Scrolling 2 Death

Nicki Petrossi

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. HACE 13 H

    A Neuroscientist Takes on EdTech (with neuroscientist Jared Cooney-Horvath)

    Neuroscientist and author Jared Cooney Horvath is back (check our first conversation here)—this time to tackle yourmost-asked questions about kids, learning, and technology. After a decade of research into tech-based education, his conclusion is stark and unapologetic: technology isn’t helping kids learn… it’s making them dumber. The pushback he hears most?“But won’t my child fall behind without tech?”According to the data: No. Drawing on ICMS measures of digital literacy across generations, Jared reveals a surprising pattern:‍ Millennials outperform Gen Z,Gen Z outperforms Gen Alpha—despite Alpha growing up with devices (in their cribs), andGen X—our parents—perform just as well as Gen Z, even though many didn’t touch modern tech until their 30s or 40s. Jared also dives into the questions parents are asking right now: Should AI have a place in the classroom?Are short-form videos killing learning?Is there any truly educational content for toddlers? …and much more. Tune in as Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death and Jared share clear answers, data-backed insights, and a shocking look at what’s really happening to our kids’ brains. If you care about learning, focus, or your child’s future, this is an episode you cannot afford to skip.  And don’t forget to grab Jared’s new book, share this episode with your school and parent community, and join the movement to reclaim real learning. Get Jared's book here: The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning -- And How To Help Them Thrive

    59 min
  2. The Heat is On...Meta (Part 1)

    HACE 4 DÍAS

    The Heat is On...Meta (Part 1)

    The Heat is On is an investigative series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with Heat Initiative. Sarah Gardner, Founder and CEO of Heat Initiative, joins Nicki (S2D) to expose the truth Big Tech doesn’t want you to hear – and this episode is about Meta. Meta’s roots reveal a troubling origin story—from Facemash, where students were rated based on their appearance, to becoming one of the most powerful (and dangerous) tech companies in the world, with over 3.3 billion daily users. Behind the sleek apps and promise for connection lies a history of harmful design choices that target young users—fueling anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and even suicide. In this episode, you’ll hear from former Meta executives and whistleblowers, cybercrime experts, and child-safety researchers who prove that the company knew how harmful its platforms were to kids—and did almost nothing to stop it. Today, over 40 U.S. states, thousands of school districts, and countless families have taken legal action. And yet, Meta continues to push untested, potentially dangerous features—like their new AI chatbot—on teens without parental consent. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, weighs in to warn how these harms are reaching an industrial scale and legal action alone is not enough. We all need to work together to hold Big Tech accountable.  It’s time to turn up the heat: Join our email list. Share this episode. Keep your kids off Meta platforms. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or simply someone who cares about the well-being of kids, this episode will give you the facts, the tools, and the fire to demand change. ‍ Hosts:  Nicki Petrossi – Host of Scrolling 2 Death  Sarah Gardner – Founder & CEO of Heat Initiative Expert Guests:  Kelly Stonelake - Former Meta executive and whistleblower Arturo Bejar - Former Meta executive and whistleblower Paul Raffile - Cyber analyst and sextortion expert Jonathan Haidt - Author of The Anxious Generation ‍ Resources mentioned in the episode: Instagram Teens research by Parents TogetherNY Times: The Men Who Use Instagram to Groom Child Influencers by Michael Keller Expert editing provided by Jacob Meade.

    52 min
  3. The Heat is On...Snapchat (Part 2)

    26 NOV

    The Heat is On...Snapchat (Part 2)

    The Heat is On is a new investigative series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with The Heat Initiative. Sarah Gardner, Founder and CEO of The Heat Initiative, joins Nicki (S2D) to expose the truth Big Tech doesn’t want you to hear – and our next episode is all about Snapchat. In Part 1, we revealed how Snapchat built its empire by marketing a sexting app to kids, fueling addiction, exploitation, and harm. Today, in Part 2, we uncover what happens inside Snapchat when employees raise the alarm. The truth: executives routinely dismiss internal warnings and ignore grieving parents. The company hides behind ineffective parental controls that almost no one uses: fewer than 1% of parents activate them. And it’s not because employees didn’t try. Internal emails show trust and safety staff had “little contact with upper management” and faced pushback whenever they proposed in-app safety features because CEO Evan Spiegel “prioritized design. According to Snap’s own internal documents, proactively identifying and protecting minors from sexual content or predators would “overburden moderators,” “create disproportionate admin costs,” and should not be Snap’s responsibility. Snapchat isn’t just failing to prevent harm; it resists cooperation even after tragedies occur. In this episode, you’ll hear how the company obstructs law enforcement and leaves devastated families without support. This episode isn’t just about what Snapchat has done—it's about what they refuse to do, and what it will take to force change. Lawsuits and legislation matter, but real progress requires collective action and public pressure. Here are three simple steps parents can take to demand child protections from Snapchat: 1.     Join our email list for real-time actions you can take. 2.     Set a family rule: no Snapchat for minors—and don’t use it yourself. So basically, no Snapchat ever. 3.     Share what you learned with one friend or family member. This episode was expertly edited by Jacob Meade. Thank you to our incredible guests: Laura Marquez-Garrett - Attorney, Social Media Victims Law Center Amy Neville - Parent survivor, founder of Alexander Neville FoundatonJonathan Haidt - Author of The Anxious Generation Paul Raffile - Sextortion expert (featured in Part 1)Aaron Ping - Survivor parent and host of the Superhuman podcastJim & Kate Sullivan - Survivor parent Anna McAdams - Affected parentPaul Solotaroff of Rolling Stone Sarah Gallagher Trombley, ex-Snapchat executive and founder of Digital Mom Media

    38 min
  4. The Heat is On...Snapchat (Part 1)

    20 NOV

    The Heat is On...Snapchat (Part 1)

    The Heat is On is an investigative series by Scrolling 2 Death, in partnership with Heat Initiative. Sarah Gardner, Founder and CEO of Heat Initiative, joins Nicki (S2D) to expose the truth Big Tech doesn’t want you to hear – and this episode is all about Snapchat. From a disappearing-nude app in 2011 to a social media giant in 2025, Snapchat’s story is one of innovation, imitation, and controversy. When it comes to digital harms and kids, Snapchat ranks among the worst—which is why this story expands two parts. In Part 1, we’re exposing how Snapchat’s “innovations” have put profits ahead of our children’s safety.  Snapchat’s culture was flawed from the start. The FTC sanctioned the company early on for misleading users about how ‘private’ disappearing snaps really were. Since then, features like Discover and AR filters have been designed to keep kids endlessly engaged, regardless of the consequences. Today, nearly half of all U.S. teens use Snapchat. Yet the platform continues to enable drug poisonings, connect minors with predators, and drive addictive use. As psychologist Jonathan Haidt warns, Snapchat is harming children on an industrial scale - and insiders admit the company knows but fails to act. Online drug dealing, especially fentanyl-laced pills, has fueled a 350% rise in teen deaths over the past three years. Snapchat’s Quick Add feature helps dealers find young users, exposing an estimated 700,000 people to drug content daily. Even when dealers are reported, only one in four accounts is removed. Sextortion is another growing crisis. Snapchat receives about 10,000 reports each month— numbers employees say barely scratch the surface. Predators exploit the app’s disappearing messages, and with Snap Map, digital threats increasingly turn into real-world harm. Rather than designing for safety, Snapchat keeps doubling down on engagement. Features like Snapstreaks drive compulsive use; 45% of teens now use the app “almost constantly.” Your child’s attention keeps them profitable. In this episode, Sarah and Nicki hear from parents and experts who’ve seen the damage firsthand. Their message is clear: these aren’t accidents - they’re design choices. The question is...can Snapchat fix this? Or is Snap a lost cause? Video Editing expertly provided by Jacob Meade. Thank you to our featured guests: Laura Marquez-Garrett - Attorney, Social Media Victims Law CenterAmy Neville - Parent survivor, founder of Alexander Neville Foundation‍Jonathan Haidt - Author of The Anxious GenerationPaul Raffile - Cyber-analyst and worldwide sextortion expertAaron Ping - Survivor parent of Avery Ping and host of the Superhuman podcastJim & Kate Sullivan - Survivor parent of Jack SullivanAnna McAdams - Online safety advocate and mom of EllistonPaul Solotaroff - Senior Writer at Rolling StoneMike Neff - Attorney, Neff Injury LawSarah Gallagher Trombley - former Snapchat Exec and Founder of Digital Mom Media

    50 min
  5. 17 NOV

    Taken by Social Media: Honoring London Gadd, forever 12

    This episode discusses youth suicide and social media harm; listener discretion is advised. London was bright, goofy, empathetic, brilliant. She played soccer year-round, read nonstop, danced through the kitchen, and filled her Michigan home with laughter. But during the pandemic, when she was just eight, a smartphone and social media entered her life. What followed was a years-long battle with algorithmic addiction that Charay—like millions of parents—never saw coming. In this raw and devastating interview, London’s mom Charay Gadd shares the truth no parent should ever have to live through: TikTok pushing self-harm and suicide content when London searched for harmless topics… Snapchat teaching her to hide messages… multiple secret accounts… emotional manipulation from streaks and scores… and a child who didn’t understand the permanence of death because of what she saw online. Charay takes us through London’s hospitalizations, the cries for help, and the night everything changed. Her message is one every parent must hear: This wasn’t London. This was addiction. This was social media. Today, Charay fights for justice—alongside more than 1,000 families in the national lawsuit against Big Tech—and honors London’s life through a scholarship that empowers teens to make a difference in the world. This episode is not entertainment.It’s a warning.And it will save lives. You can donate to a scholarship program in London's name, here.

    42 min
4.8
de 5
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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.

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