Cyberwise Chats

Social Media Dangers: How Can We Make It Safer for Kids?

Along with exciting and positive ways of connecting, social media also exposes youth to new risks—like cyberbullying, sexting, misinformation, political polarization, inappropriate content, predators, mining of personal information, possible impact to self-esteem, and more. Most parents are aware of these risks, but are less knowledgeable about what they can do to make social media safer. In this Chat we’ll discuss how all stakeholders—parents, schools, policy makers, and tech companies—can work together to mitigate social media risks and make connecting safer for our kids. We are very excited to welcome special guest David Ryan Polgar, Founder and Executive Director of All Tech Is Human. David is a pioneering tech ethicist who paved the way for the current debates around tech ethics, digital citizenship, and what it means to be human in the digital age.

Teens and Dating in the Digital Age

For many teens during the pandemic, the only option to maintain and forge new relationships with their peers has been via their devices. This includes romantic relationships. Understandably, teens are flirting, “dating,” and even meeting potential partners online. In this Chat, we’ll talk about what parents can do to ensure their kids have safe and healthy online relationships. We’ll cover the most popular dating apps, talk about “sexting,” and give tips on how parents can talk to teens about their online relationships. We were very excited to welcome our special guest, graduate student Taylor Blatchford, who is also the founder of Text2Regret.

What the Heck is the Metaverse and Should You Let Your Children Go There?

When Facebook rebranded itself as “Meta” last October, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to develop a massive “metaverse.” Broadly, this will be an immersive digital world accessed through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (VR) devices. Still confused? Think “Ready Player One"! What the "metaverse" means for the youngest and most vulnerable potential users—children—is the topic of this Cyberwise Chat with Diana Graber, Dr. Pamela Rutledge, and special guest Sean Herman, Founder and CEO of Kinzoo.

What’s On Your Child’s List? Are They Ready for the Hottest Tech Gifts?

From an iPhone to Nintendo Switch, a tablet to a smartwatch, what's on your child's wishlist? And more importantly, is your child ready for the responsibility many of these tech gifts demand? In this Chat we answer your questions about tech-readiness and how to prepare your child for the gadgets they're wishing for.

Is Instagram Really Destroying Your Child’s Self-Esteem?

A Wall Street Journal article titled, “Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show,” reports that “(f)or the past three years, Facebook has been conducting studies into how its photo-sharing app affects its millions of young users.” Facebook’s own researchers “found that Instagram is harmful for a sizable percentage of them, most notably teenage girls.” In this chat we discuss these findings, take a dive into the research, and most importantly, explain what parents can do!

TikTok & Gen Z: From Viral Dance Videos to Social Media Activism

When parents think of TikTok, usually viral dance videos come to mind. However, platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter are being used by Gen Z — youth born after 1996 —to revolutionize activism. At just the click of a button, they can start a movement… like TikTok users who helped sabotage a Trump rally when they coordinated to register for tickets and did not show up, or young Indonesians who used the app to protest labor law reforms. And following George Floyd's murder, there was a surge in Black Lives Matter videos on all of these social media apps. Dr. Brooke Foucault Welles, co-author of "#Hashtag Activism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice" was our special guest.

OMG! You Won’t BELIEVE What Kids Are Clicking On.

Did our clickbait headline get your attention? We hope so! In this Cyberwise Chat, we tackle the topic of clickbait and misinformation. Kids today are exposed to all sorts of online information that's downright untrue, and unarmed with media literacy skills, they can fall for (and share!) headlines designed to grab their attention. Find out how you can prepare your child to face an online world full of clickbait and fake news!

Kids and Online Porn: What Parents Need To Know

One of the most disturbing problems of the digital age is how easy it is for children to access online pornography. With cellphones in their pockets, access to porn is often just a click away. In fact, the average age of first Internet porn exposure is 11 years old and whether your child accidentally or intentionally stumbles across it, the impact can be devastating. Learn how to protect your children from online pornography, what to do if they have already accessed online porn, and how to have honest conversations about this thorny topic.

Post Pandemic Reboot: Helping Kids With the Return to ”Normal.”

During this post-pandemic return to “normal,” kids need parents to help them re-learn how to balance screen time with real life, understand how to use technology mindfully and safely and, most of all, help them manage the anxiety and stress many have (and will) suffer during this transition. Watch Diana Graber of Cyberwise, Dr. Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, and Rick Andreoli, Editor-In-Chief of Parentology tackle these topics.

Parents: Get the Lowdown on Instagram

In this episode, we discussed parental concerns about Instagram. Here are some things that top the list: Data collection, access to inappropriate content (pornography, violence, fake news, dangerous challenges, etc.), a "compare and despair" atmosphere, possible links to anxiety and depression, and more. On top of all this, Facebook is reportedly planning to build a version of the app for the under-13 set. Good idea or bad idea?