This week, I had a chance to speak on the panel “Panic Or Proof? The State of Online Safety Research” at the Family Online Safety Institute European meeting Together with colleagues Sandra Cortesi, Julia Davidson OBE, Pete Etchells, and moderator Read More
๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ & ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ? ๐๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Yesterday, a group of Dutch doctors and scientists released a public letter calling for a ban on smartphones for children under 14, and a ban on social media until 16. I understand the concern behind this appealโyouth health is a Read More
New NWO Grant – RIGHTS: Responsible Implementation of Gathering, Handling, and Treating Sensitive Individual Digital Traces
Together with my colleagues Theo Araujo and Laura Boeschoten, NWO has awarded us a new grant for our project entitled RIGHTS – Responsible Implementation of Gathering, Handling, and Treating Sensitive Individual Digital Traces. Normally, you will find that my work Read More
Like, Share, Struggle? Helping Youth Navigate the Digital Society
As youth navigate an increasingly algorithmic digital world, concerns about overuse, mental health, and online safety have led to calls for stricter age assurance measures. Yet, common responsesโsuch as depersonalization or outright bansโrisk oversimplifying the issue, potentially diminishing both youth Read More
Mis- & Dis-Information
I cannot think of a more important time to be discussing and understanding mis- and dis-information. The world is being rocked by its impact, people are struggling to know what is authentic, and the 24-hour digital knowledge economy only exacerbates Read More
Protecting teen wellbeing on YouTube across Europe and globally
โSuccess is what you do with your ability. It’s how you use your talent.โ โ George Allen, Sr. I have been a member of the YouTube Youth & Family Advisory Committee since its inception. (Don’t worry, UvA – it’s registered ancillary Read More
Podcast Appearance: Net Echt
I had a fun opportunity to sit down with the University rector, Peter-Paul Verbeek, to discuss our overlapping areas of research during an episode on his podcast Net Echt. While typically our conversations focus on our visions for education, it Read More
Empowering & Protecting Youth Online
I had the chance to speak at Meta’s Youth Summit on 18 February 2024 in Brussels (on a beautiful sunny day!) It was an interesting day, with several inspiring conversations. Personally, I was happy to sit on a panel where Read More
Decoding Media: How Gen Z & Alpha Engage
All too often, we hear the (news) media report on GenZ – framing the group as a monolithic entity with one voice and one shared ideology. During my talk with Microsoft Global Comms on 14 February, I highlighted fact versus Read More
Opinion: Banning Social Media Wonโt Save Our Kids
The growing movement advocating for social media bans for youth, particularly those under 16, reflects understandable concerns about mental health. Parents face immense challenges: navigating their childrenโs education, social lives, and emotional well-being amidst a rapidly changing social media landscape. Read More