Hey, I’m Lindsay, the host of Make Sense w/ Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, a weekly podcast where my guests and I simplify complex topics at the intersection of people & technology. We analyze whatever hot mess is in the news, evaluate trending innovations through a human-first lens, and take deep dives on a need-to-know basis.
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One headline: “Anxiety and depression is spiking among young people. No one knows why.”
Really? No one knows ‘why’?
Maybe you think it’s social media.
Yet, the next headline: “Social Media Bans Could Deny Teenagers Mental Health Help”
That’s true.
Remember the “It Gets Better” campaign from 2010? Social media helps connect teens with others like them located in far-off places.
Another headline: “Rights Groups Warn Senate-passed online safety bill ‘makes kids less safe’.”
True, implementing age restrictions asks parents and children to supply MORE personal information to private tech companies, putting families at greater risk of other tech-enabled consequences.
This conversation is quite complex. Who better to help us weigh our options than Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of Family Online Safety Institute. In this episode of Make Sense, we cover:
- Parents’ role in teaching online safety and etiquette to their children
- Strategies for digital parenting
- Complexities that come with regulation, particularly for privacy and free speech
Instead of wholesale banning social media, let’s talk about being better parents and teaching our children how to navigate the digital world.
In the comments, I link directly to the conversation with Stephen Balkam.
Reference the full show notes below.
Choice Quote
“There’s no easy one simple silver bullet to solve [teen mental health]. There’s no clear scientific evidence that points to one particular product or service that’s causing this. The scientific evidence is inconclusive.”
– Stephen Balkam, Founder & CEO, Family Online Safety Institute
Buck the media hype cycle. Calm the fear-mongering. Laugh at the inanity of Tech CEO “hero culture.” Be the smartest person in your peer’s LinkedIn feed:
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction: Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Children’s Mental Health and Online Safety
1:41 Segment 1: What do you know? A review of HOT MESS headlines that have made national news
2:12 “Anxiety and depression is spiking among young people. No one knows why.”
5:23 “Social media bans could deny teenagers mental health help”
6:35 “Rights groups warn Senate-passed safety bill ‘makes kids less safe’
8:59 Segment 2: Reputation Repair: Tech’s Redemption: Incredible innovations that can reshape our world
10:29 The Importance of Digital Literacy Education
14:06 Parenting in the Digital Age: Teaching Online Safety and Etiquette
20:21 Taking a Holistic Approach to Children’s Mental Health and Online Safety
25:42 Navigating the Hype and Fear of New Technologies
27:53 Bridging from Parents to Their Children on “Digital Stuff”
30:24 Supporting Content with Family Online Safety Institute on YouTube
33:19 Segment 3: No Scrubs, Just Solution: Strategies and techniques to elevate innovation
10:29 The Importance of Digital Literacy Education
33:28 The Challenges of Regulating the Digital Landscape
37:40 Playing Catchup with US Laws and Regulations
46:31 Remaining Hopeful and Optimistic in the Face of Technological Change
Where to find Stephen Balkam
Stephen Balkam is the Founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), an international, nonprofit headquartered in Washington, DC. FOSI’s mission is to make the online world safer for kids and their families. FOSI convenes the top thinkers and practitioners in government, industry and the nonprofit sectors to collaborate and innovate and to create a “culture of responsibility” in the online world.
Prior to FOSI, Stephen was the Founder and CEO of the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) and lead a team which developed the world’s leading content labeling system on the web. While with ICRA, Stephen served on the US Child Online Protection Commission (COPA) in 2000 and was named one of the Top 50 UK Movers and Shakers, Internet Magazine, 2001.
Stephen Balkam on LinkedIn
Family Online Safety Institute Website
FOSI on Instagram
FOSI on YouTube
Where to find Lindsay Tabas
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytabas
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayTLadyEngineer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaytladyengineer
Related Make Sense Podcast Episodes on Children’s Digital Lives
- How Parents Can Help Their Child Navigate Virtual Learning and Social Media with Jessica Shelley, Founder of Dailies, an online learning platform.
- Engaging Children in Therapy Through Video Bots and Personalized Avatars w/ Dr. Brian E Wallace, Chief Medical Officer of Calmsie.ai
- How Social Media Can Affect Your Kid’s Mental Health with Matt Weckel, CEO of NeonWild
- Children and Safety Using Web3 with Rebecca Orlov, Gen Alpha Mom and Owner of Epic Playdate
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