: the addictive nature of digital platforms, why boredom can spark creativity, and the difference between things that are scary and those that are genuinely dangerous for children.

We also explore how anonymity online can erode empathy, share practical advice for parents on modeling healthy tech habits, and offer insights on navigating screen time. We discuss the heavy reliance on EdTech in schools through our own experiences and the need for parents to stay informed and advocate for safe technology use in education. With plenty of actionable tips, this episode encourages parents to be proactive, ask tough questions, and work together with schools to prioritize the well-being of their kids in a tech-driven world.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Connect with Emily on her website and Instagram.

About Emily Cherkin:

Emily Cherkin, MEd., aka The Screentime Consultant, is a world-renowned screentime expert with the accessible voice of someone who understands the struggles of becoming more tech-intentional—both as a teacher and parent. Emily's book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, is an Amazon bestseller and available everywhere books are sold.

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.

Ben Tracy is a leading keynote speaker on digital citizenship, online safety, and responsible social media use. Drawing from personal experience, Ben shares his compelling story about the impact of teenage social media usage at schools and organizations nationwide.

Ben is currently running across America to advocate for youth online safety. He is running a marathon each day for 120 consecutive days while speaking at schools and organizations along the way. His mission is simple: Keep Kids Safe.

As the founder of Safe Social Network, Ben provides essential online safety resources for students, parents, and educators. He speaks to more than 100,000 people each year and volunteers his time to help families report online predators and internet crimes to law enforcement. Additionally, he awards scholarships annually to high school seniors who actively promote positive social media usage, mental health awareness, and anti-bullying.

Ben graduated magna cum laude from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, where he double-majored in Business and Political Science. While at SXU, he served as captain of the track team and was a member of the student senate.

Ben lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

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, and the role of schools in ensuring a safe digital environment. The discussion emphasizes the need for parents to be proactive in advocating for their children's safety online and creating healthy tech habits at home.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies.

About Dawn Wible:

Dawn Wible is the founder of Talk More. Tech Less., a digital wellness and safety organization. For over a decade, she has trained communities, organizations, schools, and families on safer tech use.

Dawn is an online safety advocate and certified digital wellness educator. She is the co-chair of the Online Harms Prevention work group at Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network. Dawn works alongside social media reform organizations on legislation to help protect kids from targeted and inhumane addictive software design and advocates against the exploitation of children and their data privacy. Dawn and her husband Matt, the founder of an outdoor mentorship organization for young men, have been working with youth for 25 years.Together they are walking this road alongside all parents dealing with technology in the home, modeling openness and safer habits as they raise their own three boys. Please reach out to [email protected] if you would like to connect her to your schools or communities. And follow her work at Talk More Tech Less on Instagram.

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 fostering critical thinking is key as this tech continues to develop.

A few AI chat bot apps that Noah mentioned in the episode; Replica, Character AI, Kindroid, Gnomey, Linky, Pi, Simsimi, Momate

Additional episodes on the topic of AI chatbots:

About Noah Coffman:

Noah Coffman is a student at the University of Notre Dame studying philosophy and computer science. He is also the Research and Policy Director at the Young People's Alliance, a non-profit full of digital natives who are seeking to advocate for young people's issues on the state and federal level. For almost a year now, Noah has been developing and advocating for chatbot regulation on the federal level.

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:

Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

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, gaming, smartphone use, screen time recommendations, smart watches, tech addiction and more.

Connect with Dr. Lisa on her website.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

About Dr. Lisa Strohman

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 New Drug Resources for Parents

Conversation Blueprint

What to ask your school about device safety?

Good Pictures, Bad Pictures

Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Jr.

Brain Heart World Documentary

About Parker Hymas

Fight the New Drug is a non-religious and non-legislative nonprofit that exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effects using only science, facts, and personal accounts. FTND aims to decrease the demand for sexual exploitation through education while helping individuals live empowered lives free from the harmful effects of pornography. Parker is FTND's Director of Public Outreach and is an accomplished speaker with a passion for developing and engaging communities.

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 children. The discussion also touches on the case of Sewell, a 14-year-old Florida boy who tragically died by suicide after interacting with a chatbot, raising critical questions about the responsibilities of tech companies in safeguarding young users.Segall warns that the current landscape of AI is fraught with risks, particularly for young users, and calls for urgent action from lawmakers to ensure safety and ethical standards in AI applications.Connect with Laurie and her team at Mostly Human Media: https://mostlyhuman.com About Laurie Segall

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:

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 by Bark Technologies.

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 clinical background includes residential mental health, outpatient anger management, domestic violence intervention, and dual diagnosis treatment. Her most significant work was as a cognitive behavioral therapist for convicted sexual offenders. Becoming a mother of five deepened her commitment to child protection and the importance of recognizing grooming behaviors in adults.

In December 2022, she published Duck Duck Groom: Understanding How a Child Becomes a Target, which unpacks the complexities of this issue. In August 2024, she released an accompanying journal Duck Duck Groom: A Guided Journal for survivors. Anna presents to individuals, groups, and organizations about how adults can better protect children by identifying the signs of grooming.

Connect with Anna on her website.

Resources mentioned in the episode or provided by Anna:

Gaming Sites where grooming is prevalent:

Dating Apps where grooming is prevalent:

Live Stream + Social Media Platforms where grooming is prevalent:

Grooming:

Flattery

Favoritism

Forbidden Fruits

Fear

Prevention:

Permission

Public use

Private settings

This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies.