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We also reviewed the process for making public comments at school board meetings, including how parents and community members can prepare clear, respectful, and effective remarks. Public comment is one of the simplest ways families can make their voices heard and help local leaders understand what children are experiencing in today’s digital learning environment.

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These community calls are designed to help parents and advocates move from concern to action with practical tools, policy updates, and support.

Child First Policy Center is a parent-led advocacy organization dedicated to protecting children before harm takes hold. Through rigorous research, public education, and policy engagement, we ensure that every decision shaping how children learn, grow, and develop puts their safety and well-being first, not as an afterthought, but as the starting point

AI is moving fast—and our kids are right in the middle of it.

Most parents are being told to just trust it.
But more and more of us are starting to ask questions.

In this episode, Corinne Johnson sits down with AI ethics expert Medlir Mema to break down what really happened in Utah this session—and why parents are pushing for simple, common-sense guardrails.

They talk about chatbot safety, AI in schools, and the one question that matters most:

Just because we can… should we?

If something about all of this has felt off to you, you’re not alone.

Listen in, and share this with another parent who wants to take the scenic route—not just the fastest one.

What started as one mom speaking up turned into a viral moment that reached millions of parents around the world and pushed Google to change its policy. But the conversation does not stop there. Melissa shares how this experience connects to a much bigger issue and why parental controls alone are not enough to protect kids.

The episode also explains why Utah has become the front line in holding Big Tech accountable through the App Store Accountability Act. Rather than putting all the responsibility on parents, this approach focuses on fixing the systems that give apps access to kids in the first place. It is a conversation about protecting children, supporting families, and why parents stepping up together can lead to real change.

Episode Highlights

• A parent discovers Google is emailing children directly about removing parental controls

• Why most parents would miss this email and why that puts kids at risk

• How parental controls often give families a false sense of security

• How one mom speaking up led to global attention and a policy change

• Why Utah is pushing back against Big Tech through the App Store Accountability Act

• How holding app stores accountable better protects kids and supports parents

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Other episodes you might be interested in.

Child First Podcast

Behind the Poilicy

How Screens Are Changing the Classroom and what parents should know about learning, attention, and technology in schools

Screens are everywhere in our kids’ lives, especially at school. Many parents are asking the same questions: Are screens helping kids learn? What does science actually say about attention and memory? And how much technology is too much in the classroom?

In this recorded event, neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath joins Rep. Ariel Defay, Rep. Doug Fiefia, and Corinne Johnson, executive director of the Child First Policy Center, for a clear and thoughtful conversation about how kids learn and what happens when screens become the default tool for instruction. Together, they unpack what neuroscience tells us about attention, why more technology doesn’t always mean better learning, and what families should understand as classrooms continue to change.

This conversation is designed to help parents feel informed and confident as they navigate discussions about education, technology, and what truly supports kids’ growth and learning.