The PYE Download: May 2, 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:

• Schools, Phones, and Parents. A school in CO tried to ban phones, but parents said no. A middle school in Connecticut did the same and has seen incidents decrease, including smoking, fights, and shorter bathroom breaks. We believe devices = distraction. Please visit phonefreeschools.com anytime for the research!
• Teen Girls Confront Deepfakes. Brave 10th-grade girls, victims of male peers creating AI-generated, explicit content with their photos, are fighting back with legislation in NY. We love seeing teens fight for change. Please visit our Deepfakes post for protection tips.
• Snapchat's Solar System Causes Teen Stress. Snap's "solar system" ranks friends based on interaction. Isaac from PYE spoke to teens at his church and it's still causing them friend drama. Snapchat is toxic to some teen brains. Please use it cautiously (PYE guide).
• The Anxious Generation is #1! Author and professor Jon Haidt is creating massive waves with his four norms, brilliantly explained in his NY Times best-selling book. We applaud and support his work! Read it today. We've said it for years: #delayistheway!
• President Biden Signed a Law Banning TikTok. Shou Chew, TikTok CEO, intends to fight in the courts. Regardless of the legal outcome, TikTok (PYE thoughts) is too addictive for some brains.
• Meta allows CSAM on Instagram. Yes, you read that correctly. Instagram recently started warning accounts < age 18 if nudity is detected in direct messages. But kids can still send the message. In other words, Meta admits it knows when kids are sending illegal content and allows it.
• NCOSE Released the 2024 Dirty Dozen List! This year's list of 12 contains some big names, including Reddit, Apple, and Spotify. Learn more: Dirty Dozen List 2024​
• Selena Gomez Takes a Break. In a recent interview, Selena, with more Instagram followers than any woman (429M), has been off the platform for four years. "I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself."
• Troubling Data from the UK. A survey of 2,480 parents with kids ages 3-17 revealed 30% of 5-7 year-olds are on TikTok, and 25% of 3-4 year-olds have a smartphone. We are floored.
• The US Supreme Court Upheld a Key Law. The Texas age verification bill, HB1181, was appealed to the Supreme Court and denied, allowing the bill to stand. This is a massive win against large porn sites that must age-verify visitors or suffer financial penalties. Bravo to Senator Paxton and her team.
• Explicit "AI Girlfriend" Ads are on Facebook and Instagram. WIRED first reported that Meta hosts over 16,000 ads promoting explicit "digital relationships." Parents, please be aware that kids logged into these platforms might find these ads. Be curiously involved in all social media.

What PYE is up to:

Legislation/Policy: Along with NCOSE, Senator Todd Weiler, and Representative Susan Pulsipher, the Child Device Protection Bill was signed into law in Utah! This common-sense legislation requires device manufacturers to automatically enable their filters when a child activates a device. We’re close to passing the same bill in Alabama and Arizona. Yes!

Global: Doug is creating a "train the trainer" program for pastors and youth leaders in Kenya. We are thrilled by this opportunity so that they can help children in their communities be safer online.

We’ve launched tech support! Our private community, The Table, has big improvements, including quick tech support and our first mini-certification. Are you interested in becoming PYE Certified in Pornography Education? Become a PYE member today and enjoy a 7-day free trial.

Let's work together! We transform digital culture when we visit your community. We've done hundreds just this school year! Can we equip your school, church, or company?

"Doug was amazing with every level of attendee and so easy to work with. Very skilled and personable. PYE exceeded our expectations in every way! We hope to offer this to our community again next year." - St. Cyril of Alexandria School

Winding down for the summer!

Here's where we speak over the next month (PYE Master Calendar).

• May 6, Sacred Heart Parish School, CA
• May 6, Endeavor Elementary School, MI
• May 7-8, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School, MN
• May 9, Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools, MI
• May 13-15, the PYE Team is getting together in Michigan!
• May 20-21, Lutheran Pastors' Conference, MI
• May 21, Panel discussion with Bark Technologies, MI
• June 2, Berkley Hills Church, MI
• ​Email Michele right here to schedule for 2024-2025!

A note from Chris:

It’s not their fault. We did this.

This is one of the most important mindsets we teach in our parent presentations.

Did you know the word “empathy” wasn't added to English until 1909? It's still "new" to us.

"Feeling into"another person's situation is a special, rare ability. But essential for parenting.

“It’s not their fault.”

This doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences for digital mistakes. What kind of parent would we be if we didn’t remove the device, delete Snapchat, or make a change after we allowed the digital harm to occur?

That’s right - after WE allowed the digital harm to occur. It’s on us.

“It’s not their fault” is a position of parental empathy, knowing that we’ve pitted our children against the most brilliant software engineers on earth. We’ve dropped young, amazing brains into god-like technology and act surprised when children, with children's brains, inside of places crafted for adults, make decisions like children.

The 14-year-old version of you would have done the exact same things.

“It’s not your fault” is a statement for US, not them. It sets us up with the right mindset, allowing us to approach our children with grace and truth.

Parenting with you,
​Chris & PYE​
#delayistheway

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