Kris Perry, Executive Director | | |
AI, Kids, and Safety
Artificial intelligence is leaping from labs into nurseries, classrooms, and living rooms, often outpacing essential childhood development research. I’m proud to live in California, a state leading with safer-by-design rules, transparency, and stronger protections. Such policies are essential as AI reaches younger audiences, while long-term child development research is still underway.
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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. In episode 21 of Screen Deep, Media, Stress, and the Parent-Child Relationship, leading researcher Lara Wolfers, PhD talks with host Kris Perry about when guilt can be constructive versus when it can be harmful to the parent-child relationship. She offers suggestions for navigating societal pressures and daily demands, and encourages parents to practice self-compassion.
Missed earlier episodes? Visit the Screen Deep archive.
| |  | | Children and Screens filed formal comments urging the FTC to make children’s privacy and safety a core priority in its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan – calling for stronger COPPA enforcement with dedicated child-safety staff, outcome-based measures for harm reduction, closer scrutiny of deceptive marketing to kids, and proactive guidance on emerging tech like AI chatbots. We also cited recent enforcment cases to underscore why robust oversight matters for families. | | | |
Outdoor Play Canada published its 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play, breaking down the benefits of outdoor play for people, communities, environments, and the planet. The statement was co-signed by Children and Screens.
Fairplay released Teen Accounts, Broken Promises: How Instagram is Failing to Protect Minors, documenting the shortfalls of Instagram’s safety features for teen accounts on its platform.
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New for Parents of Children 0-5:
Free Science-Based Guide to Screens in Early Childhood
Raising little ones in an always online world is tough. Our free, “Early Child Development and Media Use” guide brings together clear, research-backed advice from leading experts to help you build healthy habits from infancy through preschool.
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It’s been an eventful month in Washington, D.C. On October 1, the federal government shut down, but not before Senate hearings examined the harms of AI chatbots and fresh Meta whistleblower claims, prompting our call for more transparent, independent research on technology and digital media.
Meanwhile, several key state actions advanced: updates to pending child safety legislation and bills signed into law establishing stronger AI guardrails and safety protocols for developers and AI companions used by minors.
| | | | WEBINAR SHORT: Sharenting, Age, and Child Privacy | | | From the #AskTheExperts webinar “Overshare? What You Need To Know About Parent Sharenting and Child Privacy." In this webinar, Stacey Steinberg, JD (Legal Skills Professor, University of Florida, Levin College of Law) discussed how a child's age and developmental stage should guide what parents post about them online – and shared simple tips to ask for consent from children of different ages. | | | | | Your gift ensures that groundbreaking science doesn’t stay in the lab–it reaches families, educators, and decision-makers who need it most. By donating today, you’ll fuel future convenings, free educational resources, and collaborative research that drives real-word change. Every contribution strengthens our nonpartisan mission to safeguard children’s health and well-being in the digital age. Together, we can turn knowledge into action and build a healthier digital future for kids everywhere. | | | | |
