Screen Sense: Parenting in a Digital World

Tilgængelige episoder

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Episode 5: How do we ask better research questions about tech and mental health?
It’s one of the biggest questions in digital parenting: Do digital technologies cause mental health problems in children and teenagers? The answer is complicated, and the desire to find a simple, cause-and-effect answer (“screens cause anxiety” or “social media makes kids depressed”) doesn’t line up with what the evidence actually shows.In this episode, Pete and Andy dig into some of the reasons why studies in this area are often messy, why we need a set of minimum expected standards for tech companies in terms of sharing data with researchers, and how good research can get derailed by the toxic state of the wider debate.Show notesThe Family Online Safety InstituteLuisa Fassi’s paper on social media use in adolescents with and without mental health conditionsChristopher Kelly and Tali Sharot’s paper on how web-browsing patterns reflect and shape mood and mental healthAiman El Asam and Adrienne Katz’s paper on vulnerable young people and their experience of online risksSonia Livingstone and Jasmina Byrne’s chapter on parenting in the digital age, and the challenges of parental responsibility This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit screensensepodcast.substack.com
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Episode 4: Why do we find it so difficult to talk about tech effects?
We often have a very real sense that digital technology can do damage to our wellbeing, and sometimes in ways that feel seriously worrying. But when we try to actually talk about it, we often fall back on vague phrases: tech is “bad for mental health” or tech is “addictive”. Does this sort of messaging actually help parents and families make better decisions? Or do they just make us feel stuck between panic and helplessness?In this week’s episode, Andy and Pete explore why our public conversations about tech often get stuck in fear, and how we might move toward more helpful ways of thinking and talking about screens, wellbeing and family life. Show notesAndy’s research on the link between exposure to video games and positive/negative beliefs about their effects. Andy and Pete’s NYT op-ed at the start of the pandemic.Two books which are coming out soon that will give parents a much wider variety of tools and approaches to having tech conversations and setting boundaries:Tech-Smart Parenting by Cath Knibbs (out 31 July)The Smartphone Solution by Martha Deiros-Collado (out 28 August)And two which put the focus on adolescence specifically:Coming of Age by Lucy Foulkes (paperback out 10 July)How We Grow Up by Matt Richtel (out 28 August) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit screensensepodcast.substack.com
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Episode 3: The myth of the digital native
This week, we’re talking about a seemingly common sense idea: that kids are “digital natives.” The assumption goes something like this: they grew up with technology, so they must just get it. They're fluent, comfortable, and because it feels like they’re a step ahead of us, we worry about constantly playing catchup.But when you look more closely, that apparent fluency can be misleading. Knowing how to swipe, tap, or game doesn’t mean understanding what’s actually going on under the hood. What does that mean for how we approach digital parenting? Plus: a detour into the state of video games in 2025, and a small rant about why “play-to-earn” game models can absolutely get in the bin. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit screensensepodcast.substack.com
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Episode 2: How do we have better tech conversations with our kids?
In this episode, Pete and Andy explore how to talk about technology in a way that builds trust, not tension. From constant screen time requests to parental missteps, tech can be a constant flashpoint in family life — but it’s also a powerful opportunity for connection. We share what’s worked (and what hasn’t) in our own homes, and talk about practical strategies for making these conversations calmer, clearer, and more collaborative. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit screensensepodcast.substack.com
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