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Screen Deep

Children and Screens

Screen Deep takes aim at decoding young brains and behavior in a digital world.
Host Kris Perry dives deep with a leading expert in each episode to explore how children and adolescents are affected mentally, physically, and developmentally by digital media use, bringing research and evidence-based perspectives to the essential questions on how to help children thrive today.

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S1 · E39
October 21 · 45 min
Do Social Media Child Safety and Content Moderation Features Work? with Laura Edelson, PhD
Most social media platforms provide child safety and content moderation features to help protect young users from harmful content and experiences. Do they work? Will changes required by lawsuits help? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses recent research into these questions with Dr. Laura Edelson, Assistant Professor at Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Science and Co-Director of Cybersecurity for Democracy. Dr. Edelson highlights the need for greater transparency and data access so that researchers can better identify potential harms of social media, and describes her research findings on algorithmic feeds as well as the efficacy of youth safety features and content moderation. In the absence of platform features that truly work to protect children, Dr. Edelson provides tips for parents on navigating social media use by their children. In this episode, you will learn: What research by Dr. Edelson shows about the failure rate and design of existing child safety features on leading social media platforms Why it’s important that children’s accounts on social media use their real age – even if teen account protections are not fully effective Why current content moderation filters on social media platforms fail to block harmful posts before young users see them Why some of the “fixes” required for Meta as part of August 2026 lawsuit settlements may not be effective in reducing harm Why social media platform transparency and independent research is needed to understand how social media causes harm to some youth but not others For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E38
September 30 · 50 min
Artificial Intimacy: What Happens When We Turn to AI for Connection? with Sherry Turkle, PhD
Humans of all ages are increasingly relying on AI chatbots as intimate and always-supportive social companions. What are the costs of this reliance on “pretend empathy” when it comes to the development of social abilities and our expectations of human empathy and relationships? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these questions with Sherry Turkle, PhD, MIT Professor and author of the new book, Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines. Dr. Turkle discusses the implications of human-like chatbots for children’s developing understanding of empathy and connection, and the societal impacts of accepting AI’s performance of these traits as replacements for the real thing. In this episode, you will learn: How reliance on “artificial intimacy” with AI chatbots erodes our capacity for human care, tolerance, and empathy Why constantly supportive AI tools make it more difficult to have real relationships which require navigating conflict or a different perspective The dangers to children – and society – of growing up thinking machine relationships can replace human ones How the business incentives behind AI tools encourage deeper attachment for profit Why use of AI chatbots for therapy, which may provide short term support, cannot replicate a caring human therapist How use of social media for emotional comfort has acted as a “gateway drug” to a more toxic attachment to chatbots For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E37
September 9 · 52 min
Why the Internet Should be Made Safer for Children - Not the Other Way Around with Baroness Beeban Kidron
The early egalitarian promise of an open and free internet has morphed over the past three decades into an algorithm-driven experience that is designed to addict and extract data and money from adults and children alike. In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by renowned children’s digital rights advocate Baroness Beeban Kidron to learn how we got from “there” to “here” – and why making technology safer for children, rather than expecting children behave more safely on the internet, is a critical issue for our time. Kidron details why now is the “big tobacco” moment for tech platforms and child internet safety, and shares successful strategies for regulating tech platforms from the UK and Europe that could be used as a playbook for change elsewhere. In this episode you will learn: Why the egalitarian promise of the early internet has led to a “generational injustice” of children being treated as adults online What designing and regulating the internet with the rights of children in mind should and could look like How the 5Rights Foundation and other organization are increasing child safety online through regulation in Europe – and why it’s harder to make progress in the United States How Kidron thinks the tech companies have controlled the narrative – and why they must be held to a “duty of care” towards children like any other business How the business model of today’s tech companies impedes them from independently making their platforms safer for children For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E36
August 19 · 53 min
The False Promise of Tech and AI in Schools with Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd
Has the widespread use of "educational" technology and AI in schools led to declines in children’s learning outcomes and skill development, rather than promised improvements? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by author, educator, and neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath to discuss this and his updated book The Digital Delusion. Dr. Horvath outlines how the implementation of digital technologies in education has benefited corporations, not students or teachers. He explains the dangers of eliminating necessary cognitive “struggle” and offloading critical skill development in the name of efficiency. Tune in for insights on how the onslaught of AI in schools has intensified problematic trends in the edtech space, and what strategies teachers and parents can use to counteract these issues and help their children to better understand the necessarily messy process of learning. In this episode, you will learn: Why widespread tech adoption in schools has worsened – not improved – learning Which essential parts of teaching and learning are displaced by educational tech use Why tools like AI that boost efficiency for experts hinder learning for novices How expecting children to use the same devices for school and learning that they use for entertainment is a losing battle What it means to take a “pro-learning” approach to tech in schools Why teachers need parents to help push back against tech use in schools For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E35
July 29 · 36 min
The Costs of Using Devices to Calm Children with Peter Reschke, PhD
The usage of phones and tablets to help calm infants and young children in difficult moments is often effective in the moment – yet how is the development of self-calming skills affected by this common parenting practice long-term? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr. Peter Reschke, Associate Professor of Human Development at Brigham Young University and expert on early emotion and social development. Dr. Reschke details how babies and young children develop an understanding of emotions, why infant-caregiver interactions are critical for development, and shares recent research on how regularly using media at early ages to cope with negative emotions can affect later behavior and problematic media use. In this episode, you will learn: The powerful role parents play in helping infants and young children develop the skills to recognize, express, and regulate emotions Why watching media together (known as “co-viewing”) with young children can positively impact emotional development (and why solo media use may be disruptive) What the research says about giving phones and tablets to calm children (and healthier ways to help them cope with difficult emotions) How regular use of media or devices for emotion regulation in early childhood predicts problematic media use in later childhood How an infant's nervous system reacts physiologically when parents are digitally distracted, according to research For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E34
July 8 · 46 min
The Science of Raising Humans in the Age of AI with Dana Suskind, MD
The rise of AI is often presented as an opportunity to make parenting easier, but what happens when technology begins to replace, rather than support, the human interactions children need most? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry dives into this timely question with Dr. Dana Suskind, Founder and Co-Director of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health and author of the book, Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, and Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI. Dr. Suskind highlights the importance of back-and-forth human interactions in early development, and shares which AI trends parents should be most wary of. She provides guidance for evaluating the use of AI tools, including using it to enhance, not replace, parenting. In this episode, you will learn: Which essential “human” parts of parenting cannot be offloaded onto AI Why AI can be integrated as a parenting “copilot” – but never the pilot Five risky AI behaviors to watch for in parenting or child use of AI Four value principles you can use as a framework for making intentional choices about AI The human skills parents should help their children develop to flourish in the AI age How to evaluate AI tools for use in family life For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E33
June 17 · 38 min
Influencers and Kids: The Power of Online Personalities | Liselot Hudders, PhD
The rise of influencers has changed the conversation around advertising, marketing, and behavior change in adults as well as children. How do influencers and their sponsored content impact children’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry interviews Dr. Liselot Hudders, Professor of Marketing Ethics at Ghent University, to unpack her research on how influencing works, why influencers produce content aimed at youth, what children understand about digital advertising techniques, and how policy plays an important role in protecting children from deceptive marketing. She also explores issues around “kidfluencers” and the use of children in parent influencer content. In this episode, you will learn: Why children trust influencers and how it shapes their behavior How technological advances are allowing increasingly sophisticated influencer marketing techniques to reach kids Why sponsored content can be hard for children to recognize What influencer financial disclosures don’t accomplish (and why they are easy to miss) What parents can do to to counteract negative impacts of influencer content on children For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E32
May 27 · 44 min
How Toxic Food Marketing Affects Child Health with Kelly Brownell, PhD
Children today are inundated with sophisticated marketing and ads online, particularly for unhealthy foods which can contribute to obesity and other negative health impacts. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by food policy expert and leader in the fight against childhood obesity Dr. Kelly Brownell to discuss the ways in which this “toxic food environment” impacts children’s health and well-being. Dr. Brownell explores the addictive nature of highly processed and sugary foods and beverages, and draws parallels between the food and social media industries on how they prey on children’s vulnerabilities. He emphasizes the importance of policy solutions to help families cope with the powerful effect of food advertising on children’s health. In this episode, you will learn: How screen use is linked to childhood obesity How daily exposure to large amounts of food advertising influences child and adolescent food choices and behaviors Why the food industry is incentivized to market unhealthy and addictive foods to children starting at young ages Why parents need support from policymakers and regulators to help protect children from the health effects of unhealthy online food marketing The similarities between the food industry’s use of additives and the tobacco industry’s use of ingredients to manipulate desire and increase product appeal and dependence For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E31
May 6 · 43 min
What Matters for Young Children's Healthy Digital Media Use and Learning? With Rachel Barr, PhD
For decades, researchers have studied why babies and young children learn differently from screens than they do from real-world experiences. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr. Rachel Barr, Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University and a leading expert in early childhood and digital media. Dr. Barr describes why it’s difficult for young children to learn from digital media, a concept called the “video transfer deficit effect,” and explains which specific features of high quality media paired with parenting practices can support learning and development. Dr. Barr also describes why video chatting is often an exception to screen time guidelines, how family media plans can help family relationships, and the importance of considering children’s environments holistically when studying how they interact with and are impacted by digital media. In this episode, you will learn: Why it can be difficult for young children to learn from digital media and how researchers discovered the “transfer deficit effect” How parental guidance and educational app design can make learning from media easier for children What features to look for in educational shows and apps One expert-recommended app for young children and what makes it stand out Why thinking more expansively beyond “screen time” is essential for evaluating your child’s media use How parents’ own media use — and how they talk about it with their children — can shape family relationships For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E30
April 15 · 42 min
Making Social Media Safer: How Lawsuits Are Changing the Game with Matt Bergman
As courts increasingly examine the impact of social media on young people, new legal approaches are beginning to reshape how responsibility for harms are understood, shifting the focus from content to platform design. On this special episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry speaks with Matthew Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, professor of Lewis & Clark Law School, and a member of Children and Screens’ Scientific Advisory Board. Bergman also served on the legal team representing the plaintiff in a landmark case examining the impact of social media platform design on youth. Together, Kris and Matt explore why it has historically been difficult to bring lawsuits against technology companies, how recent litigation strategies are more effective than past efforts, and what these developments could mean for the future of platform accountability. In this episode, you will learn: Why social media companies have historically avoided accountability for harm encountered through their products, and how that may be changing How recent lawsuits have uncovered key internal evidence that social media platforms were designed to be addictive to young users despite known risks How legal experts are using scientific research and product liability law to help define harms to youth and establish social media platform accountability Why recent lawsuits are focusing on social media platform design rather than content, and why that matters Why legislative change is needed to assist the effort to enforce social media platform transparency and accountability For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E29
March 25 · 47 min
Measuring How Screens Change Young Brains with Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, PhD
How is digital media use rewiring children’s brains – and how can these impacts be measured? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the latest research on screen use and brain development with Dr. Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology and the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Dr. Horowitz-Kraus provides an overview of how the brain processes language and reading, what her brain imaging research shows about how these processes and related cognitive skills work differently with digital media, as well as how the presence of mobile phones and other technology can disrupt attention. In this episode, you will learn: What brain imaging is revealing about how screen use affects the developing brains of children Why specific areas of the brain and the networks that connect them each matter for child reading and language development How to read to your child to engage attention and creativity Differences in how print versus digital reading activate cognitive regions in the brain How the mere physical presence of a smartphone can affect children’s attention, impulse control, and task performance For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E28
March 4 · 51 min
Does Age of Smartphone Ownership Affect Child Health? With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD
How do online environments shape children’s health and well-being? Which features have the biggest impact, and how can we make sense of the very different ways individual children experience the same digital world? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses new research into this “digital exposome” with Dr. Ran Barzilay, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Barzilay explains how researchers are beginning to measure and quantify online environmental factors, cutting-edge findings from his study on adolescent smartphone ownership and health risks, and why making recommendations can be challenging when conclusive evidence is lacking. He also provides concrete suggestions for parents, including signs to look for when deciding whether it might be appropriate to introduce a smartphone. In this episode, you will learn: How researchers are using new data techniques to quantify parts of the digital environment that may affect child health and why that matters for families What new, cutting-edge research suggests about the age of first smartphone ownership and negative health outcomes What emerging evidence is showing about other digital use patterns and child health - and what questions scientists are still trying to answer How one leading researcher is thinking about digital parenting decisions for his own family based on the new evidence For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E27
February 11 · 52 min
The Costs of Youth Attachment to AI Companions with Pilyoung Kim, PhD
AI “friends” and companions are increasingly providing children and adolescents with social interactions and perceived “relationships,” despite being a technology that itself has no need for empathy or emotional reciprocity. What are the costs of attachment to these AI products to children and adolescents’ social skill development? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr. Pilyoung Kim, Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver and the Director of the Brain, Artificial Intelligence, and Child Center. A developmental psychologist with a background studying child brain development and early relationships, Dr. Kim recently pivoted her work to focus on these pertinent questions about the effects of children socializing with AI products. Dr. Kim describes her research examining children’s responses to different types of AI systems, explains what makes certain children more vulnerable to developing problematic attachments to chatbots, and suggests better product design approaches to minimize harm while facilitating helpful uses. In this episode, you will learn: What makes AI chatbots feel “human” to kids and why that matters Which children are more vulnerable to forming strong attachments to AI “best friends” — and the hidden costs of constant interaction with unconditionally supportive AI tools Why children who are still developing their understanding of relationships and appropriate boundaries may be at risk from human-like AI companions How proactive design changes could make AI companions safer for youth to use What parents and caregivers can do to help children and adolescents navigate AI companions more safely What researchers urgently need to study next to identify and support youth most at risk of overattachment to AI chatbots For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E26
January 21 · 47 min
Does AI Help Students Learn? With Adam Dubé, PhD
Schools are increasingly deploying AI-powered technologies in classrooms that promise to revolutionize education, yet there is growing concern over the risks to children and adolescents’ learning by doing so. What do children, adolescents, and teachers think about how AI is being used in the classroom, and do these technologies actually impact learning and key cognitive skill development? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these questions with educational technology expert Dr. Adam Dubé, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences at McGill University. Dr. Dubé describes his research on how youth and educators view AI, key pitfalls to avoid when using AI for learning, and how past lessons from introducing technologies can inform the way we think about educational AI. He shares what parents need to know about selecting a good educational app for their children, and how to make informed decisions about utilizing technology to enhance, not replace, the learning process. In this episode, you will learn: How relying on AI for task completion can interfere with the development of fundamental skills like creativity and detailed reading. Simple questions educators and students can ask to determine if AI use is offloading thinking or supporting learning. How teachers’ opinions of AI use in the classroom have changed over time and what’s causing growing concern. What is needed for more thoughtful integration of AI into classrooms. How to identify a quality educational app and why parents often overlook those features when selecting digital apps for children. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E25
Dec 31, 2025 · 51 min
Are You Real? Ethics of AI Chatbots and Characters for Children with Sonia Tiwari, PhD
Children are increasingly encountering AI characters for both educational and entertainment purposes, but many of the chatbots and other AI products they interact with are not designed with child development and safety in mind. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry pulls back the curtain on AI and child-centered design with Dr. Sonia Tiwari, a children’s media researcher and AI design expert. Drawing on her experience in game character design and her work bridging industry and academia, Dr. Tiwari explores how children think about and are drawn to AI characters, why AI products commonly used by children and adolescents today often fail at prioritizing child development, and the primary risks of child interactions with AI characters. She also offers insights on how products can be better designed to meet children’s and families’ needs, and what kinds of uses of AI characters might be helpful for children. In this episode, you will learn: How AI characters are experienced differently than traditional media characters – and why it matters for children and adolescents. Why the developing brains of younger children have a more difficult time understanding the fictional nature of today’s AI characters. What defines a child-appropriate AI character grounded in developmental science. How parents and caregivers can use AI characters with children in purpose-driven and healthy ways. What social AI platform developers should consider to ensure their products are more ethically designed and centered on children’s developmental needs. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E24
Dec 10, 2025 · 41 min
How Phones Are Making Us More Lonely and Addicted with Meredith David, PhD
What is the social cost of looking at your phone when in the company of other people? Is smartphone and social media use making us less connected, more lonely, and addicted to the endless videos on our feed? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the ways people are becoming more attached to their phones and less connected to others with Dr. Meredith David, Associate Professor of Marketing at Baylor University. Drawing on her diverse portfolio of research, Dr. David shares evidence on how social media use contributes to feelings of loneliness and FOMO, how design features of popular short form video platforms facilitate addictive behaviors, and how “phubbing” – phone-snubbing – negatively impacts a myriad of social relationships. In this episode, you will learn: What a nine year study shows about how social media use and loneliness influence each other. How a “negative cycle” can form between people using their phones in front of each other, reinforcing more phone use in front of others. What a consensus study from more than 120 leading researchers says about social media, sleep, and attention. Why short-form video platforms are so addictive – and which platform is designed to be the most addictive to use. How excessive use of short-form video platforms affects self-control and contributes to what many people call “brain rot.” For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E23
Nov 19, 2025 · 49 min
Is My Child Ready for a Smartphone? With Adam Pletter, PsyD
A child’s first smartphone is a modern "rite of passage" and today's parents face a challenging decision – when is the right time? Peer pressure and fear of missing out loom heavily, yet there are significant risks to introducing a smart device before a child is ready. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with psychologist and creator of iParent101, Dr. Adam Pletter, about developmental readiness and practical steps for safely introducing a “pocket-sized computer” that allows access to the entirety of the internet. Drawing on his clinical experience and work with both parents and adolescents, Dr. Pletter describes the signs parents can look for to determine whether a child is ready for a smart device, the benefits of parental controls and family communication, and what to do if a child was given access before they were ready. In this episode, you will learn: How to spot the signs that a child may be able to handle the responsibility of smartphone ownership. Why parents and caregivers should plan ahead for adult content exposure when considering the introduction of a smartphone. How easing into personal device ownership with a less-connected “dumb” device is often helpful to prepare children for full smartphone access. Strategies to navigate conflict around child smartphone ownership and media use. How to advocate for safer smartphone design that defaults to child safety and privacy. Why parental controls and family media plans should be part of an evolving and collaborative conversation with kids around screen use. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E22
Oct 29, 2025 · 52 min
Phones in Schools? What the Research Says with Abe Flanigan, PhD
Should phones be allowed in the classroom? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Abraham Flanigan, an associate professor of educational psychology at Georgia Southern University about what phones actually do to attention, memory, and classroom climate. Drawing on his research on digital distraction, Dr. Flanigan sheds light on what teachers and students really think, what changes after phones go away, and perspectives on the utility and impacts of limiting device-use in the classroom. The discussion also addresses how some approaches are more effective than others in engaging students and maintaining rapport. In this episode, you will learn: What the latest research shows on how phones in the classroom affect focus, motivation, self-regulation, and grades. Why multitasking is cognitively impossible. How smartphone use leads to a "dopamine loop" in the brain that can interfere with motivation for other tasks. How students and educators feel about school smartphone bans. Why student smartphone access during school emergencies may actually make them less safe. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E21
Oct 8, 2025 · 38 min
Ditch the Guilt: Media, Stress, and Parent-Child Relationships with Dr. Lara Wolfers
Parents increasingly recognize how family screen time shapes child development. But that awareness can bring guilt or shame when digital devices creep into daily life. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Lara Wolfers, a leading researcher on how stress and guilt intersect with family media use, and Assistant Professor of Digital Lives and Head of the Center of Digital Lives at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Wolfers explains when guilt can be constructive versus when it can be harmful to the parent-child relationship. She offers suggestions for navigating societal pressures and daily demands, and encourages parents to practice self-compassion. In this episode, you will learn: How parents use media for coping and media use links to stress and guilt. Why social standards around limiting digital media use can cause guilt and stress—yet also help adults curb their own use around children. How parent guilt and stress around screen habits can negatively impact parent-child relationships. Why being more intentional with media use can restore control and ease guilt and stress. Why there is a disconnect between how we judge others’ media use vs. our own use. Which variables matter when deciding if screen time is “good” or “bad.” For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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S1 · E20
Sep 17, 2025 · 52 min
Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Building Resilience in Youth with Elizabeth Englander, PhD
Social development for today’s youth often includes navigating online social cruelty, such as cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by cyberbullying expert Dr. Elizabeth Englander, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, to discuss her research on teens’ online social behaviors, including cyberbullying and sexting, and her perspective on how to help youth develop resilience with these challenges. Dr. Englander addresses the risk factors associated with these behaviors, including why children engage in them, potential mental health impacts, and who is most vulnerable. Parents will find actionable guidance on how to intervene proactively by initiating conversation, as well as what to do if you suspect your child is a victim of cyberbullying. In this episode, you will learn: How today's technology and the "mob effect" can facilitate cyberbullying and amplify unintentional online cruelty, with longstanding impacts on children. Why even “popular” or self-confident children aren’t immune to cyberbullying. How to prepare children for use of smartphones and other digital devices – and the protective effect of doing so. Why girls are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting. What to do if you suspect your child if is being cyberbullied. Best practices for helpful and productive conversations with youth about cyberbullying and sexting. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org) -------------- Follow Children and Screens on: Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development Instagram: @childrenandscreens LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development X: @childrenscreens Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social --------------- Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
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