From the Desk of the Executive Director

October 2024

This Fall has already been a season of significant achievements for the Children and Screens team, marked by both action and reflection on our ongoing policy, research, and education efforts to help protect children’s health and well-being in our digital world.

I’m both honored and humbled to host our new podcast Screen Deep, where each conversation with a leading expert in the field has been both inspiring and educational. To date, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Marc Potenza, professor of psychiatry at Yale University, about the neuroscience of adolescent digital and behavioral addictions; Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Chief Science Officer at Children and Screens, pediatrician, and editor-in-chief of JAMA Pediatrics, about the implications of screen use in early childhood; Dr. Lauren Hale, sleep health researcher from Stony Brook University, about screen time and its relationship to sleep health; and Dr. Eva Telzer, professor of psychology and neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, about adolescent brain development and social media use.

I hope you find, as I have, that Screen Deep serves as a springboard for meaningful discussions based on rigorous research. You can find Screen Deep on all major platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music and iHeartRadio.

We’ve also seen progress in legislative efforts to protect children’s safety online. In September, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). With upcoming changes to the executive branch and Congress, we’re eager to continue building on the momentum with the next administration. (See the October 2024 Policy Update for more details.)

Earlier this month, the Institute announced a call for abstracts for the 2025 Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress, July 13-16, 2025, in Washington, DC. We invite researchers to submit abstracts presenting new findings on the impact of digital media on child development. You can also view the Exhibitor and Sponsor Prospectus for exceptional visibility opportunities for your company or organization. I look forward to next year’s Congress  and the opportunity to learn from all of the exciting, new research. It’s always such an inspiring and energizing experience.

Additionally, our Fall 2024 #AskTheExperts webinar series is in full swing, covering topics including online safety, sexual exploitation, and ADHD and digital media use. And in case you missed it, we released a tip sheet, “Boys, Health, and Digital Media,” providing valuable insights and practical advice for parents and caregivers.

We are grateful to our generous donors and institutional supporters, whose contributions make all of this work possible. Your commitment allows us to continue advancing critical research, educational programs, and policy initiatives like these. Thank you for being an essential part of our mission to help kids lead healthy lives in a digital world and for empowering us to make a real difference.

August 2024

I’m pleased to share some of the exciting activities we have planned for the Fall. 

Our #AskTheExperts webinar series starts again in late August. Registration is open for our first #AskTheExperts webinar of the Fall 2024 season, “Safe Zone: Children and Online Safety” happening on Wednesday, August 28, at 12pm ET via Zoom. Other topics this season include Sexual Harassment, ADHD and Digital Media, Communication and Language Development in Early Childhood, Reality vs Fiction Online, and Digital Therapeutics.  

Get ready for the launch of our podcast featuring leading experts in digital media and child development to answer the big questions: How are kids really doing in the digital age? What insights have we gained and what are we learning about their development that may change how we understand and engage with them? Stay tuned for details!

Finally, planning is underway for the 4th Digital Media and Developing Minds Scientific International Congress, to be held July 13-16, 2025 in Washington, D.C. This multi-day event will gather leading experts from various disciplines to explore and address the critical impact of digital media on child development. Be sure to bookmark our website page and keep an eye on your inbox for important announcements and deadlines.