Digital Parent

One day while traveling to Charlotte, NC, Michelle aka "The Computer Lady" got a call at 6:28pm that changed her life. On the other end was her doctor informing her that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After successful surgery removing the tumor, Michelle knew she had to do something impactful with her life. Michelle stated that God blessed her with the idea of using her years of computer repair work to write children books to teach kids about cybersecurity. We were fortunate to have Michelle to stop by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss her new book Mommy is the Computer Smarter Than Me and how parents can keep their kids safe online. Michelle provided a lot of internet safety tips learned through her years on the job and at home with her 10 beautiful grandkids. Michelle and I discussed some of the following topics on the show.   Episode Sponsor  mSpy- Top Monitoring software on the market! Monitor all of the hottest teens apps such as Tinder, Snapchat, Kik, Whats

Most teens are either in school or on the way back to school equipped with the new shinny smartphone. Most schools either have a 1 to 1 policy or a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.  Young middle school kids equipped with instant access to technology can be scary for most parents. On this Back to School Episode of the Digital Parent Podcast, Internet Safety Expert Jesse Weinberger stops by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss how parents can monitor their kid's cell phones and some of the most dangerous apps they may  pick up from their friends. On this episode, Jesse and I discussed some of the following topics: Back to School Questions I Asked Jesse: How do Schools Protect Kid's Online Privacy? What are Some of The Top Apps Parents Should Monitor? How Do You Set Screen Time With Kids? In This Episode, You Will Learn: How Facebook and Other Companies Target Teens Why Pimps Solicit Teens Through Apps for Human Trafficking How Kids Are Getting Introduced to Porn in the 4th and 5th Grade The Wa

On this Episode of the Digital Parent Podcast, Emily Lindin of the Unslut Project, stops by to discuss how sexual bullying is impacting teen girls. Emily is the author of "UnSlut: A Diary and a Memoir" and founder of The UnSlut Project, which uses personal story sharing to work against sexual bullying and "slut" shaming. The project was inspired by Emily's own experience being labeled the school "slut" at age eleven and being sexually bullied throughout middle school.  Now a Harvard graduate and recent PhD, Emily started The UnSlut Project by blogging her diary entries from middle school. Her award-winning, crowd-funded film, "UnSlut: A Documentary Film" is currently screening at universities, theaters, and festivals around North America. Emily has been featured speaking out against "slut" shaming on television and radio shows including ABC with Katie Couric, CNN with Brooke Baldwin, and NPR's Here and Now, and in many magazines and blogs including Women's Hea

There have been recent tragedies of girls murdering each other and being out right mean on social media. Nancy Jo Sales stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss her research on the secret online lives of teen girls and how their behavior plays out in the community. Nancy Jo Sales is an award winning journalist and author that has written for publications such as Vanity Fair, New York, Harper's Bazar and many more. She specializes in reporting on youth culture and pop culture icons.  Nancy's book, American Girls  The Secret Lives of Teenagers,  covered  the lives  of over 200 teenage girls across 10 states over 30 months. Nancy interviewed teen girls across all socioeconomic backgrounds. Nancy discovered issues of peer pressure, depression, acceptance, etc. On this episode of the Digital Parent Podcast, Nancy and I covers the issue of sexualization of young girls on social media and mainstream media. Nancy and I discuss this secretive or second world th

A recent study indicates that internet addiction can lead to a weaken immune system which leads to more viruses such as the Flu. There is already documented research on how internet addiction leads to mental health issues. On this episode of the Digital Parent Podcast, Dr. David Greenfield stopped by to discuss online addiction and teens. Dr. Greenfield is the leading expert in the field of internet addiction. He is the founder of the The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Greenfield has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Fox News, Anderson Cooper, and many more shows to discuss the connection between tech use and dopamine. He is also the author of Virtual Addiction, which was on of the pioneering books on the subject of internet addiction in 1999. Recently, on ESPN"s Outside the Lines Dr. Greenfield discussed video gam

The Digital Street has come to define the interactions and communication among African American teens offline that transitions to an online space. One clear example is the number of fights that take place in the inner city and other urban neighborhoods  that are uploaded to social media channels such as Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter. Dr. Jeffery Lane from Rutgers University is the authority on the Digital Streets. He  is an urban ethnographer who writes about communication and community in the life of the inner city. His research integrates face-to-face and digital fieldwork to understand how interpersonal relations and ties between people and institutions unfold over time. The Digital Street is the title and subject of his forthcoming book with Oxford University Press on the networked communication that brokers street life. The project draws on nearly five years of ethnographic research on- and offline in Harlem with a set of teenagers and the adults concerned a

  Crystal Smith joined the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss how heterosexual scripts imposed on boys by the media is leading to porn addiction and an increase in sexual aggression. Crystal is the author of The Achilles Effect  and Boys, Sex & Media.  Through her blog and social media channels, Crystal discusses current depictions of masculinity in popular culture and their potential impact on boys. Her work has been covered in The Globe & Mail, The Boston Globe, Advertising Age, and Feministing, and she has appeared on HuffPost Live and The Roy Green Show.  Instead of focusing on the Porn industry and why it's bad for kids, Crystal and I discussed other ways pornography is introduced to kids. We discussed how music videos utilize women as sexual objects for the desire of men.  Crystal and I tackle misogynistic lyrics within hip hop music that promotes sexual aggression. I pushed Crystal on the notion that their is a link betwe

A student's freshman year of college is one of the most exciting times of a young person's life. It's a time that teenagers gain freedom and independence from their parents. It is also a time that college bound girls feel isolated and are at their most vulnerable state. Sexual assaults frequently takes place college campuses and surrounding communities. Recently studies show that 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted while in college and 80% of female victims of rape experienced their first rape before the age of 25. Author Lacey C. Clark stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss her book Phenomenally U that provides a safety curriculum for college bound freshman females. The Phenomenally U Brand was conceptualized by Lacey C. Clark, who is an award-winning speaker, author, life coach, filmmaker, educator, and CEO of Sisters' Sanctuary LLC. Lacey and I discussed how college bound girls are very vulnerable due to some un

Denise L DeRosa,  online safety and  digital citizenship expert, stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss digital role models. Denise and I discuss the need for parents to be aware of their online behavior in order to promote digital citizenship to their kids. Denise believes in the importance of digital literacy for kids, teens, and families. She is dedicated to empowering her clients with the tools needed to embrace the current social and digital technologies in meaningful, creative, and positive ways. She focuses her discussions on practical ways to both manage and capitalize on technology with internet safety tips and digital reputation management advice. Mrs. DeRosa  is an experienced media professional with a Master's Degree in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University and 10 plus years of experience with highly recognized media brand organizations like AOL, VH1 and Comedy Central. Denise is a married mother to three enthusiastic users of technolog

A recent study indicates that 25% of teens admit to sexting each other. Dr. Michelle Drouin  stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss sexting and online relationships. Dr. Drouin discussed how dating apps such as Tinder has become a social lubricant for teens to make dating and courtship easier to manage.   Dr. Drouin is a developmental psychologist (B.A. Cornell University, D.Phil. University of Oxford), professor, and internationally-recognized speaker on technology and relationships, including online relationships, social media, and sexting. Dr. Drouin's research on sexting, social media, and mobile phone addiction has attracted international attention, and she regularly provide interviews for television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Her research has been cited in a number of prominent news sources including CNN, NPR, MSNBC, CBS News. Dr. Drouin also serves as an expert witness for sexting, social media, and online relationship cases. Dr. Drouin and

Online Identity and child protection is a growing topic due to new tech products on the market. Software such as Siri and Amazon Echo are coming under fire for collecting kid's information through their interactive software. Online Privacy Expert Anne Livingston stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss how parents can help protect their child's online identity. For the past 5 years, Anne has shared stories and tips for families about raising kids in the digital world on her blog KidsPrivacy. Her articles have been featured on many parenting and security company websites. She also speaks to PTAs and parents about online privacy and offers parenting tutorials on managing a family's devices and social media. Her book, Talking Digital: A Parent's Guide for Teaching Kids How to Share Smart and Stay Safe Online, is available on Amazon. Currently, she works with Familoop as their Digital Parenting Expert. On the Digital Parent Podcast, Anne and I discussed some of

Digital Citizenship is under serious attack. In a recent Huffington Post article, Republican Nominee Donald Trump is taken to task as an anti digital citizen and cyberbully based upon his attacks against Hillary Clinton and Republicans. The media is rewarding cyberbullying behavior by celebrities based upon increased views and click. Tech Ethicist David Ryan Polgar provides the antidote to this type of behavior. David stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss how teens can become more human and kind online. David argues that once you are more human then you will become a better digital citizen. David Ryan Polgar is a digital lifestyle expert and Tech Ethicist who explores teen's relationship with technology from a legal, ethical and sociological perspective. David cover some common topics such as  tech etiquette, digital diets, digital citizenship, post-death communication, mental obesity, selfie culture, and family tech use. David and I discu

Kristen Jenson, author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today's Young Kids, stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss Porn Proofing. Kristen is a member of the Prevention Task Force of the National Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation. She is a frequent speaker on radio and podcast shows discussing porn addiction and how to porn proof young kids. Kristen and I discussed a lot of tips on how parents can porn proof their kids. Most of the tips do not include any filters, apps, or monitoring software. Kristen and I explored ways for kids to understand how to filter porn out of their memories once they have been exposed. We discussed how to deal with emotions in a health way to prevent kids from turning to porn for stress relief. Some Questions I Asked Kristen About Porn Proofing: What age are kids being introduced to porn? What age should parents talk to their kids about porn? What should parents do when kids are exposed to porn? How is the porn industry different today than the past? I

Joe Yeager, the author of #Digital Parenting, stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss Digital Kidnapping. Joe Yeager is an Internet Safety Expert with years of experience providing workshops and presentations for school and businesses. Joe and I covered the digital kidnapping trend but also expanded the definition of Digital Kindapping. Currently, the media only focuses on the stealing of baby and infant pictures. Joe discusses how Digital Kidnapping is taking place amongst teens and how it fuels cat fishing on the internet.   Some Digital Kidnapping Questions I Asked Joe: Why is the definition of digital kidnapping? Why is the media only concerned with digital kidnapping of baby pictures? Is it possible photos are being sold to prostitution rings? In This Episode, You Will Learn: Why companies do not safe guard their apps How to protect your children on the internet Make Sure to Buy Joe's Book Digital Parenting   Resources mentioned in the show: Joe's Website: www.

In this episode of the Digital Parent Podcast I was joined by psychologist Jocelyn Brewer  who is the creator of Digital Nutrition. Digital Nutrition is Jocelyn's framework for parents to understand the visual nutritional value of content that children consume on mobile apps, laptops, iPods, desktop, etc.  Unlike experts who strongly recommend children going on a Digital Diet, Jocelyn believes that kids are born in an online society which makes it impossible for them to walk away from technology. She does not believe  in the concept of internet addiction. Jocelyn counter argument is for parents to find nutritional online content that will feed their soul .Jocelyn and I discussed ways parents can locate good nutritional content online that has a positive effects on teens minds and bodies. We discussed Common Sense Media as one of the go to places to locate nutritional  digital content. Some Digital Nutrition Questions I Asked Jocelyn: Why is it that Digital Diets and  Digital Det

On this episode of the Digital Parent Podcast we talk with Vincent Ng who is a Rock Star on Pinterest. He is the go to person for Pinterest Search Optimization. Vincent is an international keynote speaker on all things Pinterest and is the founder of  MCNG Marketing.  Vincent is the go to expert for marketers and social media experts. He is the author of "Pinterest to Profits with Pintalysis". and the of the Pictures to Profit Podcast. Vincent offered great advice on how teens can profit from Pinterest. Vincent and I discussed some of the top strategies for teens and their parents to start making money with Pinterest boards. Some Pinterest Profit Questions I Asked Vincent: What are some strategies for teens to increase followers? What are the top affiliate marketing tips on Pinterest? What are some of the most profitable boards on Pinterest? In This Episode, You Will Learn: SEO tactics to increase re-pins and followers How to use Pinterest as lead generation How to monetize h

On this Illicit Online Pharmacy Episode of the Digital Parent Podcast we were joined by Dr. Timothy Mackey who is the Director of the Global Health Policy Institute. Dr. Mackey joined the podcast to discuss his co-authored study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, "Establishing a Link Between Prescription Drug Abuse and Illicit Online Pharmacies: Analysis of Twitter Data." Tim walks through the various ways illicit online pharmacies utilize twitter to target teens for illegal prescription drugs. Tim discusses the high number of prescription drug abuse by young adolescence and the online methods they use to purchase drugs. Tim and I get into a detail discussion on how the Dark Net through Tor Internet browser is a gateway to teens buying drugs from illicit online pharmacies.   Some Questions I Asked Tim about Illicit Online Pharmacies: How are Illegal Pharmacies Targeting Kids Through Twitter What are the Dangers and Risks of Illegal Online Pharmacies Are Kids also Turning to Social Media for Il

On this Episode of the Digital Parent Podcast I discuss the highly popular social media site. Quora. Quora currently receive over 100 million uniques views a month. Quora is a very simple platform that is similar to Yahoo Answers. The big difference is that experts and professional provide the advice on Quora. Answers will be either up voted or down voted by the users based upon their answers.   Things that I discussed on this Episode The Popularity of Quora Why Obama is using it How Quora is the best way to find a Mentor   What you will learn on this Episode How to research latest trends using Quora How to use Quora as search engine How Quora is being used in the classroom    

Janell Hofmann, author of the book iRules What Every Tech Family Needs to Know about Selfies, Sexting, Gaming, and Growing up, stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss her book. Janell is an international speaker and consultant on topics like technology, media, health, relationships, and personal growth. Janel most important role is mother of five beautiful tech savvy children. Janel discussed the importance of creating iRules and contracts with kids before they are given technology. Janell and I discussed the following topics on episode 15 of the Digital Parent Podcast: Some Questions I Asked Janell: Is there a set number of rules parents should include in their digital contracts? How can parents obtain passwords from their kids? Is it possible to enforce rules for powerful behavior such as sexting? In This Episode, You Will Learn: How to have fluency with social networks How to develop slow tech parenting How to role model appropriate social media behavior    Please

Dr. Taffy Wagner and her twins Erica and Cody stopped by the Digital Parent Podcast to discuss their online course  How to Play Minecraft for Parents. Dr. Wagner provides her experience with encouraging Cody and Erica to develop online courses based upon their expertise as a way to make money. Erica and Cody provides lots of tips for parents on Minecraft. Dr. Wagner discusses how easy it is for parents to help their teens develop online courses. Erica and Cody discussed their multiple streams of income that include their online courses, youtube channels, and their books. Some Questions I Asked Taffy: How did you get Cody and Erica interested in online courses? How do parents get kids to switch from consumers of technology to producers? How do you monitor the twin's social media sites? Some Questions I Asked Erica and Cody: Top 5 reasons parents should play Minecraft with their parents Advice for parents to prevent their kids from downloading viruses from online games How have you dealt with