Family IT Guy Podcast

David Baszucki: Millions of kids play Roblox daily, but there's a critical safety gap only you can fix. Parents watching: I'm addressing Roblox's CEO directly, but need your help amplifying this message. Every share brings us closer to change. David, I've been publicly critical of Roblox - not from malice, but from concern. As a cybersecurity professional with 30 years experience (including NSA) and a father, I see a clear solution: whitelist parental controls. THE PROBLEM: The Roblox platform has millions of user-created games that change daily. Parents cannot possibly review them all. We need what YouTube Kids already offers: "approved content only" mode. THE BUSINESS CASE: Yes, whitelist controls might reduce short-term engagement metrics. But long-term, you'll gain millions of parents who currently won't let their kids near Roblox. Lead the industry. Transform negative press into positive coverage. Show that child safety and business success aren't mutually exclusive. THE ASK: Implement whitelist features allowing parents to: - Approve specific games before access - Approve trusted developers - Control content exposure proactively, not reactively David, be the CEO who chose children's safety over engagement metrics. I'll be first to celebrate your leadership. Parents: Share this with #RobloxWhitelist. Email Roblox support. Send to your school groups. Your voice matters.

A teenager's tragic story reveals why children should never use ChatGPT alone. Here's what parents must know to keep kids safe. 16-year-old Adam Raine spent 7 months confiding in ChatGPT before taking his own life. The AI's responses - including "you don't owe them survival" - show why unsupervised AI access poses serious risks to vulnerable children. This video explains what happened and how to protect your family. KEY SAFETY PRINCIPLES: - AI appears to understand by mimicing human behavior - Children cannot distinguish AI responses from genuine care - Private technology use enables risky AI relationships - Parent education must precede child access IMMEDIATE PROTECTIVE STEPS: 1. Establish tech-free private spaces (bedrooms, bathrooms) 2. Create a common-area charging station 3. Try the AI testing exercises yourself 4. Have an age-appropriate conversation about AI 5. Supervise all AI interactions This isn't about fearing technology - it's about understanding its limitations and protecting vulnerable children during critical developmental years. Visit FamilyITGuy.com and type AI in the search box for detailed safety guides and age-specific exercises to help your family navigate AI safely. #AISafety #DigitalParenting #ChatGPT #ChildProtection #OnlineSafety #ParentingTips #MentalHealth #TechBoundaries

WARNING: If this is not the right time in your day to hear a very sad story about the death of a child, you may want to come back to this another time. Suicide is now the #2 cause of death for ages 10-24. Jason Sokolowski's daughter Penelope became part of that statistic in February 2025, just six months ago. In this raw conversation, Jason shares what he learned too late about the 764 group and online predation. The 764 group operates with literal guidebooks for grooming children. They reached Penelope through Roblox, controlled her through death threats against Jason and his ex-wife, and weaponized authorities against him when Jason tried to learn more about who is behind this evil. Jason reveals: ✓ Specific grooming tactics he witnessed but didn't recognize ✓ Why monitoring apps and parental controls failed ✓ How kids create accounts under parent emails ✓ The extortion cycle that traps children ✓ Warning signs every parent should know ✓ Immediate protective actions available Every parent thinks "not my child." Jason thought that too. Opening & Context 00:00:78 - Introduction: Why this conversation matters 00:02:09 - Who was Penelope: A brilliant, creative 16-year-old Family Technology Journey 00:17:54 - First phone at 11: Setting boundaries that seemed reasonable 00:20:20 - Roblox monitoring: "I thought I was covering all bases" 00:22:39 - The anime friend: Witnessing grooming without recognizing it 00:29:16 - Instagram discovery: Multiple accounts, hidden personas 00:35:40 - TikTok emergence: 2500 followers and growing concern Crisis Escalation 01:15:24 - First self-harm incident: Text from bathroom 01:18:47 - Second cutting episode: "The sight I have in my brain" 01:20:11 - "I'm part of a self-harm group" 01:23:56 - First suicide attempt 01:25:51 - Discovery of 764 messaging: "Culprit" carved into chest Understanding 764 00:49:22 - How 764 operates: Love bombing to extortion 00:51:56 - The protection trap: Kids protecting parents from death threats 00:55:55 - Culprit's phone calls: Predator contacting Jason directly 01:11:53 - 764 origins: Bill Cadenhead and grooming guidebooks 01:30:34 - Self-harm bucket list: Gamification of suffering System Failures 00:45:35 - Schools enabling access: Kids exchanging favors for internet 01:33:41 - Protection order: How predators weaponize authorities 01:37:03 - Forced removal from home: System playing into predator's plan Critical Insights & Solutions 00:42:39 - Timeline: 3-6 months from grooming to full control 01:47:05 - Suicide as #2 cause of youth death 01:51:30 - "Extortion is attempted murder" 02:18:43 - Core solution: No phones in bedrooms 00:46:54 - Essential reading: "The Anxious Generation" 03:02:44 - Meeting kids with curiosity, not judgment 03:06:28 - The Aunt Becky example: True curiosity

I'm a cybersecurity expert who worked with the NSA. I'm also a dad. When I tested Roblox as an 8-year-old with MAXIMUM parental controls, I found sexual content within minutes. Roblox just banned Schlep - who got 6 predators arrested. Now 100,000 people have signed a petition. Congress is involved. Louisiana's Attorney General wants them shut down. Their new "safety" video https://youtu.be/cuPGe99m8zs ? It's not about protecting your kids. It's about protecting their stock price. WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW: - 40 million kids under 13 use Roblox daily - Parental controls DON'T work - They refuse to add basic safety features - Your kid's face scan may be stored forever Watch this video. Share it. Your kids deserve better. #Roblox #ParentsNeedToKnow

Your child's future might depend on the conversations you're NOT having because of your phone. This changes everything about screen time limits. Join Family IT Guy Ben Gillenwater and Dr. Steve Underwood (https://www.veritasedconsulting.com) as they connect dots between device addiction and the literacy crisis. Steve overcame poverty and a severe stutter to become a leading education consultant - and his insights will transform how you think about technology's real cost to your family. CRITICAL MOMENTS: 00:01:40 - Steve's personal struggle that shaped his mission 00:24:21 - The grocery store test revealing 10,000 word gaps 00:28:08 - "Rich get richer, poor get poorer" in literacy 00:43:03 - When addiction patterns repeat across generations 00:47:08 - Using YouTube as a conversation tool, not babysitter 01:20:14 - Why typing skills don't equal future readiness Learn why first grade is the literacy deadline, how to ask questions that build critical thinking, and what "attachment parenting" means in our digital world. Perfect for parents who've read "The Anxious Generation" and want specific, actionable strategies beyond just limiting screen time. #DigitalParenting #LiteracyCrisis #EducationReform #ScreenAddiction #ChildBrainDevelopment #ParentingStrategies

Former police officer Conrad Woodall has spent 25 years working with survivors of sexual assault and trafficking. In this eye-opening conversation, he shares hard truths about what's really happening to our kids online and in schools. What You'll Learn: - Why over 100 boys sent inappropriate images to his 16-year-old daughter - How a child was molested in just 37 seconds at a Dollar Tree - Why certain kindergarten books are perfect grooming tools for predators - How to teach kids consent as "the power to stop" not just saying yes - Why sheltering kids from technology makes them MORE vulnerable - How teaching toddlers to "fight the vacuum" builds crucial neural pathways - The one skill every child needs before touching any device Conrad developed the RECOVER model of therapeutic self-defense after seeing his mother's childhood trauma shape his family. With a master's in forensic psychology and 12 years as a Sacramento police officer, he understands both predator psychology and survivor recovery. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction & Conrad's Background 01:56 Mother's Trauma That Started It All 11:50 The Spider Analogy - How Trauma Affects Intimacy 14:35 Redefining Consent: The Power to Stop 28:42 100+ Dick Pics: The Shocking Reality in Schools 45:13 The 37-Second Molestation Case 53:45 How Kindergarten Books Help Predators 1:04:28 Your Kids: Big Tech's Test Subjects 1:18:37 Teaching Toddlers to Fight Fear 1:29:11 Raising a Daughter Who Triangle Chokes Boyfriends 1:43:41 The 4-Year-Old Who Saved Herself Resources Mentioned: Netsmartz Connect Safely Internet Keep Safe Coalition Trad Fam (Idaho organization) Note: This conversation contains discussions of sexual assault, child abuse, and trauma. While approached sensitively, some content may be triggering. #childsafety #onlinesafety #parenting #digitalparenting #internetsafety #parentingtips #ConradWoodall #traumarecovery #kidsandtechnology #cybersafety #parentingpodcast #childprotection

We're disrupting sextortion operations worldwide - and the criminals are getting desperate. Here's what every parent needs to know. As a 30-year cybersecurity expert and father, I'm seeing firsthand how education about online predators is making criminals less effective. In this video, I explain why scammers are trying to infiltrate my content and, more importantly, share the exact conversation you need to have with your kids tonight. What you'll learn: - Why education is the best defense against sextortion - Specific predator tactics: love bombing, sudden friendship, photo requests - The critical response if your child becomes a victim - How criminal networks operate globally Timestamps: 0:00 Evidence we're winning 1:10 How this disrupts criminal business 2:01 Teaching kids to recognize red flags 2:40 Crisis response protocol Don't let your child become a statistic. Watch, learn, and share with other parents.

Your child's app addiction isn't accidental—it's engineered. Former NSA cybersecurity expert explains the "bottomless feed" design that creates chemical addiction in developing brains. In this 2-minute breakdown, discover: - What bottomless feeds actually are (0:00) - The hidden business model keeping kids hooked (0:26) - Why it's literally "digital drugs" with real brain chemistry (0:45) - The doom scrolling trap adults fall into (1:17) - How to protect your family starting today (1:36) As a parent myself, I've watched my own kids struggle with these intentionally addictive designs. After 30 years in cybersecurity, including NSA work, I'm sharing what every parent needs to know about algorithms. Visit FamilyITGuy.com and search "algorithm" for step-by-step guides to protect your family. No tech expertise required. #DigitalParenting #ScreenTime #KidsAndTechnology #ParentingTips #DigitalWellbeing

The Family IT Guy team discusses: - Why they're doing this work - Critical safety issues - Parenting in the digital age - Solutions and Future Plans

This interview could save your child's life. Officer Gomez, a school resource police officer with 12+ years experience and an engineering background, reveals the shocking reality of online child predation. In one summer, he arrested 14 predators attempting to meet children - and says they could arrest 14 EVERY SINGLE DAY. MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS: - 4th and 5th graders are already sending nude photos - 100% of boys WILL be targeted by sextortion scams - 18 boys have taken their lives from these scams in the past 2 years - Predators aren't who you think - many are attractive teens - "By lunchtime it'll be someone else's picture" - the new normal KEY TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction 07:05 - "By Lunchtime" - The Normalization of Nude Photos 18:11 - Elementary School Kids Sending Nudes 26:45 - 14 Predators Arrested in 10 Weeks 29:25 - Why Predators Target Roblox 31:09 - Young, Attractive Predators 35:32 - How Biology Defeats Boys' Judgment 37:49 - 100% of Boys Will Face Sextortion 39:09 - Teen Suicide Statistics 40:38 - Friday Night Tribal Council Solution 44:38 - The 200 Friend Rule CRITICAL TOPICS COVERED: ✓ The 4-step predator playbook ✓ How to make your kids "hard targets" ✓ What to do if your child is being sextorted ✓ Why Roblox and gaming platforms are hunting grounds ✓ The conversation you MUST have tonight WHO IS OFFICER GOMEZ: - School Resource Officer in Idaho - Electronics Engineering degree - Works with Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force - National speaker on digital safety - Tracks predator tactics through fake accounts PARENT ACTION ITEMS: - Watch this entire interview - Have "the naked picture scam" talk with your sons TONIGHT - Implement the 200 friend rule - Start Friday family discussions about online safety Share this video - it could save a child's life. #onlinesafety #parenting #digitalsafety #sextortionawareness #parentingtips #cybersafety #internetsafety #protectkids #parentingadvice #schoolsafety