Scrolling 2 Death

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Nicki Reisberg sits down with Titania Jordan—chief parent officer at Bark—to talk about the emotional realities of navigating families changes and prioritizing mental health for both parents and children. Together, they unpack the pressures families face today, including rising rates of anxiety and depression among teens. From personal stories to professi...

Fifteen-year-old and co-founder of Lookupp , Atiksh Bhan, remembers when life was better. He and his friends would spend their afternoons biking, exploring the woods and playing games outside. But then, smartphones came along. = Instead of adventures, they’d spend their time sitting around, scrolling through TikTok. "We’d be huddled around one phone, looking over someone’s shoulder. It just w...

Tim Estes of AngelQ shares eye-opening new research on the growing screen time crisis—and introduces  AngelQ  as a powerful solution for families. In this episode, we're diving into the everyday tech battles parents know all too well—screen time struggles, endless scrolling, and the constant worry about what kids are seeing online. We break down some surprising new research on how tech is resh...

In this episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down with Vermont State Representative Angela Arsenault to talk about her groundbreaking Phone and Social Media Free Schools Bill. They explore how removing digital distractions from the classroom can support students’ academic growth, social development, and mental health. Rep. Arsenault opens up about navigating tech use with her own kids and addresses the co...

This week, I break down why I’ve filed a lawsuit against Seesaw, one of the most widely used EdTech apps in K–6 classrooms—and what every parent needs to know about how their child’s personal data is being harvested, stored, and shared without their consent. Seesaw claims to help track student learning progress. But what I discovered when I requested access to the data they’d collected about my ch...

Are phones ruining school?  One high school principal says yes, and he did something about it. At Bullard High in Fresno, California, students wandered the halls like zombies, glued to their screens. Lunchtime was silent. Classrooms were battlegrounds for attention. Test scores dropped. Anxiety soared. Principal Armen Torigian, a Bullard alumnus, took pride in his community and remembered a very d...

15% of High Schoolers say they know someone in their school who has had deepfake pornography made of them in the last year. In this eye-opening episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down with Adam Billen of  Encode  to unpack some of the most urgent and unsettling developments in AI—from the rise of chatbots to the explosion of deep fakes. They dive into what Meta is up to with its new chatbot rollout on I...

 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: Parents Who Lost Children to Online Harms Protest Outside Meta NYC Meta Tries to Help Parents Enroll More Teens into Teen Accounts Meta's Digital Companions Will Talk Sex with Users -- Even Children Snapchat Announces Family Safety Hub Snapchat...

Is screen time silently sabotaging your child’s health?  In this eye-opening episode, pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Nidhi Gupta breaks down the hidden toll excessive screen use takes on kids' physical and mental well-being—from disrupted sleep and metabolic issues to rising anxiety and attention problems. She shares age-specific screen time recommendations, the dangers of early exposure to smartph...

What happens when parenting meets the digital age? In this episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down with family therapist Joanne Doucette to unpack the growing mental health challenges families face—especially when screens, gaming, and social media are part of everyday life. With over 25 years of experience supporting parents and kids, Joanne shares what she's seeing on the front lines: rising anxiet...

What’s really going on with Meta and what does it mean for kids? In this episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down with Titania Jordan—chief marketing officer at Bark Technologies—to unpack what the latest headlines actually mean for parents and kids. They dive into the ongoing struggle to keep children safe online, the loopholes predators still exploit, and why Meta’s so-called “safety measures” might no...

"My generation wishes we didn't get social media so young. Everyone regrets being allowed to access these platforms. Everyone wishes their parents put more restrictions on their phone. Everyone wishes that they got to enjoy a more carefree childhood." At 20, Maya Englehorn reflects on getting her first smartphone when she was a freshman in high school, but being allowed on Instagram – via tablet –...

What if the very tech your kids use every day was designed to hijack their minds? In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, child psychologist Dr. Richard Freed exposes how Big Tech is using persuasive design to keep kids hooked on social media and video games—no matter the cost to their mental health. He dives into the psychological tricks baked into these platforms, the skyrocketing rates of...

Today, April 16, 2025, Jonathan's Haidt's team at the Anxious Generation released an in-depth report into the harms of Snapchat. They examined court cases, reviewed internal documents and even spoke with top executives, finding that Snapchat is harming children at a scale we never imagined. In this mini-episode of Scrolling 2 Death, I break down what parents need to know about Snapchat. Yo...

In this episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down with Jack Hughes, a passionate 18-year-old and online safety advocate, for a candid and eye-opening chat about what it  really  takes to keep kids safe in the digital world. Jack opens up about his own experiences growing up with devices and why so many of the parental control tools out there just don’t cut it. They dive into why parents need more than jus...

I gave up my iPhone for a healthier phone (for 30 days).  My goals were 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 chose the Wisephone for this test because it is the most advanced, intentional phone for adults. It has all the things I need, but none of the apps that can addict me. No, I'm not sponsored! J...

  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: Meta Expands Teen Accounts Facebook Whistleblower Speaks to Congress (opening statement) Fairplay Files FTC Complaint Against Meta Snapchat Announces Support of Take it Down Act Trump States TikTok Deal is "Still on the table." Statement...

Girl meets Instagram. And then her childhood – and her life -  are forever altered by the effects of social media. This is what the Surgeon General is telling us. This is what the research is showing us: rising depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicides. But behind this data, real people are suffering the consequences. Kara Alaimo, communications professor and author of   Over the Influenc...

In this episode, Nicki Reisberg sits down (virtually) with Chris Vineis, founder of Unite for Safe Social Media, to dive into the critical role grandparents can play in protecting kids online. Christine shares her journey from government relations to online safety advocacy, highlighting why we need a united front—parents, grandparents, and communities—to push for change. They tackle the real dange...

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 e...

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, Tes...

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 j...

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...

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 T...

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...