Scrolling 2 Death

• A safer way for kids to chat (with Kate Doerksen)

   Kate Doerksen, co-founder of Sage Haven, appears on Scrolling 2 Death to share insights from her research on tech challenges families are facing. After witnessing her family member suffer from a mental health crisis caused by bullying and harmful social media interactions, Kate interviewed hundreds of parents, youth, and child psychologists to try to find a solution to the harms of the current digital landscape.Key themes indicate families struggle with screen addiction and screen-time disputes.  A surprising discovery shows that kids are messaging online as early as second grade. Despite not having a phone, they access YouTube and messages from family tablets and smartwatches. These activities may seem harmless, but parental supervision and guidance is key - especially at a young age.  Kate believes parents need help creating a slow, safe onramp to technology for their children. That’s why Kate created Sage Chat, a new app that will give kids a safer way to message and empower parents to take a phased approach to supervising online activity. Tune in to hear more about Kate’s research and resources to help parents.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% OFFLearn about the Bark Watch.

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• Kids Online: What's it really like? (Titania Jordan presents new research)

  Nicki Reisberg and Titania Jordan dive into the real impact of technology on parenting and kids’ mental health, sharing insight from a recent lecture by Jonathan Haidt they attended in Santa Barbara, CA. They also break down the biggest digital dangers kids face today though Bark's new Annual Report—like exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and online predators. With so many challenges, parents are left trying to figure out how to make the best tech choices for their kids. This conversation sheds light on safer solutions, including those from Bark Technologies, and encourages parents to take action in protecting their children while promoting healthier digital habits.Bark Annual Report: https://www.bark.us/annual-report-2024/[Book] The Anxious Generation: https://www.theanxiousgeneration.com[Book] Parental Control: https://www.titaniajordan.com/resources/parental-controlThis 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 

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• Can social media be safe? (with Nick Rotola of Up)

  Many people ask if there’s a safer social media option. Until now, we’ve said no. But there’s hope on the horizon: ⁠scrollhappy.com⁠. Founded by Nick Rotola, who was appalled by the lack of ethics in big tech and concerned for his daughter’s future, he decided to take matters into his own hands.Up (the parent co of ⁠scrollhappy.com⁠) hired top engineers from Meta - who were equally concerned for their children's future -  to build a science-backed algorithm that will uplift users, not addict them. Their KPIs won’t be ‘maximize time spent’ but instead ‘maximize happiness.’ Clinical experts on his team are using brain scans to promote content that boosts mood and removes proven toxic content traps like porn, politics, anorexia, and unrealistic lifestyles.While we don’t love the idea of our kids spending their time scrolling, we’d much rather them have an option to “scroll happy.” Tune in to hear Nick of Up and Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death talk more about this promising new social movement.Nick Rotola is a Father, Husband, and Serial Entrepreneur. As a protective father of two young kids, Nick designed a science-backed algorithm to flip the script on doomscrolling. Instead of serving up negativity or sensationalized content, UP's Scroll Happy™ algorithm focuses on videos that genuinely make you feel good.With a strict approval process for creators, UP is free from porn, political content, and unrealistic lifestyle pressures. Safety and happiness are embedded in its DNA, offering a complete redesign of social media that puts people before profit. Social media got you down? Get UP. Learn more at ⁠scrollhappy.com⁠.

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• Replika: AI chatbot raising concerns for parents (with Adam Billen)

  Are you concerned about your child using AI chatbots? Research shows that face-to-face connection is vital for healthy brain development and mental well-being, yet companion bots continue to draw users deeper into a virtual reality. We recently covered the dangers of Character.ai, but there’s another troubling app on our radar: Replika. Marketed as an “AI companion who cares” and “is always on your side,” Replika uses deceptive tactics to target vulnerable people, such as those going through a breakup. Their claim to cure loneliness is misleading at best, and potentially harmful at worst. Like many apps, Replika thrives on user engagement - employing addictive strategies that fuel emotional dependence on the chatbot. And a premium subscription offers access to more intimate conversations and near-explicit content. Adam Billen ofEncode, a tech ethics organization, joins Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death to share why he filed an FTC complaint against Replika and why parents need to be aware of the risks these platforms pose. Tune in to learn more. 

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• Big Tech Gut Check (week of February 24, 2025)

  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: Denmark to Ban Mobile Phones in Schools (and recommends no smartphone or tablet until 13) New Bill in Georgia Would Bar Kids Under 14 from Social Media TikTok Users Are Dropping Heavy Things on their Feet (new trend) [REPORT] Buying to Belong by Fairplay [RESEARCH] Early Childhood Mental Health & Social Media Use by Children & Screens Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day.

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