Newsletter 2/3/24

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February 2, 2024Our weekly(ish) newsletter for caregivers, including resources for parenting with tech and updates on Betweened (iOS and Android), where we’re building family-friendly media.

Senate Hearings on Children’s Safety & Social Media

This was one of those weeks that reminds me why we’re building Betweened. The Senate held another Judiciary hearing with the 5 social media CEOS (Meta, TikTok, X/Twitter, Discord, and Snap). So many people asked my thoughts that I shared this post on LinkedIn.

If you only watch two clips from the hearing

1. Senator Hawley (video) asking Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about Instagram statistics and for an apology

2. Senator Cruz questions Zuckerberg on Instagram’s system for warning viewers about inappropriate content but allowing them to continue anyway (video)

Note, pre-screen these if you might share these with your kids. It can be the foundation for a conversation about the challenges, but only if you and your child are prepared for it.

Senate hearings definitely are a study in political performance (and this was no different). While this article was written before the hearing, it captures the mixed feelings that can come from watching the hearings.

We need action on many fronts to improve the situation, including innovating safe alternatives like Betweened, supporting parents with proactive tools for fostering healthy media habits, and reactive resources to equip caregivers for the challenging moments. If you ever need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me so I can help point you to options.

Other amusements…

• Elmo asked X (Twitter) how everyone is doing and got an unexpected earful of despair.

• With the Super Bowl coming up, I’m prepping some materials on advertising. This ad for Paramount+ was released early. A fun game is to watch the ads and then try to remember who it was an ad for. (I had to look up this one because I had already forgotten…)

Creators to check out

Here’s a few of the newest folks who are sharing their content with us! Your kids will see their age-appropriate content on Betweened, and you can always help the creators out by following them, too.

• @gustuba2 (TikTok, Instagram) — best known for flute and tuba cover of Gravity Falls theme song

• @chriswoodworthvo (TikTok, Instagram) — inside look at voice acting for animation

• @meganmoves (TikTok, Instagram) — theme park reviews and ideas

• @btwnd1 (TikTok, Instagram) — shameless self-promotion :-)

If you (or friends) create content that you want to share on Betweened, find out more here.

Thank you for being an integral part of our community. We’re available on iOS and Android. Send your feedback. Tell your friends. And have a great week!Blue skies,CarlaCEO & Founder

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