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Should Teens Use AI Companion Chatbots? · The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

AI Is the New Social Media. Can We Protect Kids This Time?

Laurie Santos talks with Bruce Reed, head of AI at Common Sense Media, at SXSW EDU about how social media and AI companions shape young people's happiness, what those years taught, and what parents can do.

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Notes

  1. How Much Screen Time Do Kids Under Eight Get? at 6:26

    Bruce Reed says screen time for the youngest kids runs from about an hour a day under age two to two hours a day at ages three and four, then three and a half… Full answer

  2. Does More Than Three Hours of Social Media Double Anxiety? at 11:08

    Bruce Reed says spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the prospects of anxiety or depression. Full answer

  3. Why Do Kids Stay on Social Media If It Feels Worse? at 13:35

    Laurie Santos says kids stay on social media even when the products make them feel worse, because everybody else is using them. Full answer

  4. Should Teens Use AI Companion Chatbots? at 21:40

    Bruce Reed says Common Sense Media put out a report declaring AI companion chatbots an unacceptable risk for anyone under 18. Full answer

  5. How Does Talking to a Chatbot Affect Loneliness? at 23:32

    Laurie Santos says talking to a chatbot brings an immediate, short reduction in loneliness, while longer use predicts more loneliness later. Full answer

  6. What Is the IKEA Effect? at 26:35

    Laurie Santos says the IKEA effect is a psychology finding that people like an IKEA thing more, and think it is better, just because they built it themselves. Full answer

  7. Should Parents Turn Off an AI Chatbot's Memory? at 33:05

    Bruce Reed says parents should be able to turn off memory so that every time a kid went on an AI platform, it was starting from scratch. Full answer

  8. How Should Parents Troubleshoot Technology Rules With Kids? at 35:35

    Laurie Santos says parents should troubleshoot technology rules with kids by treating them as agents: ask questions you do not already know the answer to… Full answer

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