Susan Linn

Join Dr. Susan Linn, a renowned psychologist who specializes in protecting children from commercial exploitation, as she reveals how Big Tech is encroaching on parenting. She discusses the dangers of algorithmic toys and screen-based learning, emphasizing how these tools stifle creativity and genuine connection. Dr. Linn critiques corporate marketing tactics that create dependency, urging parents to reclaim playtime and foster imagination in their children. This insightful conversation is a wake-up call for anyone navigating parenting in a tech-saturated world.

Psychologist and Harvard lecturer Susan Linn discusses how digital culture influences kids towards consumerism and brand loyalty. She explains how games and devices can hinder learning and parent-child relationships. The episode emphasizes choosing beneficial toys and programs, combatting commercialized culture, and advocating for critical thinking to counter corporate influence on children.

Janet's guest is psychologist, writer, researcher, and Harvard lecturer Susan Linn. For decades, Susan has been a passionate advocate for our children and a steadfast fighter against the infiltration of Big Business and Big Tech into kids' lives (and parents' pocketbooks). In an eye-opening discussion, Susan describes how digital culture is designed to indoctrinate children into consumerism and brand loyalty, and how it's geared to create dependencies on games and devices for stimulation and soothing. She explains how games and devices teach values that are often diametrically opposed to our own, how they can affect learning by shrinking our children’s world and even interfere with parent-child relationships. Ultimately, Susan and Janet focus on the positive actions we can take to lessen the impact of manipulative marketers while realistically acknowledging the role of digitized culture in all of our lives.More to learn in this episode: How to choose the most beneficial toys and programs for our kids How advertisers capture children's attention and encourage them to nag us for more, more, more Why combatting commercialized culture isn't only a family issue, but a societal one What Alexa offers to "bored" children Computer games are less "active" for kids than we might believe For more on Susan, her work, and her books, visit: www.https://www.consumingkids.com/Janet's "No Bad Kids Master Course" is available at NoBadKidsCourse.com and JanetLansbury.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Susan Linn, a psychologist, award-winning ventriloquist, and author, explores the deep importance of play in child development. She explains how creative play enables children to process emotions and learn foundational skills. Delving into the impact of commercial toys, Susan contrasts enriching open-ended toys with those that stifle imagination. She advocates for the value of boredom and independent play, discussing her ventriloquy work with puppets like Audrey Duck, and underscores that play is vital for both children and adults.

We interview Susan Linn about her new book, Who's Raising the Kids: Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children. We discuss the negative effects of commercialization in childhood, the pressure for young people to achieve success at a young age, and the harmful impact of marketing on children's well-being and values. We also explore the influence of smartphones on parenting and childhood, the importance of communication in solving the climate crisis, and reflect on the need to prioritize children's well-being.