Josh Ochs

Smart Social Podcast: Keeping students safe so they can Shine Online

Kids EN ↓ 600 episodes

The Smart Social Team teaches parents, educators, and students how to stay safe on social media so they can Shine Online. We show you how to audit your Google results and use your social media accounts as a portfolio of positive accomplishments. We keep it tactical and practical with tips you can use to better understand how to navigate the digital world as a parent, student, and educator. Learn more at SmartSocial.com

Author

Josh Ochs

Episodes

Roblox Safety Guide: Predators, Scams & Explicit Content 26.09.2025 5:27

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Roblox is more than just a game. It is a massive online platform where kids can chat with strangers, spend money, and even be exposed to inappropriate content. 🎮👀 Parents, treat it like a crowded public space. In this episode, Jos...

Why AI Therapy Could Harm Your Teen’s Mental Health 19.09.2025 2:35

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Many teens see AI apps as a safer, cheaper way to share feelings. But these tools aren’t designed to notice red flags or guide kids through real struggles. When a child relies on a chatbot instead of you or a trusted adult, the risk...

"We need to go places, see people, and have real connection" with Dr. Jimmy Shaw 17.09.2025 16:57

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs converses with Dr. Jimmy Shaw, the superintendent of Florence City Schools in Alabama. They discuss the importance of real-life connections amid the digital age, explori...

"We have to build an awareness and not fear technology" with Superintendent Priya Darbari 16.09.2025 24:04

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Priya Darbari, Superintendent of Keppel Union School District, to discuss the challenges parents face in guiding their children through the rapidly evolvi...

"Technology moves us away from things that root and bond families together" Dr. Kwame Morton, Sr 11.09.2025 22:54

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Kwame Morton, Sr, Superintendent of Cherry Hill Public Schools in New Jersey, to discuss the impact of digital technology on students. They highlight...

"Overuse of a device sets kids at a disadvantage for being ready for school" Dr. Karen Barber 10.09.2025 31:55

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs is joined by Dr. Karen Barber, Superintendent of Schools in the Santa Rosa County School District. The discussion highlights the overuse of devices with young children a...

"It's okay to tell us that you made a mistake on an app." with Dr. Erin Rathke 10.09.2025 29:46

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this enlightening episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs engages in a detailed conversation with Dr. Erin Rathke, Superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools, about the challenges and strategies in ensuring di...

Instagram’s Map Feature Explained: Protecting Teen Privacy Online 05.09.2025 1:45

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Instagram’s new map feature may look harmless, but it can reveal where teens go to school, hang out, or even live. 📍 In this episode, Josh Ochs explains what the feature does, why it raises privacy concerns, and the steps parents c...

"We have to be in touch with our kids and their use of social media" with Dustin Howard 04.09.2025 23:49

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dustin Howard, superintendent of Clark County Schools in Winchester, Kentucky. Together, they explore the realities of raising and educating students in a...

"Have a constant dialogue with your child and develop a relationship that's not authoritarian" with Frankie Alvarado 02.09.2025 16:23

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Frankie Alvarado, Superintendent of Douglas County School District in Nevada, about effective strategies to ensure kids' digital safety and screen time manag...

"If I stay curious about AI, then I can help my student and my child stay safe" Dr. Jessica Medrano 27.08.2025 22:24

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Jessica Medrano, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for Secondary Schools from the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. They explo...

"It's skills and opportunities that you miss out on when you're focused on a screen" Dr.Rob Anderson 27.08.2025 0:39

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the Smart Social podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Rob Anderson, the Superintendent of Boulder Valley School District, to discuss the importance of durable skills, digital safety, and mental health for st...

"How can we use AI ethically and really be creators and not just consumers?" with Gary Beidleman 26.08.2025 40:19

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Gary Beidleman, Superintendent of Manhattan High Schools, about the importance of digital safety and student success online. They discuss key strategies for...

"Who are they hanging around with and what are they talking about?" with Dr. Paul Fregeau 20.08.2025 26:33

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Paul Fregeau, Superintendent of the Fox C-6 School District in Missouri, to discuss effective strategies for keeping kids safe online. Topics include...

"It's upon us to educate our youth as to what is AI, what is safe & what isn't" Dr Michael Lubelfeld 15.08.2025 32:37

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Michael Lubelfeld, Superintendent of North Shore School District 112, to discuss important topics surrounding digital safety for students. They delve...

"How long do you think you feel your best until you need a break from screen time?" Dr Brenda Lewis 14.08.2025 31:07

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Episode Summary: In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast,...

"We're giving kids access to 10 million white vans in their bedrooms every night." with Troy Stein 13.08.2025 48:34

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Troy Stein, founder and CEO of Stop Human Trafficking, to discuss the alarming rise of online child sexual abuse and the tactics predators use to exploit y...

"Ask children and teenagers what they're good at and develop that further" - Matt Pearce 13.08.2025 23:04

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Matt Pearce, Superintendent of Republic School District in Missouri, to discuss the importance of helping students develop their strengths outside of soci...

"We have to teach students to navigate AI and social media responsibly." with Dr. Ryan Smith 07.08.2025 29:47

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the smart social.com podcast, host Josh Ochs discusses digital safety with Dr. Ryan Smith, Deputy Superintendent of Bellflower Unified School District. They explore the challenges of integrating AI and social medi...

"Be focused on helping students think intentionally about how to use technology" Dr. Anthony Godfrey 28.07.2025 18:32

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this insightful episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Anthony Godfrey, the Superintendent for Jordan School District in Utah, about the challenges and strategies in keeping children safe on social medi...

“If kids can’t read or write, AI tools won’t benefit them in the long run” with Kelly Bielefeld 25.07.2025 25:50

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld of Wichita Public Schools joins us to discuss the challenges and strategies of integrating AI and social media in education. The conversation highlights...

"The hard part is for them to understand why they did it and what they should do" Dr. Robert Sormani 24.07.2025 25:46

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Robert Sormani, the superintendent of Manor ISD, about the challenges and strategies of keeping students safe on social media. They discuss topics like the in...

How Predators Groom, Manipulate and Trap Minors: Teen Boys at Risk—The Rise of Sextortion Online 23.07.2025 4:04

Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing online threats to kids today. In this episode, we unpack how predators build trust with teens, the red flag messages every parent should know, and why so many victims never speak up until it's too late. With thousands of cases reported and lives lost, this is a conversation every parent needs to hear. Learn how to spot the signs and support your child throu...

"We have to teach our kids to think differently ..."- with Superintendent Fred Van Ranken 22.07.2025 23:30

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs interviews Fred Van Ranken, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools in Kansas, to discuss strategies for keeping students safe online. They emphasize the importance of teachi...

"When do you want the internet to have access to your kid?" with Dr .Curtis Finch 21.07.2025 24:13

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Curtis Finch, Superintendent of Deer Valley Unified School District in Arizona, about the challenges parents face in keeping their kids safe online. They...