Parent ProTech

Why screens are causing eye health problems in kids? And what is myopia? If you're asking these questions, you're not alone. 👇 Parent ProTech Co-Founder and CEO, Brock Murphy, sat down with Acting U.S. Surgeon General, Stephanie Haridopolos, MD, DABFM, for an interview following the Live Real Life Symposium in Washington, D.C. to discuss the growing concern for young people about eye health and myopia. ☝ Rising rates of nearsightedness (myopia) in children are tied to screen time, but there are some practical preventative habits like the 20-20-20 rule. Want to hear and learn more? Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eD6xFDaW

Our mission? To equip your family and community to safely navigate technology. 👩💻 👨💻 Our team partnered with Elevation Church in North Carolina this past week to speak to the challenges and opportunities technology has on children today. 📱 💻 Keeping up with the latest platforms, devices, settings and trends can be overwhelming for parents, that's why we emphasize the importance of community, communication and trust. Because parents don't have to experts and all-knowing, we just need to know the right questions and conversations to have. ☝ The biggest safety tool a child has is the trusted adult, and we hope our presentation gives parents that starting point to build a safer experience for children online. Thank you Elevation Church for having us, we're grateful for the opportunity! Until next time. 💙

Yesterday, Sheriff Gualtieri announced that as a result of an operation, 15 men were arrested and charged with Traveling to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual Acts, a reminder that the threat is real and close to home. So what can parents do to help keep their kids safe from predators like these? Start by being involved and knowing who your kids are interacting with, online and offline. If you're a parent or caregiver in Pinellas County, you are eligible for a FREE subscription to Parent ProTech thanks to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, PCSO, Pinellas County Schools, and other local law enforcement. Parent ProTech helps parents and caregivers navigate the world of technology, providing content and resources, videos, information on parental controls, and the latest trends. It has sections for parents about helping kids navigate the digital age, as well as a classroom section with a K-12 curriculum to help educators give kids what they need to be responsible digital citizens. Sign up for your FREE subscription at https://lnkd.in/ecaAYRdN

“The best memories in life are not on screens.” But for today’s families, screens have found their way into nearly every part of life from school and entertainment to friendships...and even emotional support. 🤔 So, how do we help children experience the benefits of technology without letting it crowd out the people, activities, and moments that matter most? Following the Live Real Life Symposium in Washington, D.C., Parent ProTech Co-Founder + CEO Brock Murphy sat down with Acting Surgeon General Stephanie Haridopolos, MD, DABFM, for an honest conversation about the growing influence of screens on children and teens. ☝ Together, they unpacked the U.S. Surgeon General’s Harms of Screen Use Advisory, what current research tells us, where more research is needed, and what families can begin doing today. In this episode, they discuss: 🔹 How screen use may affect children physically, cognitively, behaviorally, and academically 🔹 Myopia, eye health, and the practical 20-20-20 rule 🔹 Emerging risks involving AI companion chatbots, sextortion, and online gambling 🔹 The “five D’s” for creating healthier technology habits 🔹 Why replacing screen habits may be more effective than simply removing a device 🔹 How parents can model a healthier relationship with technology "The goal isn’t to create fear or eliminate every screen. It’s to give families clearer information, practical tools, and the confidence to make choices that work for them." 👉 Because healthy technology use isn’t only about spending less time online. It’s about creating more room to live real life. Watch the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/eD6xFDaW

When we look at our devices, it's easy to forget that behind every notification and scroll feed is a multi-billion-dollar business model built to keep our attention. 👀 🔹 "If we don't intentionally decide where #technology belongs in our homes, algorithms will make that choice for us by stealing children's attention span while increasing anxiety." Author and advocate Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) joins Jordan Soto on "The Tech Translator" to empower families to "rule their #tech before it rules them". In the podcast Jedd discusses how right-sizing screen time can protect attentional focus, reduce youth anxiety, and restore deep connection at home. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gVez_B4A

Are #tech companies doing enough to protect the children that use their platforms? 🤔 Coming off the heels of the landmark Meta lawsuit settlement and the Live Real Life symposium in Washington DC, we sat down for an urgent, insightful conversation on what #parents need to know right now about the platforms and tools kids are interacting with today — straight from Capitol Hill. 👉 Stephanie Haridopolos, MD, DABFM, acting U.S. Surgeon General, discussed the legal shifts, tech accountability, and practical steps you can take to protect your family in today's #digital landscape with co-founder + CEO of Parent ProTech, Brock Murphy. Podcast episode release coming soon - stay tuned. 🚀

“The MyEdTechLife #podcast is such a great opportunity to connect with other #educators about our role in keeping kids safe #online. I always love getting to share the work we’re doing at Parent ProTech to answer the questions #parents and educators are asking and create #resources that actually meet their needs.” - Krystina O'Bryant, M. Ed (Chief Academic Officer)

Meta’s roughly $18B settlement with state AGs has mostly been covered as a dollar figure. But there’s a child-data provision buried in the agreement that deserves more attention. Meta has one year to develop, train and begin testing a model designed to identify users under 13. To make that possible, the settling states agreed not to bring COPPA (or similar state-law) claims based on Meta’s continued use of children’s data solely for the purpose of improving its ability to detect and remove under-13 users. That protection has limits. The data cannot be used for ad targeting, marketing or algorithmic optimization, and Meta’s compliance will be subject to independent oversight. Two things worth knowing if you’re a parent or work with kids: First, the FTC isn’t a party to the settlement. The states’ agreement not to bring certain COPPA claims does not bind federal enforcement. Second, age assurance at the platform level is no longer just an abstract policy conversation. Meta is now on a timeline to build and test it. Like any system trying to determine a child’s age online, it’s unlikely to be perfect from day one. This isn’t a criticism of the settlement. It’s just one part of the agreement that deserves more attention than it’s getting.

Violence, suicide, vaping prevention is not just about knowing what to watch for. It’s about giving students the knowledge to recognize concerns, the confidence to act, and the courage to ask for help. In 2023, 19% of high school students reported being bullied at school, 9% reported being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, and 13% reported missing #school because they felt unsafe at school or on the way there, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report. “These numbers remind us that school safety is about more than responding when something happens. It’s about creating environments where students feel connected, supported, informed, and confident enough to speak up when something doesn’t feel right.” -Krystina O'Bryant, M. Ed’, Chief Academic Officer That’s why Parent ProTech is proud to launch our Stronger Together: Violence Prevention series, a prevention education series designed to help students recognize risks, understand how their choices can impact others, and know what to do when they see or experience concerning behavior. The goal is simple: Recognize. Connect. Speak up. Act. Through age-appropriate lessons, realistic scenarios, discussion, and engaging content, #students learn to: • Recognize warning signs, risk factors, and concerning behaviors. • Understand the impact of bullying, conflict, threats, and violence. • Practice safe, practical ways to respond when they’re concerned about themselves or someone else. • Identify trusted adults and the support systems available to them. • Build communication, decision-making, empathy, and conflict-resolution skills. Stronger schools start with stronger connections. And we’re stronger together.

Digital citizenship should not be a checkbox. If students click through a 15-minute module, mark it complete, and never revisit the conversation, we are not teaching digital citizenship. We are documenting compliance. In this clip from my conversation with Krystina O'Bryant, M. Ed of Parent ProTech, I ask what meaningful digital citizenship education should actually look like. Because the goal is not completion. The goal is better judgment. Listen to Ep.372 of My EdTech Life! Stay Techie ✌️