The Screenagers Podcast

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Delaney dives into a question that sparks debate among educators, parents, and safety experts: Is it safer for students to have their phones during a school lockdown, or could it do more harm than good?

To tackle this complex topic, Dr. Ruston speaks with a school superintendent, two police officers, and Clayton Cranford, a retired school resource officer and founder of Total Safety Solutions. Cranford, who works with schools across the country to improve safety protocols, brings a wealth of real-world experience to the conversation.

Our guests describe scenarios where misinformation and panic have escalated in lockdown situations due to student cell phone use—and how this has, at times, interfered with emergency response efforts. Together, the guests unpack the pros and cons of current phone policies and offer practical recommendations to strike the right balance between connectivity and safety.

To learn about 'Away for the Day', the Screenagers campaign to get phones and smartwatches out of schools visit AwayForTheDay.org

Featured Expert 

Clayton Cranford

Resources

Away for the Day

Common Pushbacks

Total Safety Solutions, LLC

Time Code

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

00:50 The Case for Phone-Free Schools

01:45 School Safety Concerns and Phone Policies

02:17 Interviews with Experts on School Safety

03:15 Real-Life Incidents and Lessons Learned

05:10 Expert Opinions on Phone Policies

05:25 Challenges Faced by School Administrators

06:38 Understanding Swatting Incidents

09:37 Interview with Clayton Cranford

10:07 Best Practices for School Safety

14:01 The Impact of Phones on School Safety

19:40 Conclusion and Resources

Host Dr. Delaney interviews Natalie Foos, director of VoiceBox and lead author of the eye-opening report, “Coded Companions: Young People’s Relationships with AI Chat Bots."

The discussion centers on the risks posed by AI chatbots in young people's lives, using examples like Snapchat’s My AI and the AI companion app Replika. The report provides concrete examples of deeply troubling things the AIs said to users during testing, conducted with young adults aged 18 to 24.

They discuss concerning features, such as how My AI uses location tracking to target young users with ads and emphasize the importance of educating both youth and adults about the potential dangers of AI companions, particularly regarding data privacy, emotional impact, and ethical implications.

Resources

Coded Companions: Young People’s Relationships With AI Chat Bots 

Natalie Foos, Director of VoiceBox

VoiceBox

VoiceBox’s Ambassador Program

Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?, New York Times, Oct 24, 2024

Time Codes:

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

00:11 Exploring Companion Chatbots

00:28 Interview with Natalie Foos: VoiceBox and Youth Voices

00:57 Coded Companions Report: AI Chatbots and Youth

01:26 Snapchat's MyAI: Features and Concerns

05:43 Replika: Customizable AI Companions

12:40 Ethical Concerns and Data Privacy

16:42 Emotional Impact of AI Relationships

25:38 Potential Harms and Risks

28:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Screenagers podcast, Dr. Delaney explores the alarming rise of sleep deprivation among teens starting in 2012, coinciding with the rise of screen time. Featuring clips from Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition and insights from experts Lauren Hale, PhD, and Judith Owens, MD, the episode delves into new brain science around kids and sleep deprivation and health risks linked to melatonin.  Listeners are provided practical advice on how to promote healthy sleep habits, including preventing dependency to digital devices and melatonin. 

Time Codes:

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

00:29 The Sleep Deprivation Epidemic

02:08 Scientific Insights on Sleep and Brain Health

03:47 Impact of Devices on Sleep

06:23 The Melatonin Debate

08:33 Melatonin Usage and Risks

12:49 Melatonin and Puberty

14:00 Concerns About Long-Term Melatonin Use in Children

14:43 Marketing Melatonin as a Natural Sleep Aid

15:36 The Dangers of Conditioning Kids to Need Sleep Aids

18:03 Parental Strategies for Managing Device Use

19:28 Real-Life Examples of Device Management

21:19 Encouraging Better Sleep Habits in Teens

23:14 Final Thoughts on Melatonin and Sleep Dependency

25:11 Conclusion and Podcast Information

Resources:

Lauren Hale, Ph.D. 

Bio: https://publichealth.stonybrookmedicine.edu/faculty/LaurenHale

Study #1

“Researchers followed nine and ten year olds, and at baseline, they collected data from the kids, from the parents, and analyzed brain skins. Then they followed up with them two years later. The kids, who were insufficient sleepers Compared to the kids who were sufficient sleepers, had changes in their brain development, especially in areas like the basal ganglia and the temporal lobe.

And this corresponded with worse mental health outcomes, worse behavioral outcomes, and measurements of intelligence were lower. This is concerning that insufficient sleep among kids may have lasting consequences. Um, brain development, and possibly into adulthood.”

• Yang, F. N., Xie, W., & Wang, Z. Effects of sleep duration on neurocognitive development in early adolescents in the USA: a propensity score matched, longitudinal, observational study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 6(10), 2022.

Study #2

“My team and I analyzed numerous studies in which we included youth age 6 to 17.

And we showed that just having a mobile device, which includes a phone, a tablet, In the bedroom, even if they didn't use it, was associated with almost a two fold risk of insufficient sleep duration.”

• Carter, B., et al. Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 170(12), 1202–1208, 2016.

Judy Owen, M.D. 

Bio: https://www.childrenshospital.org/directory/judith-owens

Study #1

"Recent study... over 500 percent increase in accidental ingestions of melatonin... poison control center reports of a child accidentally taking melatonin."

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 71(22), 725–729.

Study #2

"...study that was published out of Canada a few years ago that looked at a wide range of preparations of melatonin that were labeled as being five milligrams. And they... analyzed, with a specific chemical test, how much melatonin these preparations actually contained. It ranged from zero milligrams to 20 milligrams. And in addition to that, about a quarter of the samples they tested had serotonin... Serotonin is what we call a precursor of melatonin. So serotonin is metabolized into melatonin."

• Erland, L. A. E., & Saxena, P. K. (2017). Melatonin Natural Health Products and Supplements: Presence of Serotonin and Significant Variability of Melatonin Content. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(02), 275–281.

Study #3

"We know that melatonin... has an effect on reproductive hormones... There may be some impact on pubertal development of melatonin. Melatonin in humans could potentially have two different effects. It could delay the onset or the beginning of puberty development because it has these suppressing effects on reproductive hormones, or alternatively, if you stop melatonin use in a prepubertal child... you could actually trigger them into early puberty... We have data in animal models that suggests that melatonin has these effects. We don't have that evidence yet in humans... One study looked very short term on the effects of melatonin in children with autism and measured their reproductive hormones as well as some other chemicals in the body and brain and did not find any effect in the short term, but again, the long term meaning of melatonin... years worth of use of melatonin."

Boafo, A., Greenham, S., Alenezi, S., Robillard, R., Pajer, K., Tavakoli, P., & De Koninck, J. (2019). Could long-term administration of melatonin to prepubertal children affect timing of puberty? A clinician’s perspective. Nature and Science of Sleep, Volume 11, 1–10.

In this episode, host Dr. Delaney discusses problematic social media use with therapist and media addiction expert Tracy Markle. Tracy is the founder and co-director of the Digital Media Treatment and Education Center in Boulder, Colorado.

Tracy explains the critical effects social media can have on teen mental health, particularly in girls and shares the therapeutic approaches she used in working with one teen girl in overcoming problematic social media.

Markle employs a family system approach and shares insights on how she included the mom in the treatment approach. 

Resources:

Tracy Markle, MA, LPC founder of Digital Media

Time Code:

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

01:41 The Impact of Social Media on Teens

02:38 Case Study: A High Schooler's Struggle

03:53 Therapeutic Approaches and Family Systems

05:56 Challenges and Consequences of Social Media Overuse

14:34 Motivational Interviewing and Setting Boundaries

29:25 Skill Building and Final Thoughts

Founder of the "Wait Until 8th" movement, Brooke Shannon, joins Dr. Delaney Ruston for a conversation. Brooke shares insights on the Wait Until 8th pledge, its community-based approach, and strategies for parents to manage digital exposure responsibly. 

The conversation also covers personal experiences, handling pushbacks, and practical steps for parents who have already given their kids smartphones and/or social media but decide they want to rein in their use. 

Time Code:

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

00:31 Introducing Brooke Shannon and Wait Until 8th

02:47 How the Wait Until 8th Pledge Works

04:20 Partnership with Screenagers and Community Impact

07:46 Brooke's Personal Story and Motivation

13:57 Challenges and Pushbacks

19:25 Practical Tips for Parents

20:38 Parental Controls and Ongoing Conversations

27:43 Concluding Thoughts and Future Episodes

Resources:

1. Wait Until 8th

2. Brooke Shannon

3. Smartphone alternatives

4. Social media family-conversation guide

In recent days, Instagram has launched a range of new features designed to protect teens who are using the platform. Today we revisit this episode of the Screenagers podcast where Dr. Ruston spoke with three teen girls from middle school, high school, and college about their experiences, both good and bad, with Instagram.

They discuss why they joined the platform, how they use it, and the types of content they see, including ads and influencer posts. The conversation delves into the emotional impact of social media, including issues of comparison, curated posts, and the prevalence of ads. In addition, they touch on issues of subliminal messaging and the risks and benefits of posting about one’s true emotional state. This episode is intended for adult and youth audiences.

Time Code

00:00 Introduction to the Screenagers Podcast

01:20 Meet the Teen Guests

02:31 First Impressions of Instagram

04:54 The Allure and Pitfalls of Instagram

09:16 Ads and Influencers: A Deep Dive

13:10 The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

22:35 Likes, Comments, and Posting Etiquette

27:18 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of the Screenagers podcast, physician/filmmaker Dr. Delaney Ruston gives some parenting highlights from her new movie Screenagers: Elementary School Edition. Key topics include handling meltdowns during screen time transitions, promoting open communication around social media, and mitigating the negative impacts of violent media. Practical parenting strategies and the importance of active mediation are emphasized, alongside insights from child psychologist Lizz Dexter-Mazza, PsyD, and media researcher and psychologist Doug Gentile, PhD.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote

00:49 Meet Delaney Rustin and Screenagers

00:57 Overview of Screenagers Elementary School Edition

01:49 Parenting Solutions for Screen Time Meltdowns

02:08 Understanding and Managing Meltdowns

03:37 The Importance of Consistency

04:33 Seeking Help for Persistent Issues

04:52 Safety First: Encouraging Open Communication

07:31 Active Mediation vs. Co-Viewing

10:48 Motivational Interviewing with Teens

11:43 Conclusion and Additional Resources

There was JUUL. Now there is ZYN. Big Tobacco is continuing to make its business model addiction, and its customer base teens and young adults.

In today’s episode, Dr. Delaney Ruston talks with Dr. Robert Jackler, an expert on how Big Tobacco targets teens with slick and deceptive advertising and misleading products.

Dr. Jackler, a professor at Stanford, talks about ZYN, the small flavored nicotine pouches that are going viral on social media. Created as a so-called safer means of harm reduction for vapes and cigarettes, ZYN packs a powerful punch of nicotine, making them just as harmful.

Dr. Jackler, who conducted research on pouch nicotine for the World Health Organization, shares how ZYN is being deceptively marketed to teens, how they lead to nicotine addiction, and what parents and teens can do to help those who are hooked.

This episode is intended for adult and youth audiences. 

Featured Expert

Dr. Robert Jackler

Research References

Stanford Research into The Impact of Tobacco Advertisin

Additional Links 

Quit The Hit

Hope Lab

UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education

Truth Initiative: This Is Quitting

Time Code

00:00 The Rise of Nicotine Addiction

00:28 Introduction to the Screenagers Podcast

00:45 Expert Insights with Dr. Robert Jackler

01:10 The Dangers of Nicotine Pouches

03:07 Tobacco Industry Tactics

06:16 Marketing Strategies Targeting Teens

09:14 Flavors and Their Appeal

14:16 Quitting Nicotine: Strategies and Support

17:42 Conclusion and Resources

In this episode of The Screenagers Podcast Dr. Delaney Ruston is joined by her film and Screenagers partner, Lisa Tabb, to discuss their 'Away for the Day' campaign, which aims to remove smartphones and smartwatches from students during school hours to improve their academic and social well-being. 

They explore the campaign's benefits, the rapid rise of this challenge in elementary schools, and myths surrounding phone policies. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of the current NY Times bestselling book The Anxious Generation, also joins Delaney to discuss the negative impact of digital distractions on education.

The episode highlights the global movement towards phone-free schools and urges listeners to support the initiative by visiting awayfortheday.org. The episode also includes an exciting announcement about the upcoming new Screenagers film, which will be released in September called Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition.

Show Notes

Featured Expert

Jonathan Haidt

Research References

Away For The Day

Additional links

Movies: Screenagers Movies

Time code

00:00 Introduction and Exciting Announcement

01:01 Special Episode: Away for the Day Campaign

02:20 Benefits of Phones Away for the Day

03:52 Global Adoption of Away for the Day Policies

11:38 Challenges and Pushbacks

17:51 Student Perspectives and School Experiences

20:43 Interview with Jonathan Haidt

29:29 Conclusion and Call to Action

We're revisiting this poignant episode that highlights how important it is for parents to regularly check-in with their kids about their online activity and behaviors. Dr. Delaney Ruston interviews journalist Dashka Slater about her book, Accountable, where she writes about the true story of a social media account run by a small group of teens who posted racist memes. The account spread quickly and got edgier as it went. The book follows the account’s profound effect on the teens, friends, and high school.

Slater dives into issues like what compels teens to do things they know are out of bounds, such as acts of racism, the difference between guilt and shame, and transformative justice. Slater discusses methods of communicating with children about preventing doing such acts, and Dr. Ruston provides strategies for them to use when they encounter friends who do, and shares advice for parents and teens on dealing with the repercussions of online racism and the complexities of forgiveness and empathy.

Here is a link to Dashka Slater’s website, where you can find a link to her book and much more.

Here is Slater’s Substack, where she has lesson plans, too.

00:04 Introduction and Overview

01:04 The Epidemic of Online Racism

01:43 Unveiling the Story of 'Accountable'

02:42 The Impact of Racist Online Activities

03:01 The Discovery and Consequences of the Racist Account

08:34 The Role of Video Games in Promoting Offensive Language

10:10 The Creation and Spread of the Racist Account

11:35 The Bystander Effect and Group Dynamics

18:52 The Impact on the Victims

21:38 Understanding Different Types of Justice

24:56 The Role of Restorative Justice in Schools

44:43 The Power of Forgiveness and Healing

47:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts