Techish with Jennifer Jolly

Most parents don't hand over that first smartphone because they're excited about TikTok, YouTube, and group chats. They do it because their child needs a way to call home.That simple need has turned into one of the hardest decisions in modern parenting.Jennifer Jolly talks with Russell York, founder and CEO of Cosmo, about what should come before a child's first smartphone. Cosmo makes kids' smartwatches — including the JrTrack 5 — that let kids call, text, and share location with approved contacts, without social media, YouTube, or an open browser. Cosmo calls the dread parents feel around all of this "techxiety," and York says he's got it too.Jennifer's tested nearly every kids' watch out there, and she puts the JrTrack 5 through its paces — including the billing fine print Cosmo doesn't advertise. She also pushes York on Apple's parental controls, Big Tech's incentives, school phone bans, and the class divide in family screen time.York's strongest point might be the simplest one: kids have always needed a way to reach home. They had payphones, quarters, collect calls, and a friend's kitchen phone. The payphone disappeared. The smartphone replaced it. Parents are now trying to rebuild the missing step in between.In this episode:• What "techxiety" is — and why the CEO who named it has it too• Why Meta's $375 million verdict didn't change a thing• Is Apple's biggest-ever parental controls update real, or PR?• The Screen Time passcode loophole every kid figures out• What the JrTrack 5 gets right — and the billing catch to know before you buy• Safety or surveillance? Tracking your kid and the trust question• "Natural light vs. processed light" — the class divide nobody talks aboutBest quote: "We have always connected kids. And it's always been something that society understood was a right that everybody had — to call for help, to connect with your parents." — Russell YorkFull story, links and product details: Techish.comQuestions or guest ideas: [email protected] to Techish with Jennifer Jolly for straight answers about the technology showing up in your life, your home, and your family.

I was a mom who was paying attention. I tested Meta's parental controls and wrote about teen screen addiction for USA Today. I talked with my daughter about everything and watched over her social media accounts. I still had no idea Instagram was feeding my high school cross-country star a steady diet of thinspo and eating disorder content.Two juries just confirmed what parents like me eventually started to suspect: these companies knew their apps were harming children, documented it internally, and kept right on doing it anyway.Tristan Harris — the former Google ethicist behind The Social Dilemma — explains why a $381 million fine is a rounding error for a company that made $235 billion last year, and what would actually force change. Kristin Bride, whose 16-year-old son Carson died by suicide after being cyberbullied on Snapchat, answers the question everyone asked after the verdicts: Where were the parents? She was there. She did everything right. It still wasn't enough. And Reuters reporter Diana Novak Jones breaks down Section 230 — the law that has shielded these companies for decades and may finally be losing its grip.If you have a child with a phone or a parent struggling to find the best ways to manage the teen years and social media, this episode is a must-see. I wish I had it when my daughter was 16. WHAT META'S OWN DOCUMENTS REVEALED— 32% of teen girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies— A Meta researcher wrote internally: "IG is a drug. We're basically pushers."— A 2018 document said: "If we want to win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens."— An employee brought suicide statistics to Zuckerberg and Sandberg directly. No response.WATCH & READ MORE Your Attention Please documentary: yourattentionpleasedoc.com Parents Rise: parentsrise.org Wait Until 8th: waituntil8th.org Center for Humane Technology: humanetech.com Full show notes: techish.substack.com/p/where-were-the-parents-social-media-verdictCONNECT WITH JENNIFER Listen on WGN, Apple Podcasts, or SpotifyNewsletter: Techish by Jennifer JollyYouTube: @TechishbyJenniferJollyTikTok: @JenniferJollyTechishInstagram: @JennJollyLinkedIn: Jennifer Jolly Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. Five stars on Apple Podcasts help more parents find this show.TELL US WHAT YOU THINKIf you have a teenager on Instagram right now, what's your biggest fear — and what would actually make you feel like they were safe? Let’s talk about it. SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you like what you hear, please rate and review Techish with Jennifer Jolly — it helps more people find the show. Questions or comments? Email [email protected].