Scrolling 2 Death

AI experts are warning us that the risks are real—and that we may be running out of time to get this right. So why are we racing to build it faster, and why are the people creating AI asking for guardrails while our government backs away from regulation?

Nicki Petrossi brought in Sarah Gardner of the Heat Initiative to unpack the AI headlines keeping parents up at night, from a whistleblower’s warning that AI could threaten humanity to reports of AI agents working together to break into computer systems. They discuss why tech CEOs say we need safeguards but continue racing ahead, what Trump’s push to “win” AI really means, and why voluntary promises from tech companies may not be enough.

And what does all of this mean for our kids? From AI chatbots designed to act like friends to concerns about children losing the ability to think critically, Nicki and Sarah explore the risks parents should understand, why AI in schools deserves a closer look, and what families can do now.

Because the question isn't just what AI can do. It's what we're willing to risk to build it—and what kind of future we're leaving our kids.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 
The AI Doc on Netflix
AI Opt Out Template
Join Americans Demanding AI Rules

Five years ago, Frances Haugen walked away from Facebook and exposed what the company knew about the harms its platforms were causing—including the impact on children. Now, with The Social Reckoning bringing her story to the screen, Frances joins Scrolling 2 Death for a powerful conversation about what has changed, what hasn’t, and where we go from here.

Frances opens up about what it was really like inside Facebook, why she decided to become a whistleblower, and the fear that came with knowing she might only have one chance to make a difference. We talk about what newly surfaced court documents reveal about child safety, unwanted sexual messages from adults to kids, and the lack of meaningful oversight on these platforms.

But this conversation isn’t just about Frances’ courage. It’s about ours.

What does her decision to speak out have to do with a parent saying no to a smartphone? How do we push back when we're told social media is simply “the world our kids live in”? And can we actually build a healthier, less addictive version of social media?

Frances’ message to parents is both sobering and hopeful: we have more power than we think—and one person’s decision to push back can matter.

For those looking to access internal documents from social media companies like Meta, click here.

What happens when the technology designed to connect us starts pulling us away from our humanity?

In this deeply personal conversation, I’m joined by Your Attention Please director Sara Robin and parent survivor Kristin Bride to talk about the story behind the film—and the movement it captures.

Kristin’s son Carson’s experience with cyberbullying became one of the threads connecting this documentary, and her advocacy for safer online spaces has continued to shape the fight for change. Sara shares how Carson’s story changed the direction of the film, what she discovered while filming over three years, and why she came to see these issues as much bigger than individual screen-time choices.

We talk about the connection between social media and emerging AI harms, the fight for legislation and corporate accountability, the growing movement toward phone-free schools, and the young people designing a different kind of digital future.

And ultimately, this conversation is about hope: what happens when parents, survivors, young people, lawmakers, educators, and technology reformers refuse to accept that the current system is inevitable—and start imagining what technology could look like if it actually served us.

Your Attention Please is available October 6 on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, and other platforms.

Visit this link to find out if there's a screening of Your Attention Please in your area (or host your own!).

We saw The Social Reckoning—and we have a lot to say.

Sarah Gardner (of Heat Initiative) and I got an early look at The Social Reckoning, and even after everything we thought we knew about Meta, we walked away with a deeper understanding of how Facebook became so powerful, addictive, and harmful. We talk about what surprised us, the bravery of Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen, what the film reveals about Meta’s decisions, and why this story matters so much to parents right now.

Stay tuned for a direct conversation with Frances Haugen on Scrolling 2 Death (coming soon).

When is your child ready for their first phone or watch—and how do you make that transition without handing over too much, too soon?

In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist Dr. Carrie Mackensen and Titania Jordan of Bark Technologies for a very real conversation about giving our kids their first devices.

We talk about the iPad that often comes before the first phone, why “educational” screen time isn’t necessarily harmless, and how devices can quietly become a crutch for both kids and parents.

I also get personal about my own daughter and her Bark Watch—and whether being able to reach me when she feels uncomfortable might actually be keeping her from developing confidence and independence. Dr. Carrie has some powerful advice for parents navigating that exact tension.

We also tackle the questions parents are asking right now: Bark Watch vs. Apple Watch. Bark Phone vs. iPhone. How much should we monitor? Should we track our kids? What happens when co-parents have completely different tech rules? And what do you do when your child desperately wants the same smartphone all their friends have?

Most importantly, we talk about how to introduce a device as a tool—not a portal to the internet—and how to protect the parent-child relationship as our kids gain more independence.

Because there is no perfect age or one-size-fits-all answer. But there is a way to be thoughtful about this transition—and to give our kids the tools they need without giving them more technology than they’re ready to handle.

⭐️ Phone Agreement Template from Dr. Carrie

When it's time for your child to have a device, please choose the safest option for kids -- a Bark device:
⭐️ Get the Bark Phone! ‍
⭐️ Get the Bark Watch!