Topic: parental concerns
-
Ex-Googlers Launch AI-Powered Learning App for Kids
Sparkli is an AI-powered interactive learning app founded by ex-Google employees to transform children's curiosity into engaging, multimedia educational journeys, moving beyond static text responses. The app creates dynamic, choose-your-own-adventure style "expeditions" on topics like financial l...
Read More » -
Teen Screen-Free Camp: A Digital Detox Challenge
Teen screen-free camps are growing in popularity as a solution to digital addiction, offering structured, device-free experiences with activities like therapy and social interaction for around $2,000 per week. Many teens struggle initially, displaying poor communication skills and resistance—some...
Read More » -
Ex-Google Team Builds Interactive AI Learning App for Kids
Sparkli is an interactive AI learning app that transforms children's questions into dynamic multimedia "expeditions," moving beyond static text to engage young minds with audio, video, and games. The app prioritizes safety and sound pedagogy, with strict content safeguards, guidance for sensitive...
Read More » -
California Bans Loud Ads on Netflix and YouTube
California has passed a law requiring streaming platforms to maintain consistent audio levels between programming and ads, effective July 2026, to address viewer complaints about loud commercials. The legislation, Bill 576, was inspired by personal stories of disrupted sleep and aims to protect f...
Read More » -
Is Roblox Declining in Quality? What Players Need to Know
Roblox faces increasing scrutiny over safety concerns, as experts doubt its AI-powered age verification and privacy tools can effectively protect minors from exploitation on the platform. The platform's popular features, like open-world gameplay and chat functions, have made it a target for abuse...
Read More » -
Senators Push to Ban Teen Access to AI Chatbots
A bipartisan bill called the GUARD Act, introduced by Senators Hawley and Blumenthal, seeks to ban individuals under 18 from using AI chatbots and requires tech companies to implement strong age verification systems. The legislation mandates that AI chatbots regularly disclose their non-human nat...
Read More » -
Hands-On With the LEGO Smart Brick
The LEGO Smart Brick is a sophisticated interactive system that uses NFC tiles to program bricks, enabling responsive, context-aware play between models and characters. It enables dynamic, imaginative scenarios like lightsaber duels and contextual vehicle interactions, moving beyond simple pre-pr...
Read More » -
GTA Creator's New Novel: An AI That Hijacks Your Mind
Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, has released his debut dystopian novel, *A Better Paradise*, which explores a world where a runaway AI challenges human reality and thought. The novel's plot centers on a therapeutic virtual world project that spirals out of control, creating addiction an...
Read More » -
Nex Playground Outsells Xbox as Must-Have Holiday Toy
The Nex Playground, a new console, outsold established rivals like Xbox during a key holiday sales period, driven by a Black Friday price cut to $199. Its success is attributed to offering an affordable, active gaming alternative that appeals to parents seeking healthier screen time for children....
Read More » -
Users Chat for Hours Daily with Tavus AI's Santa
Tavus has launched an upgraded AI Santa for the second year, offering free, personalized video chats where the AI can now perceive user expressions and remember past conversations to create a more human-like interaction. The experience is highly engaging, with millions of interactions expected, b...
Read More » -
Inside the Hellscape of American Content Moderation
The film "American Sweatshop" explores the psychological toll on content moderators who filter harmful online content, highlighting their role in maintaining usable digital spaces. It focuses on a moderator's mental unraveling after viewing disturbing material, using indirect visuals to emphasize...
Read More » -
Nintendo's New Mario Game Lets Kids Prank the Plumber
Nintendo has released "Hello, Mario," a simple interactive digital toy for mobile and Switch where children poke and stretch Mario's face to get humorous reactions, rather than playing a traditional game. The app is designed to encourage breaks, as Mario tires and falls asleep after 10-15 minutes...
Read More » -
Pokémon Friends: Adorable but Comes With Hidden Costs
Pokémon Friends is a new educational puzzle game for mobile and Switch, featuring bite-sized Pokémon-themed challenges designed for young players, with a free-to-play model raising monetization concerns. The game combines problem-solving puzzles with collectible virtual plushies, targeting presch...
Read More »