Scrolling 2 Death

The fentanyl epidemic has reached our kids with the distribution of fake pills on Snapchat. Today's guest is Jaime Puerta of V.O.I.D. Jaime is an incredible warrior and advocate who lost his son Daniel to a fentanyl-laced pill purchased on Snapchat. Jaime answers all the questions parents may have about the fentanyl epidemic; where it's coming from, what does it look like, how are kids getting it and how we can protect our own kids. This episode is dedicated to the life of Daniel Joseph Puerta Johnson. About Jaime Puerta Jaime Puerta is a United States Marine Corps Veteran, and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Puerta & Associates, Inc.; a small Interpreting business that specializes in furnishing Certified Interpreters to Attorneys, Doctors, and Courts working within the Workman’s Compensation field in the State of California. He resides in Santa Clarita, California, with his wife Claudia. Jaime is also the President of V.O.I.D., "Victims Of Illicit Drugs", a California 501C non-profit dedicated to educating parents and children about the dangers of illicit drug use, and also about the dangers that abound on social media platforms. Jaime also sits on the Advisory Board of A.C.C.O. "The Alliance To Counter Crime Online". Jaime became involved in the fight against Fentanyl when his only son Daniel passed away due to Fentanyl Poisoning on April 6, 2020. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: 🇺🇸 Sextortion schemes spike in the U.S. and other western countries 👨‍⚖️ President Biden passed the REPORT Act to fight sextortion 💍 NY Times reveals Meta is serving children's photos to pedophiles in advertisements 📱 New Mexico exposes Meta through Operation MetaPhile ‼️ European Union announces formal investigation into Meta for child safety concerns 🧐 New research shows connection between children's social media use and mental health vulnerability Resources mentioned in the episode are available here: https://www.scrolling2death.com/big-tech-gut-check-week-of-may-13-2024 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Welcome to Teachers Talk, a series on Scrolling 2 Death featuring candid discussions with teachers. Parents are going to get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school, how tech is affecting students' learning and teachers' jobs. Today's episode features a high school teacher in Chicago named Kara Waddell. 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) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Sextortion is a parent's worst nightmare. In this interview with cyberintelligence analyst Paul Raffile, parents will learn all about sextortion and how to protect our children. Paul answers important questions about sextortion including: Who is being targeted? Where are the scammers located? What platforms are at risk for sextortion? What should parents tell their children to protect them? If your child has been faced with sextortion, please report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: https://report.cybertip.org Paul Raffile is an intelligence analyst focused on cyber threats and transnational organized crime. He has worked on government and private sector projects to detect and investigate terrorist networks, fraud, black markets, and human exploitation on social media platforms. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Ed Peisner is an accidental advocate. In 2017, his teenage son Jordan was viciously assaulted in West Hills, CA. The attack was filmed and uploaded to social media by an friend of the attacker. Jordan was left with serious and life-long injuries and will never be the same child. Ed has since dedicated his life to the goal of ensuring that no other family has to endure such a terrible ordeal at the hands of social media-induced violence. Together we break down the reality of how social media is affecting our kids, and how we can protect them from harm. Ed is the National Education Director and Founder of The Organization for Social Media Safety. OFSMS is the first consumer protection organization exclusively focused on social media. They work to make social media safe for everyone.  Connect with Ed and his team at the Organization for Social Media Safety at this link. And be sure to check out their FREE online safety course for parents! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

This episode is dedicated to the life of Jordan DeMay, cut short way too soon.  Jordan was a victim of sextortion, an epidemic that we should all be ready to encounter.  This interview is a raw conversation with John DeMay, Jordan's dad. John takes us through what happened to Jordan and what parents need to look out for. If you have encountered a sextortion scheme, please be sure to report it to NCMEC. 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) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: TikTok sues the U.S. Government in response to new legislation A number of states pass laws to limit minor's use of social media President Biden passed the REPORT Act to fight sextortion Fentanyl-laced pills are sweeping the nation (and being sold on social media) New social media recommendations from Ofcom  Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day. Interviews mentioned during this episode: What Parents Need to Know About CSAM (with Cath Knibbs) Social Media: An Open Air Drug Market (with Bill Bodner) Drugs in a Snap (with Amy Neville) More Snapchat More Problems (with Sam Chapman) This week's Big Tech Gut Check is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone.  Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

I thoroughly enjoyed this wide-spanning conversation with Jessica Elefante. We cover so many topics related to parenting in a digital world. This is one of my favorite conversations so far. Jessica Elefante is an artist, an author, a mother and co-chair for Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA).  Every mother (and parent) will relate to this very raw conversation where we dig into screen use, social media and all things parenting in a digital world. About Jessica Elefante She is the author of Raising Hell, Living Well: Freedom from Influence in a World Where Everyone Wants Something from You (Ballantine, 2023) which she coined a How-Come (not a How-To). Jessica’s writing works to open people’s eyes on the topics of technology, capitalism, influence, and motherhood and has appeared in The Guardian, Literary Hub, Huffington Post, Bustle, Simplify Magazine, the Dispatch, Whalebone Magazine and more. As the founder of acclaimed Folk Rebellion and a critic of today's culture, Elefante’s award-winning works shine a light on the untenability of our times and have been featured by Vogue, The Atlantic, Inc., Los Angeles Times, The Observer, Writer’s Digest, Vice, Paper Mag, Wired, and elsewhere. Her short documentary “What Day Is It?” was awarded semi-finalist of Flickers RIIFF and an Official Selection of Beverly Hills Film Festival and New York Shorts Film Festival, for its portrayal of a mother's perspective on the ever-shifting emotional and mental states of lockdown. In her previous life as a brand strategist, she was recognized on Brand Innovators “40 under 40” list for winning her clients industry recognition including Webby, Edison, and AdAge awards. Jess has proudly been a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and New York University sharing her expertise in entrepreneurship and branding. Currently she’s using her experience in tech and media as a co-chair for Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA). For her work as an artist and writer she’s honored to be a judge for the 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. She's influenced by the social, cultural, and technological circumstances of her life, but mostly, of her desire to lead a colorful one. Raised in upstate New York, she now lives in Brooklyn with her family. She is no longer bullshitting. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Today's episode is about our kid's access to pornography. Kids are getting access to porn earlier and earlier. I wondered, how is the early access to today's boundary-pushing pornography affecting them? So I brought in Kristen A. Jenson of Defend Young Minds.  Kristen advises parents when and how to have the conversation about pornography with our kids. One thing I learned -- we cannot let the internet teach our kids about sex and porn. The risks are too great.  Website/Books: www.defendyoungminds.com/books  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefendYM/  Instagram: @defendyoungminds X (formerly Twitter): @defendYM Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/defend-young-minds  About Kristen A. Jenson:  Author of #1 best-selling Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids, Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds, and Good Pictures Bad Pictures Guidebook for Counseling Kids, executive producer of Brain Defense: Digital Safety curriculum, the founder of DefendYoungMinds.com, and owner and CEO of Glen Cove Press LLC. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: 🧐 New research from Pew Research Center on social media influence 💰 Issue One releases amount of $$ Big Tech spent lobbying against online safety 📱 NY Times Opinion: Are smartphones driving our teens to depression? ⚖️ Is Big Tech funding biased research studies? 👩‍⚖️ Updates on the TikTok law...will it be overturned? 🔐 A new solution for smartphone problems at school. Washington post article here. Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Welcome to Teachers Talk, a series on Scrolling 2 Death featuring candid discussions with teachers. Parents get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school. Today's episode features the incredible Reagan Berry, a High School Principal in West Texas. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

This episode is all about Snapchat. It's a breakdown of the features that are harmful for minors (there are quite a few). I brought in Titania Jordan for this conversation, who is the Chief Marketing Officer of Bark Technologies. This episode actually took a crazy turn when I find out that Snapchat seems to have lied about turning off their controversial Solar System feature by default. Parents: If your child is on Snapchat or asking for Snapchat, please listen to this episode to ensure you're preparing them for what they may encounter on this harmful platform. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. You can get 10% off the entire life of your Bark App subscription! Just use code: SCROLLING2DEATH Check out the Bark Phone: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2deathbp Check out the Bark App: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2death_bark --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: 👨‍⚖️ President Biden signs TikTok bill into law ‼️ TikTok found to be serving suicide content to minors 👻 Pedophiles are targeting our kids on Snapchat in droves 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 Georgia passes a new social media law for minors under 16 💰 Instagram found to be profiting off of "nudify" apps Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Welcome to Teachers Talk, a series on Scrolling 2 Death featuring candid discussions with teachers. Parents get the real deal on what's happening with screens at school. Today's episode features 12-grade English teacher Dean Bavisotto.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Today (April 24, 2024) President Biden signed a bill into law that is forcing ByteDance - the Chinese-based company who owns TikTok- to sell TikTok to an American company within a year or face a national ban.  In this episode, I inform parents on what this law actually means for the American people and what will come next.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

Parents have been asking me about BeReal. Is it safe? Should we let our kids use it? I did a deep dive and outlined the pros and cons of BeReal, in today's mini-episode of Scrolling 2 Death. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

This interview with former Congressional staffer Patrick Lyden gives parents an understanding of how our children are currently protected when they spend time online and what legislation is needed. The biggest takeaway for me is that parents need to speak up about what we want regarding kids online safety.  We also break down what's happening with the TikTok "ban," social media age restrictions, the current state of tech in schools and much more in the digital safety space. NOTE: This conversation took place on April 8th. There have been legislative updates since then related to the safety bills discussed, in addition to the TikTok "divest-or-ban" bill. Visit my Instagram (@scrolling2death) to get real-time updates on all of these topics. Resources mentioned in the episode: Visit house.gov to find your member of Congress and voice your concerns about online safety for children. (form is on the top-right of the webpage) Children and Screens Institute BrightCanary monitoring platform More about Patrick: Patrick Lyden is founder of CurrentStrategic, a government relation, business development, and strategic initiatives firm based in Washington, DC. Patrick brings more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, including in Congress and political campaigns. Over his career, he has maintained strong bipartisan relationships in and out of government. From start-up to the largest private sector companies, Patrick has led clients to successfully engage with government stakeholders and develop partnerships with leading organizations and businesses. A skilled communicator, Patrick leverages his broad understanding of the legislative process and decades of relationships across the federal government, foreign governments, business, associations, and non-profits to assist clients in crafting and meeting their strategic and policy objectives. Patrick uses his extensive experience in building and engaging in coalitions to drive forward client priorities. Prior to founding CurrentStrategic, Patrick led strategic initiatives for a robotics startup and co-led Congressional advocacy efforts for Uber Technology with a focus on the new economy, the workforce of the future, and emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles. Prior to that, Patrick worked for leading Members of Congress as a Chief of Staff and as senior staff for several committees of the House of Representatives. Patrick lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, Sarah Rittling, and their two daughters. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

The Big Tech Gut Check is a super quick, weekly update on all things social media and Big Tech. The highlights for this week: Updates on WhatsApp and the danger of encrypted messaging TikTok test accounts show that TikTok is suggesting suicidal content to teens Study shows link between social media use and gambling New research identifies most harmful aspects of social media for minors Update on this week's Congressional hearing  What's happening with the TikTok "ban" (with special guest Patrick Lyden) Snapchat's effort to identify AI-generated content Instagram's disappointing announcement related to nude images Check back on Fridays for everything that parents need to know about the platforms our children are spending hours on every day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

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 High School teachers Matt Miles and Joe Clement. Matt and Joe are incredible advocates in this space and are authors of one of my favorite books, ⁠Screen Schooled: Two Veteran Teachers Expose How Technology Overuse Is Making Our Kids Dumber⁠ Be sure not to miss our version of "Mean Tweets" toward the end of the episode!  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support

This episode is all about social media safety. I constantly wonder; will my children be safe on social media? The short answer is no.  To advise on the topic, I brought in Marc Berkman, who is the CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety. Together, we walk through evidence-based harms that exist on social media and proposed legislation to make social media a safer space for us to connect.  We also discuss this week's congressional hearing where we will learn more about 9 proposed online safety bills including KOSA, Sammy's Law, COPPA 2.0, APRA and others. Fingers crossed for creating safer online spaces for us and our children to connect!Check out OFSMS: https://www.socialmediasafety.org/ Tell your representative if online safety for children is important to you. Visit this link and enter your ZIP code at the top-right: https://www.house.gov/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scrolling2death/support