The PYE Download: Feb. 19, 2024

Hello! Every two 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 or Doug.

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:

• Snapchat is trying to convince people it's NOT social media. Did you see the Super Bowl ad? The campaign started after the Jan. 31 Senate hearing and we're not pleased. Even if they don't know who they are, we do.
• Roblox added AI translation to its in-game chat. Users can chat with anyone instantly in 16 languages. This increases the number of people who can communicate with anyone. Our stance? Be very careful with Roblox (remember, it's over 40M games in one). Play it together! Read our Roblox App Review to learn more.
• Spain implemented porn age verification. Although this happened in January, it's too good not to share! Even for privacy-minded individuals, there are ways to age verify safely. It just makes sense.
• An entire Zoom meeting of AI people = steal $25M! A firm in Hong Kong was tricked into paying hackers who posed an entire video chat with AI-generated people. AI is advancing too quickly. Our Ultimate Guide to Deepfakes and AI provides 15 steps to help prepare and protect families.
• **The Kids Online Safety Act could move to a Senate vote! An amended version of KOSA was released last Thursday with an unbelievable 62 co-sponsors. Both sides of the aisle! Including Senate Majority Leader Schumer. If it moves to a vote, it would be the first child safety bill to make this move in 25 years.
• Sexual assault in the Metaverse feels very real to victims. A woman was sexually traumatized in Meta's VR world. Does your child have a set of VR goggles? Here's our guide.
• Explicit Content Warning: Fight the New Drug analyzed P*rnhub's 2023 data. Searches for "Android" and video game-related character searches grew the most. You can read the full report on their website.
• Apple Vision Pro. Apple's new headset is revolutionary, but not in a way we're excited about. And apparently, we have to tell people not to drive while wearing it! Is this our future? Connected but separate.
• New York City sues social networks. The lawsuit alleges that companies intentionally manipulate and addict younger users, keeping them on their platforms.

What PYE is up to:

Legislation/Policy: We co-authored the Child Device Protection Bill with NCOSE last summer, which is being introduced in multiple states. Summary: if a smartphone or tablet knows it's being activated by a minor then turn on the existing filter. Common sense! Chris provided expert testimony at hearings in Utah and Idaho and it passed the Senate in both states! Now moving to the House. Apple, Google, Samsung, and Amazon have failed our children.

Global: after a successful week spreading the "delay is the way" message in Switzerland, Chris is working with a team of doctors, psychologists, and educators to formulate a global campaign to raise parental awareness on these issues. Parents are the key!

Partnerships: PYE is proud to partner with Utah Governor Spencer Cox, the Department of Health & Human Services, and the Utah Department of Commerce to elevate their Social Media Harms campaign.

We're excited to serve the Diocese of Baton Rouge! February 20-22, we are blanketing the Diocese with three presenters who will give 35 talks to students, parents, and educators!

Upcoming PYE talks:

(PYE Master Calendar)

• Feb. 20, Grand Rapids Christian Schools, MI
• Feb. 20, St. Williams School, WI
• Feb. 20-22, Diocese of Baton Rouge, LA
• Feb. 23, Rockford Christian School, MI
• Feb. 24, Highland Christian Reformed Church, MI
• Feb. 26, Most Holy Trinity School, MI
• Feb. 27, Kellanova, MI
• Feb. 27, New Life Academy, MO
• Feb. 28, Heartland Church Ovid, MI
• Feb. 28, Pittsburgh Urban Christian School, PA
• Feb. 29, St. Charles Borromeo, MI
• ​Email Michele right here to bring us to your community!

A note from Chris:

"Parents just need to do their job!"

Many of us watched the Senate Judiciary hearing on January 31, when they grilled five tech executives for five hours. Social media has been flooded with sound bites and quotes.

In the wake of the hearing, I observed "parent shaming" in social media comments. Mostly from individuals who don't want any legislative action and instead, just want parents to do their job. One who even went as far as saying, "I'm so sorry those parents lost a child, but..." (just put a period after the word "child" and nothing more needs to be said).

Trust in our governments is low. I get it. And you all know how desperately I want parents to delay - #delayistheway. But our collective responsibility as a society is to limit harm to children. All of us. In every layer of society.

And when a layer isn't doing its job, which almost always impacts children the most, then I believe both community and policy must step in.

'The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children' – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Just a few carefully crafted laws are essential. Because none of these tech companies can be trusted. Their hardware and software should have been designed with children in mind, but it wasn't. Unless we make it hurt financially when they harm children, they won't change their habits.

Also, not all children have caregivers who care. I believe we have a collective responsibility to prevent harm to them, too.

Can parents do more? Absolutely! But helping to form and pass just a few, carefully crafted laws is the next big work of PYE. Creating safer digital spaces for all children.

Parenting with you!
​Chris & PYE

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