Their Own Devices

From sexting to cyberbullying, Finstas to Rinstas, medical advice to parenting tips, Marc and David explore many of the highlights from season one. They share their favorite moments from the podcast including some of their guests' most controversial statements, funniest comments and most surprising revelations. After the important lessons and big laughs, Marc and David provide a preview of season two and answer the #1 question everyone keeps asking: "What does their son think about their podcast?" 

On this episode Marc and David bring Their Own Devices to the live stage with guest danah boyd, the world renowned computer scientist and author of “It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens.” danah boyd is skeptical that tech has a negative impact on teens and is concerned that their voices are not heard in debates about the future of the online world. Maybe the debate shouldn't be about tech at all? Marc and David, who are parenting a teen today, are not always on the same page as danah, even when they're on the same stage with danah. 

Your kid is playing a shooter game. You hear the guns, grenades and mindless shouting. But you know the real battle is coming when you call "dinner" or "bedtime!" The best way to understand your kid's obsession is to pick up a controller yourself and play. If you can't do that, then find a patient 12 year old to explain Fortnite. That's just what Marc and David did. On this episode Jamey, a precocious 7th grader from a small town in Maine, explains Fortnite, digital citizenship, game ratings and more in a way that any technophobe can grasp. You'll learn, you'll laugh and you'll probably be more comfortable with at least some video games after this episode. 

Have you heard about the magic door our kids use? This isn’t a video game. Kids walk through this door and all of the rules, limits and restrictions parents place on technology disappear. You may know this magical gateway by its more common name, “the front door of a friend’s house.” On this episode Marc and David chat with 2 guests: that “embarrassing Dad” who raises tech concerns with other parents before play dates and Laura Tierney, a former digital marketing executive who now works with kids to help them have a positive experience with social media. 

Parents often warn their kids that everything posted online is permanent and that there's no guarantee that data will remain private. It's good advice but can you actually explain that? What does it really mean when we hit "delete," empty the recycle bin, take down a single post, deactivate a social media account, or set a message to expire? Parents raising digital natives should understand what happens to our kids' data before there's a crisis with a picture, post, snap, or tweet. On this episode, Marc and David are joined by computer science professor Abigail Marsh who breaks down this topic for non-techies, highlighting what parents need to know to keep up with our kids.