Parents Uncharted: From The Creator of Mom Uncharted

“I won’t go faceless.” Sarah has been sent a growing number of posts from parents defending the decision to keep showing their children online, even as AI makes it easier to copy and manipulate a child’s image. In this solo episode, she takes on five of their most common arguments, including the claim that keeping children off social media somehow makes them invisible. Sarah explains why audience, frequency, identifying details, and monetization matter, and why a child’s right to privacy deserves more weight as AI makes images easier to misuse. She also examines the incentives that reward parents for turning intimate moments into content, offers five questions to ask before posting, and makes the case for normalizing a more private childhood. If someone sends you a post arguing that children are being “erased” when parents stop sharing them online, send them this episode. It’s a way to start a thoughtful conversation without giving the original post more engagement and if this episode helped you rethink what belongs online, share it with another parent who might be asking the same questions. Chapters (01:45) — The “I Won’t Go Faceless” Posts. (05:00) — “The offender is responsible, so parents shouldn’t have to change” (09:05) — “The internet isn’t the only place children can be harmed” (12:28) — “Not posting children makes them invisible” (17:00) — “You’re judging parents for a normal family photo” (21:00) — “You can’t eliminate every risk, so why change anything?” Connect with Sarah Adams: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://momuncharted.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mom.uncharted/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@mom.uncharted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://parentsuncharted.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/parents.uncharted/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@parents.uncharted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adults spend a great deal of time talking about what young people experience online, what they need and how we should protect them. But how often do we stop talking about young people and actually listen to them? In this episode of Parents Uncharted, Sarah speaks with Hanna Grover, a youth advocate, researcher and recent high school graduate from British Columbia. Hanna is also the founder of Poet2Poet, an award-winning nonprofit that provides young poets with a safe space to share their writing, connect with one another and support their emotional well-being. Hanna offers something especially valuable to the conversation about children and technology: lived experience. She shares what it was like to enter high school during the pandemic, feel behind as friends received smartphones and watch social media become central to her generation’s friendships and identities. She also takes parents inside parts of the digital world they may not see, from relentless group chats and social pressure to graphic algorithmic content, online exploitation and the growing use of AI chatbots for companionship and mental health support. Sarah and Hanna discuss why conversations about online safety need to move beyond screen-time limits and address what children are actually encountering on their screens. Hanna also reflects on British Columbia’s school cellphone restrictions, explaining how putting phones away created more meaningful conversations and helped students become more present during the school day. Finally, they examine Canada’s proposed approach to restricting social media for children under 16. Hanna explains why many young people recognize that platforms can be harmful but remain wary of blanket bans, and why safer design, corporate accountability and meaningful youth participation must be part of the solution. If adults want to build a healthier digital world for young people, we need to stop speaking only about them and start including them in the conversation. More about Hannah Hanna Grover, is a youth advocate, researcher, and public speaker driven by a commitment to health and wellbeing equity, children’s rights, and youth empowerment.  Her journey began with a simple belief: that young people deserve a seat at every table where decisions about their wellbeing are made. Today, that belief shapes everything she does, from founding Poet2Poet, a youth-focused organization that merges poetry with mental health, to working with national health organizations to create more equitable healthcare systems.  Through Poet2Poet, Hanna has helped thousands of youth across 70+ countries use writing as a tool for healing, connection, and advocacy. Alongside her many personal initiatives, she serves and collaborates with a range of organizations, advisory councils, academic teams, and advocacy platforms on projects that center youth voices for systems-level change.  She has had the privilege of speaking at national conferences and panels, often serving as the youngest voice in rooms filled with fellow policymakers, researchers, and professionals with a hope to empower others like her. Her advocacy has been recognized through awards like Canada’s Top 10 Under 18 Changemakers, British Columbia's Medal of Good Citizenship, and Surrey’s Top 25 Under 25. Connect with Hanna Poet2Poet: https://www.poet2poet.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanna.grover_/ Connect with Sarah Adams: Website Instagram TikTok Podcast Podcast Instagram Podcast TikTok Chapters (00:00) Why adults need to listen to young people (01:27) Growing up online during the pandemic (05:36) Social media, screen-time rules and feeling left behind (10:54) What parents would see inside a teenager’s phone (13:49) Group chats, bullying and the pressure to stay connected (18:40) Graphic content, algorithms and desensitization (22:36) What parents should discuss beyond screen time (25:15) How teenagers are using AI and chatbots (28:42) Hanna’s experience with school cellphone restrictions (30:57) What policymakers are missing about social media bans (41:07) What young people need from their parents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Research from Common Sense Media found that nearly three in four teenagers have been exposed to online pornography, with the average first exposure happening around age 12. For many children, however, exposure happens even earlier, sometimes accidentally and through places parents would never expect. So how early should parents begin talking about pornography? What can we say without giving young children information they aren’t ready for? And what should we do if our child tells us they have already seen something? In this episode of Parents Uncharted, Sarah speaks with Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes and author of Five Habits of the Tech-Ready Family: Raising Self-Led Kids in a Screen-Driven World. Chris explains why families need to move away from the idea of one intimidating “porn talk” and toward short, age-appropriate conversations that begin early and continue as children grow. He shares simple language parents can use with younger children, including “put it down and tell someone” and explains when it may be helpful to introduce the word pornography. Sarah and Chris also discuss how children can encounter explicit content through social media, gaming platforms, group chats, school-issued devices, in-app browsers and other people’s phones. Chris explains why filters alone are not enough and walks parents through his layered approach to online protection, beginning with the parent-child relationship. Most importantly, they discuss how a parent’s first reaction can determine whether a child feels safe coming back. Children who encounter pornography need calm, connection and reassurance, not shame or panic. These conversations don’t need to be perfect, graphic or fear-based. They simply need to begin. More About Chris: Chris McKenna is the Founder of Protect Young Eyes and President of The Better Tech Project. Author of 5 Habits of the Tech-Ready Family, and leading voice on digital safety, he testified before the U.S. Senate in 2019, sparking more than 20 hearings on online child protection. Under his leadership, Protect Young Eyes earned the Dignity Defense Award and the Phase Alliance Child Safety Award. He co-authored the Child Device Protection Bill, now law in Utah and Alabama, requiring devices to activate content filters for minors.  Chris serves as a technical advisor and represents the Human Change Movement, speaking globally—including at the World Economic Forum—while collaborating with advocates, tech leaders, and legislators. Featured in the film Childhood 2.0, Protect Young Eyes equips families with practical safety tools.  Book: https://www.techreadyfamily.com/  Website: https://protectyoungeyes.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protectyoungeyes/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mckenna-75962211/ Connect with Sarah Adams: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Podcast⁠ ⁠Podcast Instagram⁠ ⁠Podcast TikTok⁠ Produced and distributed by Women in Media Network. Chapters: (00:00) Why parents need to talk about pornography (02:23) Why the conversation needs to begin early (05:42) Where children are encountering pornography (07:46) The “10 Before 10” approach (09:11) What to say to a four- or five-year-old (11:48) When to introduce the word “pornography” (14:23) Moving through parental shame and discomfort (18:28) Why smaller conversations work better (20:59) How to respond when a child discloses exposure (24:16) What pornography can teach a developing brain (27:59) Pornography in mainstream online culture (31:14) Building a proactive family safety plan (32:18) The Pyramid of Protection (35:03) Six high-risk locations for digital harm (36:47) Five habits of a tech-ready family (39:10) Where overwhelmed parents should begin (40:57) What every child needs to hear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle lawsuits brought by nearly every U.S. state over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were intentionally designed to keep young people engaged while exposing them to serious harm. It’s being called a historic victory, and even Big Tech’s “Big Tobacco moment, “ but Meta admitted no wrongdoing, billions of dollars are conditional, many of the new protections can be overridden by parents, and thousands of other lawsuits remain unresolved. In this episode, Sarah welcomes back former social media executive turned digital safety advocate Nicki Petrossi to break down what Meta actually agreed to, which changes could meaningfully help teenagers, and where the settlement falls short. They also clarify the different legal cases involving Meta, including the New Mexico verdict, the K.G.M. trial in Los Angeles, state lawsuits, individual plaintiffs, and cases brought by school districts. Most importantly, Nicki explains why this settlement is not an “all clear” for parents, and why meaningful protection will require enforceable, industry-wide standards that don’t expire after ten years. More About Nicki: Nicki Petrossi is a former social media executive turned social media reform advocate. In late 2023, Nicki launched Scrolling 2 Death, a podcast for parents who are worried about social media. It’s a safe space to elevate the human experiences of children online and educate parents on how to keep them safe. In 2025, Nicki launched Tech-Safe Learning Coalition, which supports parents related to issues with school tech, and The Heat is On, an investigative mini-series and parent movement to hold Big Tech accountable for harm to children. Nicki also travels the world as an event speaker, inspiring families, educators and lawmakers through online safety education and awareness. Connect w/ Nicki:  Founder & Host, Scrolling 2 Death Podcast Co-Founder, Tech-Safe Learning Coalition Founder, S2D Foundation Resources and links Motley Rice Social Media Evidence Library Meta’s settlement explained The Tech Transparency Project Connect with Sarah Adams: Website Instagram TikTok Podcast Podcast Instagram Podcast TikTok Chapters: (00:00) Why Meta’s settlement matters (02:04) Disturbing advertisements uncovered on Meta’s platforms (05:29) Are social media companies suppressing their critics? (08:05) The case against Meta and why it settled (11:19) Is this a victory for children or a favourable deal for Meta? (14:49) Breaking down the settlement money (16:40) The new restrictions planned for teen accounts (18:17) Why parents can override many of the protections (20:46) Can this be called accountability without an admission of wrongdoing? (22:38) Is the financial penalty large enough to change Meta’s behaviour? (23:48) Individual, state, and school-district lawsuits explained (26:30) Meta’s appeals and what happens next (27:33) Is this Big Tech’s “Big Tobacco moment”? (29:15) What the settlement means for parents (31:28) Is any social platform truly safe for children? (32:37) What gives Nicki hope (34:51) The next fight: Big Tech inside schools (36:48) Where to follow Nicki and access her parent resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Technology has changed dramatically in just a few years, but has our approach to parenting kids online kept up? This week on Parents Uncharted, Sarah sits down with Dr. Devorah Heitner, author of Growing Up in Public and Screenwise, for a nuanced conversation about raising kids in an increasingly connected, tracked, and AI-powered world. Devorah explains why the explosion of generative AI has created new challenges for families, particularly as chatbots increasingly simulate friendship and emotional connection. But she also cautions against making fear, avoidance, or delay our only parenting strategy. Kids need opportunities to build judgment, independence, digital literacy, and the ability to navigate technology when parents aren’t watching. Sarah and Devorah also explore the growing culture of parental surveillance: location tracking, reading texts, monitoring grades, and receiving constant updates about children’s lives. While technology can sometimes support healthy habits, Devorah argues that having access to information doesn’t necessarily mean parents need to see it, and that too much monitoring can increase parental anxiety while undermining children’s independence. The conversation also gets practical, covering group chats, phone etiquette, location sharing, digital reputation, comparison culture, device boundaries, and the conversations families should be having as kids head back to school. Ultimately, this episode isn’t about being anti-tech. It’s about shifting from monitoring kids to mentoring them, and helping children develop the skills they need to eventually navigate the digital world without us. More About Dr. Devorah Heitner  Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World and Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own teenager and she lives with her family in Chicagoland.  Connect w/ Dr. Devorah Heitner Website Substack  Instagram Connect with Sarah Adams: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://momuncharted.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mom.uncharted/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@mom.uncharted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://parentsuncharted.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/parents.uncharted/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@parents.uncharted⁠ Chapters: 00:00) Introduction (00:59) What has changed since Growing Up in Public? (01:31) The explosion of AI in kids' lives (04:27) When AI starts acting like a friend (05:54) The problem with AI being a constant “yes person” (08:35) Why parents feel so anxious about technology (10:05) Why delaying technology isn't enough (12:13) Mentoring vs. monitoring kids online (15:42) Is tracking actually making parents more anxious? (20:11) Back-to-school digital conversations families need (22:16) Device zones, bedtime, and healthy tech habits (23:50) How kids can navigate toxic group chats (27:40) Teaching tweens and teens phone etiquette (30:16) Snapchat, Instagram, and location sharing (31:54) Teaching kids about digital reputation and privacy (34:42) Why kids, and adults, should periodically clean up their feeds (36:21) Comparison culture, achievement, and college admissions (39:02) One digital habit parents should stop (41:59) What gives Devorah hope about this generation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices