The PYE Download: June 13, 2024

Hello! Every three weeks or so, we share the latest digital news that impacts your family, update you on what the Protect Young Eyes team is up to, and end with a quick note from Chris.

We hope our research helps you feel informed and confident, and that our work with schools, churches, and non-profits is motivating.

The latest news:

• New Zealand passed a country-wide phone-free policy. Following a modified "away for the day" strategy, teachers can permit use for accommodations or learning, but otherwise away. Great! Visit phonefreeschools.com for more.
• "Culture of recklessness and secrecy," according to former OpenAI employees (creator of ChatGPT), who believe its AI is already dangerous. On Monday, Apple announced an OpenAI partnership. Like the phone-based childhood, we'll look back in 10 years and wonder, "What were we thinking?"
• Apple's parental controls are truly broken. We receive multiple messages weekly about Screen Time turning off without reason. It's not your kid - it's the software (Our FB and IG posts show the depth of the issue).
• Twitch is becoming a hub for politics. It's not just streaming gamers. Influencers just raised $1.5M to aid Gaza. The app also just disbanded its Safety Advisory Council. Read our full review.
• AI is being trained on public images of children. Per a Human Rights Watch report, "AI tools are secretly training on real images of children" with zero consent. Most images were from blogs and social media. Parents, please keep your child's photos private.
• Wait Until 8th is working! The NY Times profiled "wait" groups forming across the country. WU8 is one of the most effective ways to roll back the phone-based childhood. We promote the idea in every school we visit.
• New York passed a "surgical" social media law. The SAFE for Kids Act bans social media companies from showing "addictive feeds" to minors without parental consent. Gov. Hochul supports the bill. It's a brilliant, narrow law.
• Alberta also passed a phone-free policy. The Alberta Teachers Association, representing 98% of the 50,000 principals and teachers in Alberta, passed a resolution restricting smartphones in classrooms during instructional time. Celebrate!
• Deepfake nudes leave lasting harm. A WSJ report (Julie Jargon) shows that even when teens know the images are fake, the victims are still bullied and harassed by peers. Here are 15 prevention steps for parents to consider.
• Summer 2024 = #phonefreefriday! Freya India, writer for Jon Haidt (The Anxious Generation), challenged us to put down our phones every Friday this summer! Reconnect. Look up more than usual. Love the life you have!

What PYE is up to:

Too much, too soon. Slowly, I've started deeper writing at Childhood Unwired. My first post explores the concept of "ahead of schedule," and why it's so toxic to young brains.

Global - PYE Kenya Chapter! A group of Kenyan pastors wants to train community leaders to teach their youth about appropriate tech use. Doug is creating a "train the trainer" program! We're thrilled by this opportunity to share our content with them.

Become a Tech-Ready Family - Let's tame the tech together! I'm leading a small cohort (limit: 30) through a 30-day course in July. I've converted our popular Tech-Ready Home live talk into short videos, delivered daily via text message. Format:

• Monday: Live Zoom to share ideas.
• Tuesday - Friday: receive a daily text with a video + short lesson.
• Saturday - Sunday: practice and ponder what you've learned.
• Monday: Start again!

And together, we'll learn how to create safer digital spaces. Without too much summer disruption! The invite email goes out next week.

Catching our breath!

Our live talks ramp back up in August! I just counted over 80 talks on our 2024-2025 calendar. And Michele is ready for more!​

We have a robust process for working with schools to determine their digital wellness needs.

A note from Chris:

"Our children are only as safe as their friend with the weakest digital rules."

How do you prepare your kids to hang out with other kids in the digital age?
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The statement above is from a DM I received from a mom. Her daughter was harmed by a friend who showed her horrible things online.

Friends have always had a profound impact on us. But the potential for harm feels greater today.
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Growing up in the 1980s, it took effort in my small town of Bath (yes, Bath 😁) if I was going to do something to ruin my life. It required elaborate planning. Certain friends. Sneaking around. Making a secret phone call from the closet.
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But today it’s different.
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The distance between our children and life-altering choices is more narrow than it was for us. That chasm that existed between me and harm during my childhood is now often just the distance of a thumb tap for our children.

Jon Haidt's thesis rings true: we've underprotected online and overprotected offline.

In the summer, let's be extra vigilant. Different people, places, and patterns increase the risk of digital harm. And to dads in the USA, UK, and CAN - a happy early Father's Day to you! Thank you for guiding your children through a more challenging childhood.

Parenting with you,
​Chris & PYE​
#delayistheway

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