Scrolling 2 Death

Welcome to Teachers Talk, a series on Scrolling 2 Death featuring candid discussions with teachers. Parents are going to get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school, how tech is affecting students' learning and teachers' jobs. Today's episode features a high school educator named Matt Brady. Here is Matt's substack: Teacher Teacher Matt Miles and Joe Clement ar...

DISCLAIMER: This episode includes details related to sexual assault of a minor. Please listen with caution. Deb Schmill shares the story of her daughter, Becca, who experienced a severe trauma at just 15 years old which led to addiction and her death by fentanyl poisoning in 2020. Smartphones and social media are facilitating access to drugs and harmful content that is deadly to many teens. My con...

Today I'm joined by attorney Laura Marquez-Garrett to review the latest series of events in the world of Snapchat. Snap rolled out new "safety features," but will these features really protect children from being contacted by strangers on Snapchat? The short answer is no, but there is much more harm lurking within Snapchat than meets the eye. Join Laura and I as we take parents throu...

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: 32-year-old Man Targets Minors on Snapchat ( detail here ) Important Updates from Aspen Ideas Panel ( Teens and Screens Panel ) Senator Schumer Faces Heat as Landmark Bill to Protect Kids Online Stalls ( NY Post article ) Threads Reaches 175M Users;...

Therapist Andrea Brambila (of mega-popular @brambila_bits) joins me today for an honest conversation about kids and screens. As moms who both raised babies during COVID, we compare notes on the highs and lows of our efforts to maintain low-tech households. Andrea is an experienced mental health therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health and developmental psychology. She encourages parent...

If you have questions or concern about your childrens' screen time, this is the episode for you. I'm joined by pediatrician and clinical researcher Dr. John Hutton, and we dive into health concerns regarding digital media use in children, impacts on caregiver-child connection, brain development and alternatives to digital media. Dr. Hutton is an Associate Professor, Division of General &am...

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 Announces  Safety Updates  (in response to a barrage of  bad press ) Warning! New App OmeTV is the New Omegle (not safe for kids) Surgeon General's ' Social Media Warning Label ' Recommendation Receives Pushback  Meta Failed Chil...

This is an honest conversation between two moms about screen time; the research, the struggles and a few tips. Screen time can be a complicated topic with the wide variety of devices that exist within our childrens' worlds. Joined by Titania Jordan of Bark Technologies, we weed through these intricacies and offer advice for parents looking to get a handle on their kids' screen time. This e...

Today you'll learn all about the speed challenge, which has been making its way around social media for at least 12 years. This involves social media-fueled algorithms which are encouraging children to reach speeds of 130 mph and above. This conversation features Meg Stuhmer, whose daughter was a victim of the speed challenge in 2021. She bravely tells her story so that others can get ahead of...

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: Rolling Stone Implicates Snapchat in Teen Opioid Epidemic ( Rolling Stone piece  and  my interview with Paul Solotaroff ) U.S. Surgeon General Urges Congress to Require Warning Label for Social Media ( article here ) Los Angeles School District Appro...

In this conversation, Susan Linn discusses the harmful effects of marketing to children and the overuse of technology in their lives. She emphasizes the importance of unstructured play and creativity; stressing that kids can amuse and soothe themselves without needing a device. We also dive into the current state of EdTech in schools, highlighting the lack of research supporting its effectiveness....

Rolling Stone has implicated Snapchat in fueling a teen opioid crisis. Paul Solotaroff has been a Senior Writer at Rolling Stone for 25 years. He writes about the denial of justice, about people who have been horrifically abused, like NFL retirees with brain injuries, Iraqi veterans and unfortunately today, it’s KIDS ON SNAPCHAT. In this conversation, Paul discusses the investigation into how drug...

This episode is dedicated to the life of Zach Didier, forever 17. "We're losing a classroom of students every week," shares Chris Didier. We're way past "not my kid." Fentanyl does not discriminate and parents need to get educated on this epidemic. There is a new category of victim where children are trying something they think is harmless, but it's lethal. As paren...

Paul Solotaroff has been a Senior Writer at Rolling Stone for 25 years. He writes about the denial of justice, about people who have been horrifically abused, like NFL retirees with brain injuries, Iraqi veterans and unfortunately today, it’s KIDS ON SNAPCHAT. Paul just released an expose on the Snapchat drug trade, and parents everywhere are going to need to read up. I have an in-depth interview...

A safer web is possible. One that prioritizes safety and human rights. One that gives us back control over our data and our personhood. In this in-depth conversation with American billionaire and entrepreneur, Frank McCourt, he paints a picture of a future that is bright. We start with a discussion about Frank's "people's bid" to purchase TikTok; but this is about more than TikTo...

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: Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts co-sponsors Sammy's Law New York Governor Kathy Hochul pushes through  major social media legislation Remote Amazon tribe connects to Musk's Starlink and immediately becomes  hooked on social media and porn...

Parents have it rough. There are no perfect options when it comes to our kids and tech. But there is hope! Today's conversation features Josh Golin of Fairplay, who is working to enhance children's wellbeing by eliminating the exploitative and harmful business practices of marketers and Big Tech. We discuss the reality of parenting in today's digital world, from tech in schools to soci...

Parents have a voice in the fight for kids' online safety. In the words of Congresswoman Kat Cammack, "At the end of the day, the Big Tech companies don't vote for me; parents back home vote for me. I want to do everything I possibly can to protect them and their families." In this conversation, we uncover the risks that social media poses to our children and what parents can do...

Matt Capelouto lost his daughter Alexandra to a fentanyl poisoning from a fake pill she purchased on Snapchat. The dangers of fentanyl are real and they are in the hands of children like yours. Through this vulnerable story, parents will learn about the fentanyl epidemic and how you can protect your children through preparation and open conversations. Learn about Matt's organization called Dru...

Jennie DeSerio lost her 16-year-old son Mason to suicide after he was served countless TikTok videos glorifying suicide. In this vulnerable discussion, Jennie warns parents against social media harms and describes several federal bills which would help protect our children online. To make your voice heard, contact your representative in the House and also your Senators: Contact your Representative...

I was honored to welcome Senator Marsha Blackburn for an important conversation about the safety of our children online. Together, we address the dangers of social media for children and the fight against sextortion. Senator Blackburn emphasizes the need for online safety legislation, accountability for social media platforms, and the importance of parental support in passing much-needed bills lik...

In this interview, I welcomed Julie Scelfo, the Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA). Parents will relate to our candid conversation about the state of today's media-addicted world, and walk away with motivation and a plan of action to better protect your kids online. About Julie Scelfo: Julie Scelfo is Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Against Media...

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: Updates on the TikTok Divest-or-Ban legislation China to start censoring "wealth-flaunting" on TikTok Billionaire Frank McCourt's bid to buy TikTok More school boards sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta Meta shareholders protest over child sa...

Welcome to Teachers Talk , a series on Scrolling 2 Death featuring candid discussions with teachers. Parents are going to get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school, how tech is affecting students' learning and teachers' jobs. Today's episode features former Waldorf educator Brooke Natzke. Brooke answers common questions such as: What is the origin of the Waldorf...

Many parents ask the question; How does social media use really affect our kids? This is the question that is answered today with special guest Kris Perry of the Children and Screens Institute . Together, we explore many topics related to kids and media use, with an emphasis on the importance of unbiased research and desperate need for online safety legislation. About Kris Perry: Kris Perry curren...