Scrolling 2 Death

Welcome to Teachers Talk, a brand new series here on Scrolling 2 Death. In these candid discussions with teachers, parents get the real deal on what's happening with screens in the classroom. Today's episode features 9th grade Language Arts teacher Tara Hodgson. After 17 years of teaching, Tara has a well-earned perspective on how technology in school is affecting our kids. Here's a link to grab a copy of Tara's book.

This conversation is all about our attention span. Where did it go? How do we regain control of attention? I was honored to be joined by data scientist and psychologist Dr. Gloria Mark. We dove into many of the issues that parents deal with on a daily basis; attention span, multitasking, digital habits and much more. I left this conversation with a much better understanding of what I can do in the home to regain control of my attention (and my kids' attentions) and lessen stress levels. Meet Dr. Gloria Mark Gloria Mark is Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people’s lives. She takes a deep dive in examining multitasking, interruptions, and mood with the use of digital devices. She has published over 200 articles, and in 2017 was inducted into the ACM SIGCHI Academy which recognizes leaders in the field of human-computer interaction. She has presented her work at SXSW and the Aspen Ideas Festival, and her research has appeared in the popular media, e.g. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Atlantic, the BBC, and many others. ⁠Check out Dr. Mark's substack⁠.  ⁠Learn about Dr. Mark's work and her book Attention Span⁠: 

Over 3.3 billion humans play video games. It can be an activity that connects us and brings people together from all over the world. There has been quite an evolution in gaming over the past couple of decades. Before I handed my young kids a gaming console, I wanted to know...what is gaming today really like. So I got on the line with gamers to find out what's really happening in the games spaces of today. What was revealed to me about gaming, particularly gaming online, is that there's a lot going on...things that parents need to know and things we need to talk to our kids about. It's truly not all fun and games. Thank you to the gamers who were so open and honest with their gaming experiences. You guys are the best. 

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: The book that will change the tide (The Anxious Generation) New CSAM research that parents need to be aware of  Basically no parents use the parental controls on Snapchat and Discord Meta is sued for $7B by their own advertisers Snapchat's new ranking feature fuels teen anxiety Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

Welcome to the first installment of Teachers Talk, a brand new series here on Scrolling 2 Death. In these candid discussions with teachers, parents get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school.  Today's episode features college instructor Dr. Jason Robinson. We discussed the pitfalls, and even the benefits, of allowing devices in his college lecture hall. Meet Dr. Robinson Dr. Jason Robinson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of North Georgia.  He currently is a Faculty member in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.  Dr. Robinson primarily teaches students in a pre-nursing tract and other majors requiring critical thinking - but not Chemistry major level instruction.  Additionally, he is a frequent presenter to parents and first-generation students at the University.  Dr. Robinson holds Master's and Doctorate Degrees in Photonics from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana.

In this conversation, I was joined by Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes to dive into all things digital safety. We talk about when and how to give your child a device, danger areas online, how to talk to your child about online risks and much, much more.  Chris is a wealth of information, having spoken in countless schools and to parent groups around the country.  About Chris McKenna:  Former consultant, youth ministry director. Author of resources for families and churches on digital safety and pornography. His 2019 US Senate testimony catalyzed new online child protection laws and earned PYE the Dignity Defense Alert Award. Now an advisor to legislators and global tech companies on policies and feature improvements. The PYE team performs hundreds of presentations globally and was featured in the Childhood 2.0 movie. Chris is married to Andrea, enjoys family road trips, nature, running, and candy, and is father to four.

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: More on Florida's social media ban for minors New CSAM research that parents need to know UK research shows teen girls expect to be harassed online Creative ways predators are manipulating our kids Latest research on boys being fed misogynistic content Court documents reveal that Meta was snooping on Snapchat user data Meta restricts political content (even mine?) Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

Disclaimer: This conversation discusses child sexual abuse material. Please listen or watch with caution.  This is a conversation that no one wants to have, but everyone should be having. It's about Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Cyber trauma expert Cath Knibbs joins me today on Scrolling 2 Death to educate parents on what is happening with our childrens' photos online. You'll get a basic understanding of the risks and how to avoid them. I cannot stress the importance of understanding the landscape of CSAM in today's world.  This topic is horrible. It’s icky. It’s extremely difficult to hear about. But the truth is that there are hundreds of millions of CSAM photos and videos being shared, traded and sold…content that is either self-generated by the children or stolen from parents’ social media posts.  As a parent, I want to know what’s happening with CSAM in order to protect my children from CSAM. Hopefully you’ll join me in educating yourselves, as well.  Cath is an Online Harms Consultant, Trainer, Speaker, Author and Psychotherapist. Learn more about her work at: https://www.childrenandtech.co.uk or on IG @catherine_knibbs and TikTok @cath_knibbs. ***If you think a child may be at immediate risk of abuse, call 911 or your local police. If you would like to report CSAM, review the following resources. United States: Organization to contact: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Website: report.cybertip.org/  Phone number: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) Globally:  https://report.iwf.org.uk/org/ Stat Clarification: NCMEC's CyberTipline received 32 million reports in 2022, resulting in 80 million pieces of content.

This episode is all about drug sales on social media. If you think this can't get your child, you're mistaken. Nicki interviews Bill Bodner, retired DEA Special Agent in Charge to expose the modern day drug market, which is social media. No longer do people have to go to a seedy area to purchase illegal drugs. They only have to open their phone and click on Snapchat. In this conversation, Special Agent Bodner details exactly how drug dealers are getting in front of our kids and what parents can do to guide our children away from these dangerous substances.  There are important takeaways here related to counterfeit drugs made to look like prescription pills, though are laced with fentanyl. The information in this episode could realistically save your child's life.  About Bill Bodner (DEA-Ret.) Meet Bill Bodner, recently retired after a near 32-year federal law enforcement career with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. At the time of his retirement, Bodner was the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division office, where he oversaw all criminal investigative matters and all controlled prescription drug administrative and civil matters in the states of Nevada and Hawaii, the US Territories of Guam and Saipan and the seven counties that make up the greater Los Angeles area. Since retiring from federal service, Bodner started a private consulting and investigation company and frequently works pro-bono for investigative journalists, helping them uncover and document criminal schemes. He also co-hosts a popular podcast called Truth Nation.

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: Massacre case in Buffalo, NY (why the victims are suing Big Tech) Pornhub is not happy with Texas  15 U.S. states are suing Apple Is cyber-flashing a crime?  A new update from the U.S. Surgeon General A must-read book for parents New Meta whistleblower warns about self-harm content Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.