The Screenagers Blog

tech talk tuesdays

Today I offer over 30 tech-free gift ideas for kids of all ages, including my #1 favorite gift I will be giving my kids. You will notice an absence of book recommendations, but that is because I am working on a full list of suggestions, so for now I hope this list gives you inspiration for creative, tech-free gifts for the holidays!

tech talk tuesdays

Should Students Use Phones During School Lockdowns? This emotional and critical question is explored in depth, featuring insights from a superintendent, police officer, principal, and safety expert. Discover why they advocate for phone bans, real-world consequences of phone use during emergencies, and survey results that might surprise you.

tech talk tuesdays

For a long time, people have been talking about how video games might be linked to extreme acts of violence, such as school shootings. The fact is millions of youth have played violent video games, and far less than 1% will ever do any such acts of violence. Today I look at two studies that shed more light on the ACTUAL effects that violent games can have on youth behaviors.

tech talk tuesdays

In today’s blog post, I've created a 5-step guide to help parents initiate open conversations with their children about kids and teens using AI chatbots. I help you lead a discussion in your family to figure out guidelines for using AI chatbots and encourage ongoing conversations about the complex ethical issues they present.

tech talk tuesdays

I try to write things from a calm tone, but today I am pissed and scared. I read a report from a wonderful organization called Voicebox, called Coded Companions, about what young people were experiencing when engaging with Snapchat’s built-in AI chatbot, My AI, and another character chatbot called Replika. The market for AI-based companion platforms, which allow users to build personal, interactive relationships with virtual characters, is growing rapidly, and there are currently around 40 applications available. Let me break this all down for you today — and be prepared to be sad, scared, and mad.

tech talk tuesdays

Have you ever read a magazine in a dentist's chair, and it made you want to jump out of the chair? That is what happened to me when I saw an ad, which is the photo of today’s blog. I was completely shocked that people in the industry would have the nerve to imply that taking a drug is how a small child “sleeps naturally.”

tech talk tuesdays

Today, I offer teachings about personality disorders. As a parent, I strongly believe that talking with our teens about mental health is important, and one such area is the topic of personality disorders (PDs). Also, you might be co-parenting with a person who has some degree of a personality disorder, which can be very challenging.

tech talk tuesdays

Many young people are overwhelmed by constant social media use, which can displace important activities like sleep, schoolwork, and friendships. Over 200 school districts are suing platforms like Meta for harms related to social media addiction. The blog covers what problematic social media use is from a clinical perspective and how our kids can talk with a friend (or family member) if they are worried their friend might have some level of problematic use.

tech talk tuesdays

Can parents really come together as communities to delay social media and smartphones? You bet! It’s happening more and more across the country. In today's blog, I share excerpts from my latest podcast episode. It features my interview with Brooke Shannon, the founder of the “Wait Until 8th movement,” which helps parents delay smartphones until the end of 8th grade or later while also encouraging delaying social media.

tech talk tuesdays

A week ago, Instagram announced changes to its rules for “Teen Accounts.” All new teen users will be defaulted into these accounts, and current teen users will transition over the next two months. Instagram’s head of Products, discussed these changes, and one comment surprised me. She mentioned that teens aged 13 to 16 will need parental permission to have a public account, hoping this would encourage dialogue between teens and parents about social media use. However, I feel this still puts too much responsibility on parents when we need broader societal solutions. I discuss this and the rest of the changes in today's blog.

tech talk tuesdays

We all want good news — contrary to mainstream news, which focuses on all that is going wrong, we humans want and need a healthy dose of daily good news, right? I bet you agree, and thank you for reading this blog, which is focused on good news (including news about love). A week ago, I was on a stage, on a panel, in front of many Attorney General at their yearly national conference, and I said these words: “I am optimistic.”

tech talk tuesdays

I am over the moon jazzed to introduce the trailer for our new film, Screenagers: Elementary School Edition. So much work has gone into this film. My team and I wanted it to be attention-worthy and, above all, exceedingly useful. Screen time seeps into the lives of younger and younger kids. Parents struggle with what to do. How much time is okay for entertainment screen time? How to set limits? How to handle meltdowns? What does science tell us about why and how to safeguard sleep in our digital age? And so much more.

tech talk tuesdays

For many across the country, if not back already, today marks the start of another school year! Educators, I hope you had a restful summer and your preparations for the new school year have gone well. Parents and guardians, likewise I hope you’ve enjoyed a wonderful summer with family and rousing your kids for school this morning was relatively stress free :) It’s a busy day for everyone so I’ll keep it simple. Today's blog includes summaries and links to some of my previous writings around the subject of back-to-school and related topics.

tech talk tuesdays

The FDA's 2023 Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey shows that over 400,000 U.S middle and high school students used nicotine pouches in the last year. In today's blog I share excepts from my conversation with Dr. Robert Jackler of Stanford University, who is an expert on tobacco advertising. We discuss how ZYN seem to be reaching and influencing teens, via social media, to use nicotine pouches by following the same playbook as JUUL

tech talk tuesdays

Understanding just how much insufficient sleep affects our children is a motivator to help them get the best sleep possible. As kids return to school, resetting sleep habits and rules around tech in the bedroom is hard but imperative. I share why sleep is so important and what you can do to help make a tech-free bedtime less painful. Most importantly, I share some of my favorite ways to set and maintain rules around sleep time - They might surprise you!

tech talk tuesdays

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you - our fourth Screenagers movie is set to release at the beginning of September! The film SCREENAGERS: Elementary School Age Edition, is tailored specifically for parents, students, and educators involved with elementary school-age children. We made this film because I believe we can change the trajectory of youth mental health if we address the impact of screen time as early as possible.

tech talk tuesdays

We have created a table that compares the 4 most common social media platforms and the specific ways they are similar and different. Spoiler alert, they are way more similar than different. It makes perfect sense since companies see what young people use on other apps and incorporate such features into their own apps.

tech talk tuesdays

We launched the Away For The Day movement in 2017 because we could see back then the detrimental impact of smartphone use in schools, not just on academics but also on the emotional wellbeing and social development of youth. The fact is research shows that Away For The Day is the way to go. This week we introduce our significantly updated Away For The Day campaign website to help you support cellphone bans at your schools or your kids’ schools.