Scrolling 2 Death

Nicki Petrossi
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Scrolling 2 Death is a podcast for parents who are worried about social media. Through interviews with parents and experts, we explore smartphone use, screen time, school-issued devices, social media use and so much more.

  1. [BONUS EPISODE] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Meta Whistleblower Brian Boland

    12 HR AGO

    [BONUS EPISODE] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Meta Whistleblower Brian Boland

    What really happens inside one of the most powerful companies in the world? This week, we sit down with Brian Boland, a former senior leader at Facebook (pre-Meta), who spent more than a decade helping build and scale Facebook and Instagram's advertising systems — and later testified in court about what he saw. Brian was in the courtroom for nearly five hours. In this candid conversation, he pulls back the curtain on: What it feels like to testify under oath against your former companyHow Meta’s internal culture shifted after whistleblowers like Frances Haugen spoke outThe reality of Mark Zuckerberg’s power inside the company — and why the board can’t remove himHow algorithms are built, tested, and optimized — and why even engineers don’t fully understand their long-term impactsWhether Meta is truly incentivized to limit teen usageThe truth about ad revenue from minorsHow accurate age-estimation technology really is — and why that mattersWhat whistleblowing actually costs the people who do it Brian doesn’t call for the end of social media. In fact, he believes these platforms could be built to strengthen communities. But he’s clear: the current incentives — profit, growth, daily active users — drive decisions that put engagement above safety. He also shares what he told executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, before he left — and the response he received. If you’ve ever wondered: Are these platforms intentionally habit-forming?Do they really know how young users are?Could they reduce harm if they wanted to?Why don’t more insiders speak out? This episode is essential listening. It’s a rare, inside look at how power, profit, algorithms, and accountability collide — and what it might actually take to force change. The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial is an investigative mini-series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with Heat Initiative. Video Editing expertly provided by Jacob Meade. Research mentioned in the episode: Social media platforms generate billions of dollars in revenue from U.S. youth: Findings from a simulated revenue model (Raffoul article)

    50 min
  2. [WEEK 5 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Kaley Takes the Stand

    4 DAYS AGO

    [WEEK 5 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Kaley Takes the Stand

    This week, we’re joined by Meta whistleblower Brian Boland, who appeared as a witness in this trial, and law student Christine Almadjian, who has spent hours inside the courtroom watching this case unfold. Christine is also a legislative consultant with END OSEAC. Thousands of families, school districts, and dozens of states have filed consolidated lawsuits against TikTok, YouTube, Meta, and Snap Inc., alleging their platforms were deliberately designed to addict and harm children. Some are calling this “the tobacco trial of our generation.” The first case centers on Kaley — a child like yours and mine — facing the most powerful companies in the world. This week, YouTube’s VP of Engineering defended the algorithm as internal documents revealed research linking excessive use to addiction, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, and body image issues — along with features like autoplay designed to increase watch time. We heard testimony that kids using YouTube while logged out are treated like adults, with no safety features enabled. A data expert challenged Meta and YouTube’s reported ad revenue from minors, citing “significant errors and contradictions,” followed by testimony from Kaley's therapist. Then Kaley took the stand. She described creating multiple accounts to like her own videos and posts, sneaking her phone at night, spending up to 16 hours a day on Instagram, feeling panic without her device — and still, at 20 years old, struggling to stop. When asked whether she had addiction, anxiety, depression, or body dysmorphia before social media, her answer was simple: no. Meta and YouTube pushed back hard, pointing to family conflict and school bullying. In just a few weeks, the jury will decide if social media was a subsantial factor in her mental heath struggles. This case isn’t just about one family. It’s about millions of kids — and what happens next affects all of us. The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial is an investigative mini-series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with Heat Initiative. Video Editing expertly provided by Jacob Meade.

    1h 3m
  3. [WEEK 4 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Zuckerberg. A Whistleblower. The Trial Ignites.

    21 FEB

    [WEEK 4 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Zuckerberg. A Whistleblower. The Trial Ignites.

    This week on The Heat is On…Big Tech on Trial, the spotlight was on Mark Zuckerberg — but it didn’t stay there for long. Nicki Petrossi and Sarah Gardner take you inside a dramatic week in court as Zuckerberg faced questioning about youth safety, platform design, and internal company practices — followed by testimony from a former insider whose statements directly conflicted with his. In this episode: The most revealing exchanges from Zuckerberg’s time on the standThe key claims he made — and what evidence challenged themA whistleblower’s testimony that told a very different story about how platforms operateEmotional reactions from parents watching it unfold in real timeWhy legal observers say this week could shift momentum in the trialA new Annual Report by Bark connecting Kaley's harm to children today Millions are watching because what happens here will reshape accountability for the most powerful tech companies in the world. This isn’t just a trial. It’s a turning point. Thank you to our special guest, Titania Jordan of Bark Technologies. Here's their 2025 Annual Report, referenced in the episode. The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial is an investigative mini-series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with Heat Initiative. Video Editing expertly provided by Jacob Meade.

    1 hr
  4. [WEEK 3 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Opening Statements. First Witnesses.

    14 FEB

    [WEEK 3 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Opening Statements. First Witnesses.

    Week 3 marks a turning point inside the courtroom: opening statements begin, the first witnesses take the stand, and the stakes become unmistakably real. Hosts Nicki Petrossi and Sarah Gardner (of Heat Initiative) bring you inside the proceedings as plaintiffs and defense lay out competing narratives about what happened to Kaley—and what responsibility tech giants bear. Plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier delivers what attendees call a “masterclass” opening, previewing internal records from YouTube and Meta suggesting early-age targeting and engineering for addiction. Defense attorney Paul Schmidt counters with a starkly different claim: that social platforms can benefit vulnerable teens and that responsibility lies elsewhere - on parents. YouTube counsel Louis Lee insists repeatedly: YouTube is not social media. The first expert witness, addiction psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke of Stanford University, author of Dopamine Nation, walks jurors through the neuroscience of compulsive use—arguing that platform design features can function like addictive stimuli, especially for adolescents. Cross-examinations grow tense as attorneys challenge her comparisons and conclusions. Midweek brings the highly anticipated testimony of Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, questioned about past statements on social media addiction, teen safety, and whether growth incentives conflict with child protection. Outside the courthouse, grieving parents—including featured guest John DeMay—camp overnight for seats, hold direct actions targeting Snapchat, and remind the world what this trial is really about: children. You’ll hear: Real-time courthouse reflectionsParent voices from the steps outsideKey courtroom exchanges that could shape the verdictLegal context explaining what jurors must decide Next week’s witnesses raise the stakes even higher, with expected testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and Neal Mohan. Because this isn’t just a trial. It’s a reckoning. And we’re translating every moment that matters for families everywhere.

    57 min
  5. [BONUS EPISODE] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: A Conversation with Toney & Brandy Roberts

    11 FEB

    [BONUS EPISODE] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: A Conversation with Toney & Brandy Roberts

    This bonus episode of The Heat is On… Big Tech on Trial slows down to hold space for the weight of this moment. Nicki Petrossi and Sarah Gardner are joined by Brandy and Toney Roberts, parents of 14-year-old Englyn Roberts, whose life was cut short after being exposed to harmful content on Instagram and other social media platforms. What unfolds is not just a conversation about Meta’s technology—but about grief, truth, and what it means to refuse indifference. The Roberts family shares how Instagram’s algorithms repeatedly recommended suicide-related content to their daughter, how duplicate videos remained online long after being reported, and how easily this material continues to circulate today. Sarah breaks down the technical reality: the tools to prevent and remove this content exist—and always have. Interwoven with these devastating realities are moments of grounding, connection, and meaning: reflections on community among bereaved parents, a courthouse vigil outside the Los Angeles trial, and the belief that love—never indifference—is what drives this fight. This episode is raw. It is painful. And it is essential. As the courtroom doors finally open, this conversation captures what’s truly on trial: corporate choices, accountability, and the lives of children. Listener discretion advised.

    25 min
  6. [WEEK 2 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Meta Stalls. Families Stand

    7 FEB

    [WEEK 2 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Meta Stalls. Families Stand

    Week 2 inside the courtroom didn’t unfold the way anyone expected. Just as jury selection was set to continue, the judge announced a sudden pause—triggered by illness, followed by a denied request from Meta to delay the trial for 30 days. What does a delay really mean in a case like this? And who benefits when time is bought? In this episode of The Heat is On…Big Tech on Trial, hosts Nicki Petrossi (of Scrolling 2 Death) and Sarah Gardner (of Heat Initiative) break down what happened behind the scenes, why jury selection may be the most important phase of the entire trial, and how defense strategies are already taking shape. You’ll hear legal context from veteran trial attorney Michael Quade, along with firsthand perspective from affected parents Toney and Brandy Roberts, who lost their 14-year-old daughter Englyn and are suing Meta, Snap, and TikTok for wrongful death and negligence. This week was grounded not by legal maneuvering—but by the parents. Survivor parents from around the world gathered in Los Angeles to witness the trial. Together, they held a vigil on the courthouse steps, honoring their children and demanding accountability. Nearly 20 media outlets showed up to hear their stories—not corporate talking points, but the human cost behind them. This case isn’t just about evidence or arguments. It’s about children. It’s about who controls the narrative. And it’s about which side of history we choose to stand on. We’re inside the courtroom—so parents everywhere don’t have to rely on headlines alone. Subscribe to The Heat is On miniseries here.

    35 min
  7. [WEEK 1 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Jury Selection

    31 JAN

    [WEEK 1 RECAP] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial: Jury Selection

    The courtroom doors are open—and the stakes couldn’t be higher. In this Week 1 recap of The Heat is On…Big Tech on Trial, we take you inside the very beginning of what some are calling the tobacco trials of our generation: the first case in the social media addiction litigation, where some of the most powerful companies in the world—Meta and YouTube—are facing off against a child. This week was all about jury selection. But don’t let the term fool you—some trials are effectively decided here. From the courthouse, hosts Nicki Petrossi (of Scrolling 2 Death) and Sarah Gardner (of Heat Initiative) break down what actually happened during the week, why it matters, and what an “impartial juror” even looks like in a world saturated by social media. We’re joined by: Attorney Laura Marquez Garrett (SMVLC), with legal context on jury selection, the TikTok and Snap settlements, and what Big Tech fears most as this trial moves forward.Julianna Arnold, founding member of Parents RISE and mom to Coco, who passed awayat 17 from social media harms—and now a plaintiff in the consolidated case—sharing what it feels like to finally be this close to the truth. In this episode, you'll hear: What stood out emotionally and ethically inside the courtroomHow 450 potential jurors were narrowed down—and why that process can make or break the caseWhy media access is already a fight, with only 10 seats available for pressThe growing comparisons between these trials and Big Tobacco—and what history tells usWhat survivor parents are bracing for as testimony begins Plus: what’s coming next, including opening statements, witness testimony, and the anticipated appearance of Mark Zuckerberg. We’re inside the courtroom so parents everywhere don’t have to guess what’s happening behind closed doors. Because this trial—and the ones that follow—will shape the future of child safety online. Next week: Final jury selection and Opening Statements. Stay with us. Share this episode. And keep paying attention.

    27 min
  8. [PRE-TRIAL] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial | What This Trial Means for Parents

    26 JAN

    [PRE-TRIAL] The Heat is On...Big Tech on Trial | What This Trial Means for Parents

    The Calm Before the Storm — What This Trial Means for Parents What happens when families finally take Big Tech to court—and win the right to be heard? In the premiere episode of The Heat Is On… Big Tech on Trial, hosts Nicki Petrossi and Sarah Gardner take parents inside what some are calling the trial of the century: consolidated lawsuits brought by thousands of families, school districts, and 29 states against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube for allegedly addicting and harming children. Sitting in the courtroom so you don’t have to, we will break down what this trial is really about—addiction, internal knowledge, and accountability—and why it matters for how you parent right now. You’ll hear from attorneys working the case, who explain how these cases came together and what’s at stake, and from parents whose children have been harmed (or lost) to harms instigated by social media. This episode sets the stage for what’s coming next: the first bellwether trial (KGM), the judge, the jury, the defense tactics, and what parents should be watching for as CEOs prepare to take the stand. This isn’t about screen time. It’s about accountability. And it’s about protecting our children. New episodes drop weekly as the trial unfolds. Sign up for trial updates at https://www.scrolling2death.com/heat Thank you to our special guests on this episode, Laura Marquez-Garrett of the Social Media Victims Law Center, Previn Warren of Motley Rice and Lori Schott, mom of Annalee (forever 18).

    47 min
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About

Scrolling 2 Death is a podcast for parents who are worried about social media. Through interviews with parents and experts, we explore smartphone use, screen time, school-issued devices, social media use and so much more.

Information

  • Creator
    Nicki Petrossi
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    307
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nicki Petrossi
  • Show Website
    Scrolling 2 Death
  • Provider

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