Kids Culture Report [June 2021] — Kids Pride 🏳‍🌈 Most kids’ media brands put on blinders during PRIDE Month, as if LGBTQ+ kids don’t exist. They do. Saying you’re inclusive means including *all* kids. [NYT] Representation Matters 👦🏾 At the 2021 Annecy International Animated Film Festival, The Walt Disney Company announced the pick up of two African animation series: ‘Kiff’, by South…

Jarrod Walczer & Derek E. Baird | Journal of Fandom Studies — Dear Evan Hansen is a cultural phenomenon and Tony Award-winning musical that has been widely celebrated by a social media-driven fan community, known as ‘Fansens.’ The growth of this fandom on social media is unique as Fansens have adopted plot points and thematic elements from…

One of the main concerns regarding AI and children is their data privacy. Children generate large amounts of personal data through technology, including online activity, school records, and health information. This data can be used to create profiles of children, which can then target them with advertising or other forms…

Organizations that sustainably lead on trust and safety find ways to build it into their business thesis. — In our piece for the World Economic Forum, my colleague, Sam Dorison, BeMe Health Head of Partnerships and Special Initiatives, and I share five focus areas for organizations looking to invest in child digital trust and safety. Our article includes a case study of the LEGO Group that examines how…

Rebuilding Teen Mental Health In A Post-Pandemic World. — A few years ago, my friends at LEGO — one of the world’s iconic youth brands — launched a terrific youth initiative called “Rebuild the World.” The focus of their campaign was to “celebrate children as the masters of creative problem solving and show what can be achieved when…

This week I moderated a youth panel, and one of the teens called their phone “a safety blanket.” I asked them to share more about what they meant by that term, and they replied: “Well, just in case something really bad goes down at school — you know what I’m…

Kid Culture Report [July 2021] Mental Health 🧠 The study finds early social transition for transgender youth results in good mental health outcomes, but unaccepting school environments may lead to a greater risk of suicidality. [Fenway Health] “It was my second shooting, so I was kind of prepared. I’m always expecting something to…

Stories and resources from RoadTrip Nation to help students explore their dreams — and the paths they can take to get there. — This past year, only 27% of young people said they felt very clear on their goals for the future. How can we give them new confidence, and help them plan their path forward? “Possible Dreams, Possible Paths” is a new website created by Roadtrip Nation to help high school students…

Kid Culture Report [May 2021] — Kids Media 🎥 “One of the primary lessons from The Missing Middle: Reimagining a Future for Tweens, Teens, and Public Media Cooney Center report is that public media can look to the content being created by Gen Z, streaming networks, and commercial media as examples of how to connect with the missing middle.”…