Scrolling 2 Death

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 dealers are using Snapchat to sell fake pills containing fentanyl to children, leading to poisonings and deaths across the country. Paul highlights the challenges that law enforcement faces in combatting this issue, including the ephemeral nature of Snapchat and the difficulty tracking down evidence. There is an urgent need to address this national health crisis, both in parental awareness and federal legislation to require tech firms (like Snapchat) to protect our kids online. Thank you to Amy Neville, Laura Marquez-Garrett, William Bodner and others for speaking up to protect our kids. Paul Solotaroff has been a senior writer at Rolling Stone for twenty-five years (and at Men’s Journal for almost twenty). He covered the NFL concussion scandal, including the Aaron Hernandez story, was the first to report the horror-show conditions at Walter Reade Hospital, and has written a series of stories that helped free innocent men who were doing life without parole in state prisons. Winner of two Genesis Awards and more than a half-dozen selections to the Best American Sports Writing anthologies, Solotaroff is a Pulitzer Prize and National Magazine Award finalist. Six of his earlier stories were optioned for TV dramas or films, including “Original Gangster,” “The Fixer,” “Living the Vida Macho,” “Not Guilty,” and “The Gangster in the Huddle.” This year, four of his stories will be reborn as TV series or prestige documentaries on Netflix, Showtime, the USA network, and Facebook View.

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 parents, need we to up our game and keep our kids away from this danger. In this discussion with Chris Didier, parents will learn about Chris' personal experience with fentanyl through the loss of his son in 2020. I asked Chris the tough questions all parents want to know, including: Where are kids getting fake pills containing fentanyl Why do drug dealers use Snapchat? How addictive and deadly are these pills? Why would they distribute something that is going to kill their customers? How do we protect our kids? What to do if your child has been exposed to fentanyl? (THESE TIPS COULD SAVE YOUR CHILD'S LIFE) This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. ⁠Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids⁠ *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF ⁠Check out the Bark Phone⁠ More About Chris Dider: Chris is a father of 3 incredible children and is originally from the Sacramento, CA area. He attended the Air Force Academy and is now a retired Air Force officer, current pilot for United Airlines, and former head coach for the Rocklin youth soccer club. In Dec. 2020, Chris discovered his youngest child, Zachary in the privacy of his room no longer alive after Zach consumed what was thought was a legitimate and harmless prescription pill. Instead, Zach had unknowingly ingested a fake pill made of illicit fentanyl and died at the age of 17 as a high school senior. Zach had no history of recreational drug use or struggled with depression or anxiety. Zach was a self-taught musician, straight-A student, multi-sport athlete, lead role in a HS Musical, and was active with Scouting and community service. His giving nature and infectious smile will always be missed. Since his passing, Zach was accepted into five U.C.s, including UCLA. Chris is working tirelessly in his advocacy to help bring needed awareness and education of the dangers of illicit synthetics in an effort to save lives. He serves as an executive board member for Victims of Illicit Drugs: https://stopthevoid.org

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 with Paul dropping on June 17. For now, watch this overview of the Rolling Stone article that dropped today titled: Inside Snapchat's Teenage Opioid Crisis

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 TikTok. It's about building technology to connect us and bring us together, instead of tearing us apart. This is the work being done by Frank and his team at Project Liberty. It's a movement that will require all of us to come together in support of a better world. Join the Fight! Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity and Dignity in the Digital Age Project Liberty: A Better Web, A Better World About Frank McCourt: Frank H. McCourt, Jr. is a civic entrepreneur and the executive chairman of McCourt Global, a private family company committed to building a better future through its work across the real estate, sports, technology, media, and capital investment industries, as well as its significant philanthropic activities. More here: https://www.mccourt.com/about/about-frank-mccourt/

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 TikTok is testing Snapchat like Streaks - article here New Study finds that internet addiction alters brain chemistry in youth Snapchat's latest campaign "Less Likes. More Love." [gaslighting] Contact your Representative in the House: Visit house.gov and enter ZIP code at the top right to find your representative Contact your Senators: Visit senate.gov and use the state drop down at the top of your screen Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

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 social media concerns to kids online safety legislation. As with all conversations on Scrolling 2 Death, I hope you walk away feeling inspired to advocate for positive change in the digital world and with confidence in the power of your voice. Make your voice heard! Contact your Representative in the House: Visit house.gov and enter ZIP code at the top right to find your representative Contact your Senators: Visit senate.gov and use the state drop down at the top of your screen About Josh Golin Josh Golin is Executive Director of Fairplay, which works to enhance children's wellbeing by eliminating the exploitative and harmful business practices of marketers and big tech. Fairplay holds companies accountable for their harmful marketing and platform design choices, and advocates for policies that both protect children when they are online and help young people get the offline time they need to thrive. Under Josh's leadership, Fairplay filed the Federal Trade Commission complaint that led to the FTC's settlement with Google for COPPA violations on YouTube and led the international campaign that stopped Meta from releasing a version of Instagram for younger kids. Earlier this year, Fairplay, along with David's Legacy Foundation, launched ParentsSOS - an initiative of families who have lost their children to social media harms and advocate for the Kids Online Safety Act. Josh’s media appearances include Good Morning America, NPR, and Fox & Friends and he’s regularly quoted in major publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post. He has testified twice before Congress and regularly speaks to parents, professionals, and policymakers about how to create a healthier media environment for children and teens. He lives in Vermont with his wife Jennifer, their 15-year-old daughter and their hound, Jolene.

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 about it. Specifically, we get deep into what's happening with TikTok. Representative Cammack explains TikTok's ties to the Chinese Communist Part and emphasizes the need to regain control over our personal data. Parents - Use your voices! Reach out to your Member of Congress: house.gov Reach out to your Senators: senate.gov Meet Representative Cammack: Congresswoman Kat Cammack proudly serves Florida’s Third Congressional District, which includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Marion, Suwannee, and Union Counties in North Central Florida. During her first term in 2021-2022, she served as the youngest Republican woman in the 117th Congress. Kat is a third-generation commercial sandblaster who grew up on a cattle ranch outside Denver, Colorado, participating in local 4-H programs, the local rodeo, and sports. When she was younger, she had hopes of continuing the family business, but shortly before graduating from college at Metro State University Denver, an Obama-era housing program forced her family to lose their small cattle ranch and home. As a result, Kat was motivated to fight back against the failures of big government and has since dedicated her life’s work to fight big government and advance individual freedoms. Continued here.

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 Drug Induced Homicide. If you're interested in supporting Alexandra's Law and live in California: Sign up for California ballot measure updates here. Help Matt hold legislators accountable here.

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 in the House: Visit house.gov and enter ZIP code at the top right to find your representative Contact your Senators: Visit senate.gov and use the state drop down at the top of your screen

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 like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Our legislators can't do it alone. They need to hear from parents like us. Parents' voices are what's going to make a difference in the fight for our childrens' safety online. Contact your representative (both the House and the Senate) and tell them to support KOSA!  As a reminder, you have 2 Senators and a member of the House of Representatives of your district. Here are instructions on how to contact your specific representatives: Contact your Representative in the House: Visit house.gov and enter ZIP code at the top right to find your representative  Contact your Senators: Visit senate.gov and use the state drop down at the top of your screen  About Senator Marsha Blackburn U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn was sworn in to the Senate in January 2019. Before her election to the Senate, Marsha represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Marsha’s public service is dedicated to promoting opportunities for women and making America a more prosperous place to live. Marsha’s leadership philosophy is based on her experiences in the private sector as a small business woman and author, as well as being a mother and grandmother. More about Senator Blackburn here.