Children are increasingly encountering AI characters for both educational and entertainment purposes, but many of the chatbots and other AI products they interact with are not designed with child development and safety in mind. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry pulls back the curtain on AI and child-centered design with Dr. Sonia Tiwari, a children’s media researcher and AI design expert. Drawing on her experience in game character design and her work bridging industry and academia, Dr. Tiwari explores how children think about and are drawn to AI characters, why AI products commonly used by children and adolescents today often fail at prioritizing child development, and the primary risks of child interactions with AI characters. She also offers insights on how products can be better designed to meet children’s and families’ needs, and what kinds of uses of AI characters might be helpful for children.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How AI characters are experienced differently than traditional media characters – and why it matters for children and adolescents.
• Why the developing brains of younger children have a more difficult time understanding the fictional nature of today’s AI characters.
• What defines a child-appropriate AI character grounded in developmental science.
• How parents and caregivers can use AI characters with children in purpose-driven and healthy ways.
• What social AI platform developers should consider to ensure their products are more ethically designed and centered on children’s developmental needs.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Instagram: @childrenandscreens
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Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

What is the social cost of looking at your phone when in the company of other people? Is smartphone and social media use making us less connected, more lonely, and addicted to the endless videos on our feed? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the ways people are becoming more attached to their phones and less connected to others with Dr. Meredith David, Associate Professor of Marketing at Baylor University. Drawing on her diverse portfolio of research, Dr. David shares evidence on how social media use contributes to feelings of loneliness and FOMO, how design features of popular short form video platforms facilitate addictive behaviors, and how “phubbing” – phone-snubbing – negatively impacts a myriad of social relationships.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What a nine year study shows about how social media use and loneliness influence each other.
• How a “negative cycle” can form between people using their phones in front of each other, reinforcing more phone use in front of others.
• What a consensus study from more than 120 leading researchers says about social media, sleep, and attention.
• Why short-form video platforms are so addictive – and which platform is designed to be the most addictive to use.
• How excessive use of short-form video platforms affects self-control and contributes to what many people call “brain rot.”

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Instagram: @childrenandscreens
LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
X: @childrenscreens
Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

A child’s first smartphone is a modern "rite of passage" and today's parents face a challenging decision – when is the right time? Peer pressure and fear of missing out loom heavily, yet there are significant risks to introducing a smart device before a child is ready. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with psychologist and creator of iParent101, Dr. Adam Pletter, about developmental readiness and practical steps for safely introducing a “pocket-sized computer” that allows access to the entirety of the internet. Drawing on his clinical experience and work with both parents and adolescents, Dr. Pletter describes the signs parents can look for to determine whether a child is ready for a smart device, the benefits of parental controls and family communication, and what to do if a child was given access before they were ready.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to spot the signs that a child may be able to handle the responsibility of smartphone ownership.
• Why parents and caregivers should plan ahead for adult content exposure when considering the introduction of a smartphone.
• How easing into personal device ownership with a less-connected “dumb” device is often helpful to prepare children for full smartphone access.
• Strategies to navigate conflict around child smartphone ownership and media use.
• How to advocate for safer smartphone design that defaults to child safety and privacy.
• Why parental controls and family media plans should be part of an evolving and collaborative conversation with kids around screen use.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Follow Children and Screens on:

Facebook: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Instagram: @childrenandscreens
LinkedIn: Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
X: @childrenscreens
Bluesky: @childrenandscreens.bsky.social

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au