Scrolling 2 Death

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, like Character AI, are more addictive than social media because they simulate real human relationships without the potential for conflict. They offer 24/7 validation - a “friend” who is always there to support, entertain and agree with you. It’s nice in theory but harmful in practice.Companion bots are poised to have the most disruptive technological impact on healthy relationships and violence prevention. And the Large Language Models (AI) powering them can be unpredictable and misunderstood – even by the data scientists who built them. Tune in as Adam Dodge, Founder of EndTAB, and Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death discuss their research on chatbots and why parents should take an intentional approach to educating themselves and preparing their children for a healthier relationship with social media.Adam is a digital safety advocate, attorney and speaker who believes you do not have to be a tech expert to protect yourself or others in the digital age.  As the founder of EndTAB, he has trained hundreds of organizations to address tech-facilitated abuse and improve the safety and wellbeing of people online. Adam advises the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, sits on the World Economic Forum's Digital Justice Advisory Committee and is a special advisor to the Coalition Against Stalkerware. His work and expertise has been featured on NBC, CBS and NPR and in Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, Vogue, Wired, GQ and others. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies.Learn about the Bark Phone: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2deathbp  Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids. https://info.bark.us/scrolling2death_bark *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFFLearn about the Bark Watch: https://barkparentalcontrols.pxf.io/c/5214646/2204011/17000 

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. Chris shares his journey in creating a device designed for digital wellness, offering a real alternative to traditional smartphones. We also discuss the impact of screen time on mental health, the future of tech in education, and the push for safer social media. If you’ve ever felt like your phone is running your life, this episode is for you!I have been testing out a Wisephone, personally! Here is my announcement and Day 1 recap.Chris is the CEO & founder of Techless, an innovative tech startup that created Wisephone, a pure & simple phone for intentional people. 

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 the use of TikTok.TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then flooded them with a seemingly endless stream of harms. These were not harms the children searched for or wanted to see when their use of TikTok began. Instead, ByteDance targeted them via its unauthorized taking of personal data.Parents should limit their children's access to addictive, harmful platforms like TikTok and have open conversations with their children in order to educate and protect them.

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 ChildrenTikTok's Response to Latest LawsuitTikTok Announces Digital Safety and Privacy GuideSnapchat's 3rd Annual Digital Well-Being IndexMeta Launches Child Safety CurriculumMeta Cuts Thousands of Jobs to Invest in AIKiDS Campaign for Warning Label Designs (submit here!)Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

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 the use of TikTok.TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then flooded them with a seemingly endless stream of harms. These were not harms the children searched for or wanted to see when their use of TikTok began. Instead, ByteDance targeted them via its unauthorized taking of personal data.Parents should limit their children's access to addictive, harmful platforms like TikTok and have open conversations with their children in order to educate and protect them.

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 alternative phones. I chose the Wisephone for this test because it is the most advanced, intentional phone for adults. It has all the things I need, but none of the apps that can addict me. No, I'm not sponsored! Just curious. I'd love to hear from any parents who have tried alternative phones like the Wisephone, The Light Phone or others...to swap stories! I'm sure there will be bumps in the road but I am really looking forward to this change.

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 the use of TikTok.TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then flooded them with a seemingly endless stream of harms. These were not harms the children searched for or wanted to see when their use of TikTok began. Instead, ByteDance targeted them via its unauthorized taking of personal data.Parents should limit their children's access to addictive, harmful platforms like TikTok and have open conversations with their children in order to educate and protect them.

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 from the use of TikTok.TikTok created harmful dependencies in each child as a matter of design, then flooded them with a seemingly endless stream of harms. These were not harms the children searched for or wanted to see when their use of TikTok began. Instead, ByteDance targeted them via its unauthorized taking of personal data.Parents should limit their children's access to addictive, harmful platforms like TikTok and have open conversations with their children in order to educate and protect them.

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 Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids  *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF Learn about the Bark Watch 

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 “rewarded” with free time on his school-issued Chromebook. With internet browsers and YouTube enabled for educational purposes, the options for entertainment are endless – along with the dangers that come with unsupervised browsing. Kids use their school Chromebooks and iPads during passing periods, at lunch, and even at home (after homework is done). Gamified education, once lauded as a solution to make learning more exciting, is actually fueling an addiction to devices and the behavioral problems that accompany it.    Matt has been working with school board officials in Idaho, and he believes they are actively seeking solutions to this growing problem. In this episode, he shares his insights with Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death and explains how raising awareness and educating parents is the best way to make a difference for kids now. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2deathbp Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2death_bark *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF Learn about the Bark Watch: https://barkparentalcontrols.pxf.io/c/5214646/2204011/17000 *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF