Podcasts · Kids & Family · Education

Screen Deep

Children and Screens

40 episodes

Screen Deep takes aim at decoding young brains and behavior in a digital world. Host Kris Perry dives deep with a leading expert in each episode to explore how children and adolescents are affected mentally, physically, and developmentally by digital media use, bringing research and evidence-based perspectives to the essential questions on how to help children thrive today.

Episodes

  1. Do Social Media Child Safety and Content Moderation Features Work? with Laura Edelson, PhD

    · 45 min · S1 E39

    Most social media platforms provide child safety and content moderation features to help protect young users from harmful content and experiences. Do they work? Will changes required by lawsuits help? On this episode…

  2. Artificial Intimacy: What Happens When We Turn to AI for Connection? with Sherry Turkle, PhD

    · 50 min · S1 E38

    Humans of all ages are increasingly relying on AI chatbots as intimate and always-supportive social companions. What are the costs of this reliance on “pretend empathy” when it comes to the development of social…

  3. Why the Internet Should be Made Safer for Children - Not the Other Way Around with Baroness Beeban Kidron

    · 53 min · S1 E37

    The early egalitarian promise of an open and free internet has morphed over the past three decades into an algorithm-driven experience that is designed to addict and extract data and money from adults and children…

  4. The False Promise of Tech and AI in Schools with Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd

    · 53 min · S1 E36

    Has the widespread use of "educational" technology and AI in schools led to declines in children’s learning outcomes and skill development, rather than promised improvements? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris…

  5. The Costs of Using Devices to Calm Children with Peter Reschke, PhD

    · 36 min · S1 E35

    The usage of phones and tablets to help calm infants and young children in difficult moments is often effective in the moment – yet how is the development of self-calming skills affected by this common parenting…

  6. The Science of Raising Humans in the Age of AI with Dana Suskind, MD

    · 46 min · S1 E34

    The rise of AI is often presented as an opportunity to make parenting easier, but what happens when technology begins to replace, rather than support, the human interactions children need most? On this episode of…

  7. Influencers and Kids: The Power of Online Personalities | Liselot Hudders, PhD

    · 39 min · S1 E33

    The rise of influencers has changed the conversation around advertising, marketing, and behavior change in adults as well as children. How do influencers and their sponsored content impact children’s thoughts,…

  8. How Toxic Food Marketing Affects Child Health with Kelly Brownell, PhD

    · 44 min · S1 E32

    Children today are inundated with sophisticated marketing and ads online, particularly for unhealthy foods which can contribute to obesity and other negative health impacts. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris…

  9. What Matters for Young Children's Healthy Digital Media Use and Learning? With Rachel Barr, PhD

    · 44 min · S1 E31

    For decades, researchers have studied why babies and young children learn differently from screens than they do from real-world experiences. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr. Rachel Barr,…

  10. Making Social Media Safer: How Lawsuits Are Changing the Game with Matt Bergman

    · 42 min · S1 E30

    As courts increasingly examine the impact of social media on young people, new legal approaches are beginning to reshape how responsibility for harms are understood, shifting the focus from content to platform design.…

  11. Measuring How Screens Change Young Brains with Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, PhD

    · 48 min · S1 E29

    How is digital media use rewiring children’s brains – and how can these impacts be measured? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the latest research on screen use and brain development with Dr.…

  12. Does Age of Smartphone Ownership Affect Child Health? With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD

    · 52 min · S1 E28

    How do online environments shape children’s health and well-being? Which features have the biggest impact, and how can we make sense of the very different ways individual children experience the same digital world? On…

  13. The Costs of Youth Attachment to AI Companions with Pilyoung Kim, PhD

    · 53 min · S1 E27

    AI “friends” and companions are increasingly providing children and adolescents with social interactions and perceived “relationships,” despite being a technology that itself has no need for empathy or emotional…

  14. Does AI Help Students Learn? With Adam Dubé, PhD

    · 47 min · S1 E26

    Schools are increasingly deploying AI-powered technologies in classrooms that promise to revolutionize education, yet there is growing concern over the risks to children and adolescents’ learning by doing so. What do…

  15. Are You Real? Ethics of AI Chatbots and Characters for Children with Sonia Tiwari, PhD

    · 51 min · S1 E25

    Children are increasingly encountering AI characters for both educational and entertainment purposes, but many of the chatbots and other AI products they interact with are not designed with child development and safety…

  16. How Phones Are Making Us More Lonely and Addicted with Meredith David, PhD

    · 42 min · S1 E24

    What is the social cost of looking at your phone when in the company of other people? Is smartphone and social media use making us less connected, more lonely, and addicted to the endless videos on our feed? On this…

  17. Is My Child Ready for a Smartphone? With Adam Pletter, PsyD

    · 49 min · S1 E23

    A child’s first smartphone is a modern "rite of passage" and today's parents face a challenging decision – when is the right time? Peer pressure and fear of missing out loom heavily, yet there are significant risks to…

  18. Phones in Schools? What the Research Says with Abe Flanigan, PhD

    · 53 min · S1 E22

    Should phones be allowed in the classroom? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Abraham Flanigan, an associate professor of educational psychology at Georgia Southern University about what…

  19. Ditch the Guilt: Media, Stress, and Parent-Child Relationships with Dr. Lara Wolfers

    · 39 min · S1 E21

    Parents increasingly recognize how family screen time shapes child development. But that awareness can bring guilt or shame when digital devices creep into daily life. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry…

  20. Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Building Resilience in Youth with Elizabeth Englander, PhD

    · 53 min · S1 E20

    Social development for today’s youth often includes navigating online social cruelty, such as cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by cyberbullying expert…

  21. Early Childhood Mental Health and Screen Use with Joan Luby, MD

    · 41 min · S1 E19

    Many people think of mental health disorders as arising later in childhood or adolescence. However, there is increasing evidence that even young children can experience mental health problems like anxiety and…

  22. Children's Rights in Digital Safety and Design with Sonia Livingstone

    · 50 min · S1 E18

    From parent and school restrictions on smartphone use to the design of the latest AI tools, what does it mean to center children’s own perspectives and rights in ensuring safety in their online worlds? On this episode…

  23. Reading and Writing Skills in the Age of AI with Naomi Baron, PhD

    · 55 min · S1 E17

    How are screen-based reading and writing, along with the growing use of generative AI by youth, shaping children’s development of foundational literacy skills? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores…

  24. Social Media, Anxiety, and Emotion Regulation in Teens with Sarah Myruski, PhD

    · 50 min · S1 E16

    The relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health issues like anxiety is complex, and researchers continue to probe the mechanisms and causalities that may be involved in this relationship. In this…

  25. The Science of Boredom with James Danckert, PhD

    · 46 min · S1 E15

    Boredom is a common and frequently misunderstood psychological state for adults and children alike. On this episode, host Kris Perry goes deep with leading boredom researcher James Danckert, PhD, a Professor of…

  26. Assessing Child Readiness for Tech with Jenny Radesky, MD

    · 1 h 02 min · S1 E14

    Parents and caregivers today face what can feel like momentous and fraught decisions about how and when to introduce new technology to children — whether that be an iPad for a toddler or a smartphone for a tween. In…

  27. AI's Impact on Children's Social and Cognitive Development with Ying Xu, PhD

    · 50 min · S1 E13

    Rapid advances in artificial intelligence systems continue to be deployed rapidly for use in commonly available tools online. How do today’s AI technologies affect children’s development? Will accessible AI tools erode…

  28. Neurodivergent Children and Media Use with Meryl Alper, PhD

    · 50 min · S1 E12

    Neurodivergent children’s relationships with technology is subject to many common myths and misconceptions: Does digital media use cause ADHD? Do children with autism have more affinity for screens? In this episode of…

  29. Harmful Social Media Algorithms and Children with Imran Ahmed

    · 50 min · S1 E11

    Social media platforms are feeding youth harmful content—fast. From hate speech to pro-eating disorder posts and disinformation, powerful algorithms push dangerous content straight to children. But why? And what can be…

  30. Video Gaming Effects on Children’s Behavior and Health with Douglas Gentile, PhD

    · 50 min · S1 E10

    The majority of today’s adolescents are video gaming - for many, daily. How much gaming is too much ? Are violent video games actually harmful to children? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry sits down…

  31. Social Media, Mental Health, and Adolescent Social Dynamics with Mitch Prinstein, PhD, ABPP

    · 43 min · Episode 9

    How has social media changed the way teens socialize and interact - and is it affecting their mental health? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry sits down with researcher and Chief of Psychology of the…

  32. Language Development, Learning, and Play in Early Childhood with Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD

    · 50 min · Episode 8

    Learning language involves much more than memorizing the ABCs. How do babies and toddlers acquire language and how can parents and caregivers foster its optimal development? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris…

  33. Adolescent Health, Body Image/Eating Disorders and Media Use with Jason Nagata, MD, MSc

    · 40 min · Episode 7

    How does adolescents’ use of digital media , particularly of image-based social media platforms, influence and amplify their body image concerns? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry engages in a compelling…

  34. Young Child Learning, Attention, and Screen Use with Heather Kirkorian, PhD

    · 34 min · Episode 6

    When a young child watches TV or uses a digital tablet are they able to learn from what they see? What are the effects of media use on the development of attentional networks? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris…

  35. Introducing the Screen Deep Podcast

    · 1:13 · Trailer

    Introducing the Screen Deep podcast - where we go on deep dives with leading experts to decode child and adolescent brains and behavior in a digital world. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn…

  36. Parent Media Use, Technoference, and Its Effects on Children with Brandon McDaniel, PhD

    · 43 min · Episode 5

    Parents worried about child media use may not be aware that their own media use patterns at home may be significantly affecting their children. In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses “technoference”…

  37. The Neuroscience of Adolescent Digital and Behavioral Addictions with Dr. Marc Potenza

    · 41 min · Episode 4

    Concern about youth digital addiction is a relatively recent but significant addition to the list of common worries for parents of adolescents in the past few decades. What exactly is digital addiction, and how does it…

  38. Adolescent Brain Development and Social Media Use with Eva Telzer, PhD

    · 44 min · Episode 3

    Adolescence is an exciting period of life shaped by risks, rewards, and rapid changes in the brain. On this episode of Screen Deep, we explore how adolescent brains affect and are affected by their digital media use…

  39. Screen Time and Sleep - Quality, Quantity, and Context with Lauren Hale, PhD

    · 46 min · Episode 2

    Sleep is an essential part of life, and the quality and quantity of a person’s nightly sleep has wide-ranging impacts on cognition, behavior, and health. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses…

  40. Early Childhood Development and Screen Use with Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH

    · 39 min · Episode 1

    On this inaugural episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry interviews Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, about his decades of experience investigating the impact of screens in early childhood, from baby videos to tablet apps.…

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