Scrolling 2 Death

In this episode, I sit down (virtually) with Lauren Paer, Programs Manager for Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network, to unpack the complicated relationship between education and technology. We dive into the growing presence of EdTech in classrooms—how it’s shaping learning, where it’s helping (and where it’s hurting), and what parents  really  need to know. Lauren and I tackle big questions: Is a...

Meta has silenced Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, winning an emergency ruling to stop her from telling her story.  Sarah worked directly with Facebook executives for 7 years and describes the dark realities of working at Facebook in her new book,  Careless People . I was booked to interview Sarah here on Scrolling 2 Death this morning, March 13th, but the interview was canceled followi...

 Kate Doerksen, co-founder of Sage Haven, appears on Scrolling 2 Death to share insights from her research on tech challenges families are facing. After witnessing her family member suffer from a mental health crisis caused by bullying and harmful social media interactions, Kate interviewed hundreds of parents, youth, and child psychologists to try to find a solution to the harms of the current di...

Nicki Reisberg and Titania Jordan dive into the real impact of technology on parenting and kids’ mental health, sharing insight from a recent lecture by Jonathan Haidt they attended in Santa Barbara, CA.  They also break down the biggest digital dangers kids face today though Bark's new Annual Report—like exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and online predators. With so many challenges...

Many people ask if there’s a safer social media option. Until now, we’ve said no. But there’s hope on the horizon: ⁠scrollhappy.com⁠ . Founded by Nick Rotola, who was appalled by the lack of ethics in big tech and concerned for his daughter’s future, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Up (the parent co of ⁠scrollhappy.com⁠ ) hired top engineers from Meta - who were equally concerned fo...

Are you concerned about your child using AI chatbots? Research shows that face-to-face connection is vital for healthy brain development and mental well-being, yet companion bots continue to draw users deeper into a virtual reality. We recently covered the dangers of Character.ai, but there’s another troubling app on our radar: Replika.  Marketed as an “AI companion who cares” and “is always on yo...

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: Denmark to Ban Mobile Phones in Schools  (and recommends no smartphone or tablet until 13) New Bill in Georgia Would Bar Kids Under 14 from Social Media TikTok Users Are Dropping Heavy Things on their Feet  (new trend) [REPORT] Buying to Belong by Fa...

Worried about your child’s smartphone use? It’s not too late to make a change. Kathleen Barlow, founder of the “Swimming UpScreen” blog, returns to Scrolling 2 Death to tell us how she reclaimed the simplicity of childhood for her kids.  With six children aged 18 to 31, Kathleen has seen the dramatic impact smartphones have on childhood development. In 2018, she gave her twin daughters (then age 1...

We asked digital safety advocate Adam Dodge which social media app is safest for kids. Sadly, his answer was none. He goes further to say, “While I can’t recommend one, I can recommend the one to stay away from: Snapchat.” Not surprised.  However, an alarming new social trend worries him even more - chatbots. Research shows kids spend more time on Character AI than TikTok. Why? Companion bots, lik...

I sat down (virtually) with Chris Kaspar, founder of Techless and creator of the  Wisephone , to tackle one of today’s biggest struggles—smartphone addiction. But this time, it's about adults (not kids). We dive into how constant connectivity is affecting parents, why intentional tech use is more crucial than ever, and how the Wisephone is reshaping the way families interact with technology.  Chri...

This conversation is with Liam Walsh, father of Maia. Liam is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from th...

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: 4 UK Parents Sue TikTok for Deaths of Children TikTok's Response to Latest Lawsuit TikTok Announces Digital Safety and Privacy Guide Snapchat's 3rd Annual Digital Well-Being Index Meta Launches Child Safety Curriculum Meta Cuts Thousands of J...

This conversation is with Ellen Roome, mother of Jools. Ellen is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from...

I'm giving up my iPhone (for a healthier phone).  For the next 30 days, I will be forgoing my iPhone for a Wisephone. My goals are 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 will be documenting this process in real-time and sharing  @Scrolling2Death on Instagram , for parents who are interested in alterna...

This conversation is with Lisa Kenevan, mother of Isaac. Lisa is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting from...

This conversation is with Hollie Dance, mother of Archie. Hollie is one of the four families who have sued TikTok for the deaths of their children; Jools (forever 14), Isaac (forever 13), Maia (forever 13) and Archie (forever 12). These parents bring this action for wrongful death and survivorship against TikTok LLC, TikTok Inc., and ByteDance Inc. for the 2022 deaths of their children resulting f...

In this episode, Scrolling 2 Death host Nicki Reisberg sits down with Titania Jordan to tackle the questions they get most when speaking to youth at schools. Some of the questions may shock you! This casual catch-up covers several topics that parents are worried about including devices at school, Minecraft's educational platform and social media addiction. This episode is sponsored by Bark Tec...

Are school-issued devices fueling children’s screen addiction? The American Academy of Pediatrics sets screen-time standards, and we do our best to limit kids’ time on devices, but what is happening in classrooms? Matt Todd, host of  The Ranch Podcast , first realized the extent of the problem while volunteering in his son’s first-grade classroom. After his son finished an assignment early, he was...

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: Research: Youth Anger Linked to Age of Smartphone Access Apple's Parental Controls Fail in New Test Investors Make Offers for TikTok Nigerian Man Extradited in Sextortion Case After Teen Suicide Check back on Fridays for everything that parents n...

Someone recently commented on my Instagram, "Are you ever going to interview someone you don't agree with?" Well, this is that interview. Mackenzie Price, founder of  2 Hour Learning  believes that "school is broken" and aims to fix it with an A.I. based educational model. The structure is 2 hours of screen time in the morning led by an AI tutor, followed by life skills wor...

A teenage girl falling prey to a human trafficker. A suicide attempt over a leaked nude. Young children acting out scenes from a pornography video. These are just a few of the incidents that led Jason Frost and his wife to start Human Wired, an organization dedicated to protecting children from online harm and exploitation. As former teachers, they witnessed the loss of innocence with the rise of...

In this episode, Utah State Senator Mike McKell joins Nicki Reisberg to tackle the pressing issue of online safety for teens. Together, they delve into the mental health crisis fueled by social media and the urgent need for legislative action to protect children from harmful content. Senator McKell shares insights into Utah’s groundbreaking efforts to implement age verification for online platform...

Do you always need to be productive, even when you’re not at work? As our families and careers grow, responsibilities pile on while time slips away. It’s no wonder that we try to maximize efficiency throughout the day. The smartphone seemed like a great solution, offering convenient ways to tackle our mental to-do lists. Amazon order? Done. Email reply? Sent. We’ve taken multi-tasking to a new lev...

Today, January 17, 2025, marks a monumental day as the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the controversial "TikTok divest-or-ban" law. This decision is being hailed as a major victory by advocates for online safety and national security, but it also leaves families, policymakers, and Big Tech wondering—what happens next? In this episode, we dive deep into the implications of this his...

In this conversation, Detective Patrick Craven discusses the alarming rise of fentanyl-related deaths among youth. We highlight the role of social media in facilitating drug transactions, the risks associated with experimentation, and the deceptive nature of counterfeit pills.  Patrick emphasizes the importance of parental awareness and education regarding the dangers of drug use in today's digita...