That Digital Dad’s 100th newsletter
Issue #100
I wanted to take a moment to mark a milestone today: this is the 100th edition of That Digital Dad’s newsletter. This is a special project for me because I believe it’s important for parents to have resources for navigating the digital world. It takes a village, especially when it comes to technology, so thank you for subscribing.
Today, I want to reflect on the past editions and recap the topics that we’ve covered over the last four years. While a lot has happened in the digital parenting world, the major themes have remained the same. I think it’s important to understand these overarching themes because they have a real impact on our families, and more importantly, our children’s safety. So, here’s a look at the topics that dominated the last 99 newsletters:
Screen time
You can’t write a digital parenting newsletter without touching on the topic that strikes dread into the hearts of parents everywhere: screen time. To say the issue is fraught is an understatement. In fact, screen time limits are the often the first thing parents ask me about. But, I’ve been trying to move away from the concept of screen time since the outset. That’s because it’s not a productive way to think about (or control) technology.
It’s entirely oversimplified to set limits and call it a day, because there are many different ways to use screens. Some are productive, enriching and beneficial, while others are dangerous, passive and detrimental. If my kids are connecting with friends and family, getting creative or satisfying their curiosity, I’m inclined to let them spend more time on their devices. But, if they’re scrolling endlessly, not so much.
The other reason I write about screen time so much is because I want to be a level headed voice about the topic. Like I said, it’s fraught and anxiety inducing for parents, but the reality is that panicking about screen time isn’t warranted. The research on the issue is far from conclusive, and I believe we need to strip out the alarming rhetoric in order to have a productive conversation about it.
Technology business models
How a tech company chooses to make money has a huge impact on our kids safety. It affects pretty much every decision a business makes, including app design and safety settings. When a tech company makes money by showing you targeted ads, selling your data or both, it can lead them to prioritize app design that’s better for advertisers than it is for you.
In fact, business models are so important that they’re one of the first things I vet when my kids want to use a new app. Of course, it’s just one part of the due diligence, but you can usually learn a lot about an app from how they make their money.
Age-appropriate design
I wrote an entire series on this topic not too long ago, but it’s been a thread running through my newsletter for a long time. It’s important to understand how the not-so-obvious features and design choices can affect kids safety. Things like stopping cues can help remind kids to come up for air, while persuasive design meant to suck them in will keep them scrolling. An app that practices data minimization can be a safer choice for kids, while an app with wide open default settings can be dangerous.
There have always been things that society deems okay for kids and things that are for adults only. You can think of age-appropriate design the same way you think about movie ratings or even alcohol and smoking laws. It just ensures that the technology we’re giving to kids is designed with their wellbeing in mind.
Safety legislation
Child online safety legislation has been a hot topic for the last few years for a couple of reasons. First, making the internet safer is one of the only things that has bipartisan support. Second, our existing child online safety legislation was drafted back when PalmPilots were all the rage. (Even so, it’s actually pretty good legislation.) Lately, there have been several new bills aimed at improving internet safety for children.
Any new laws meant to keep our kids safe online are a big deal. They need to balance safety with privacy, which is a very tricky line to walk. And most importantly, they need to be enforced. Today, most Big Tech companies treat fines as the cost of doing business. They violate the law because any penalty they face is small potatoes compared to their bottom line. So enforcement is key, because even the most spectacular laws in the world won’t do any good if no one applies them in a meaningful way.
Lawsuits
I look forward to the day when I no longer have to write about lawsuits, but as it stands, I write about them a lot. That’s because Big Tech tends to violate laws and cause harm on a regular basis. The lawsuits are important because they’re one of the few small ways that tech companies are held accountable for their actions—and they often put a spotlight on behaviors that they want to keep on the DL.
When companies settle lawsuits, they often agree to make certain changes as part of the agreement. More than the fines, this is arguably one of the most impactful thing about the lawsuits. When a company agrees to make changes as part of previous litigation, it’s something they can be held to in the future.
And, lawsuits can also be precedent-setting. Judgements that happen in the course of litigation can have big implications in the industry. Case-in-point: that time a judge said that Meta couldn’t use Section 230 to wriggle out of a lawsuit. This sent a clear message that while social media companies might not be responsible for what users post on their platforms, they sure are responsible for how those platforms operate and amplify.
Artificial intelligence
If you’re a recent subscriber, you’ve probably noticed this last topic has come up a lot: artificial intelligence. Since ChatGPT exploded on the scene in November 2022, AI has become ubiquitous in technology. It’s integrated in the platforms that kids use the most, which is sort of alarming for an unpredictable technology that’s know to hallucinate.
And, AI isn’t just a fun way to make memes or a tool to help you cheat on your homework. It’s increasingly being used to generate fake nudes, and that’s the kind of scenario that makes me concerned as a parent.
It’s getting easier and easier for anyone to create convincing deepfakes, which means it’s getting harder and harder to trust what you see online. Ultimately, AI might even lead to social media’s undoing. If the platforms are flooded with fake content, it won’t be long before they’re unusable.
No matter what the topic of the day, it’s been a pleasure to share my thoughts and insights with you over the last four years. Thanks for following along with That Digital Dad as I cover the news and events that affect our children’s safety online.
TL;DR
Too long; didn't read. It shouldn't be a full-time job to keep up on industry news, so here is a mercifully quick summary of some other notable developments:
A minor in New York has filed a lawsuit against Meta alleging that the social media company sought to keep teens hooked on Instagram while exposing them to a slew of toxic content. The suit is seeking class-action status, and it’s one of a few private cases being brought against the company. The main argument is that leaders at Meta knowingly implemented features that they knew would be addicting to teens.
The Senate has overwhelmingly passed a new piece of legislation aimed at protecting children online. KOSA would create a “duty of care” for all online platforms that children use. This would essentially put the onus on tech companies to design platforms that don’t put children at risk—but this is where the controversy comes in. Some critics fear this would encourage platforms to censor their content in order to avoid being fined. This is an interesting and evolving topic, and I’ll spend a bit more time unpacking it in my next newsletter.
And lastly
Here are a few more pieces of original writing from me and my team—just in case you're keen for more:
Anyone else think summer just flew by? If your kids are heading back to the school year with a new Chromebook in tow, here are tips from my team for setting that device up.
And, if you need some tips on how to reign in screen time as you settle into a post-summer routine, here’s some actionable advice.