Colleen Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP | | |
From her early days in community pediatrics to her national leadership roles, Dr. Colleen Kraft has spent her career focused on improving outcomes for children and families. A long-serving member of Children and Screens’ National Scientific Advisory Board and member of the newly-formed Evidence Council, Dr. Kraft brings a pediatric voice to the Board’s wide-reaching, cross-disciplinary work.
In this spotlight, she shares her insights on early childhood development, the growing role of digital media in children’s lives, and why relationships, not screens, remain central to healthy development.
| | |
How do screens affect your child’s ability to focus, read, and learn? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry speaks with Dr. Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus about how digital media shapes developing brains and what parents can do to support attention and learning.
Plus: How is recent litigation changing how social media companies are held accountable for their platforms' design? In this episode of Screen Deep, Matt Bergman talks with Kris Perry about the difficulty of bringing lawsuits against technology companies and the future of platform accountability.
| |  | | |
Experts Vote 7-2: “Bell-to-Bell” School Phone Bans Needed for K-12
A new Children and Screens Evidence Council vote finds a 7-2 majority vote in favor of restricting smartphones for the entire school day, highlighting concerns about attention, learning, and student well-being, while also emphasizing the need for flexibility and continued research.
| | | ReThink Citizens is hosting its “ReThinking Digital Parenting Virtual Nationwide Workshop” on April 23. This free, 60-minute workshop will provide parents and digital caregivers with insights about how youth use social media, common digital harms and online challenges, and practical tools to support healthy, balanced digital habits. | | | |
What do parents need to know about video gaming and kids’ health?
Children and Screens’ latest Research-at-a-Glance distills the evidence into a clear, two-page guide covering how gaming may affect children’s mental and behavioral health, early warning signs of gaming disorder, unique opportunities for social connection, and key safety insights for families today.
| | | | | | |
Understanding the Changing Legal
Landscape for Social Media and Youth
March marked a turning point in how courts and policymakers are approaching social media and youth well-being. From renewed scrutiny of Section 230 to a major jury verdict holding tech companies responsible for harms linked to platform use, momentum is building across multiple legal fronts.
Behind the headlines, a broader shift is underway—one that increasingly focuses on how platform design, algorithms, and business practices affect children and adolescents.
| | Learning to manage emotions, attention, and behavior is a critical part of early childhood. But what happens when screens enter the picture? Join #AskTheExperts for "Meltdowns to Mindfulness: Self-Regulation in a Digital World (Part 1)” on April 22. Part 1 of our two-part series will focus on children ages 0-9. Keep an eye out for Part 2 in May, where experts will share valuable tips for parents of older children. | | | | | WEBINAR SHORT: Online Safety Isn't About Trust — It's a Skill. | | | From the #AskTheExperts webinar “Get Screen Smart: Essential Tech Knowledge Needed for Digital Parenting." Are we teaching kids how to be safe online or expecting them to figure it out on their own? In the short clip above, Dr. Pamela Wisniewki, PhD (Principal Research Scientist, International Computer Science Institute (ICSI)), explains why digital safety should be taught like any other skill and why fear-based approaches may fall short. | | | | | As national attention turns to how social media platforms affect young people, this is a critical moment to ensure decisions are guided by independent, evidence-based research. By donating today, you’ll support free educational resources, timely convenings, and collaborative research that help translate this moment of awareness into meaningfulI action. Every contribution strengthens our nonpartisan mission to safeguard children’s health and well-being in the digital age. Together, we can turn today’s momentum into lasting change for children everywhere. | | | | |
