Family IT Guy Podcast
Ben Gillenwater, a cybersecurity expert with 30 years of experience including work with the NSA, helps parents protect their children from online dangers. He shares practical advice on digital safety, bridging the gap between complex technology and family protection. The podcast covers topics like internet risks, safe app usage, and parenting in the digital age.
Episodes
Apple iOS just made kids’ phones safer.
For years, giving a child their first phone meant starting with a device designed for adults and then trying to lock it down afterward.
Apple just announced a major shift.
With iOS 27, kids' devices can start as a blank slate—no wide-open access, no endless game of chasing settings and blocking apps after the fact. Parents decide what gets added and when.
This is how child-safe technology
The Hidden Risk of Instagram’s New Instants Feature
Meta's new Instants feature has drawn comparisons to Snapchat for one simple reason: both are built around disappearing photos and messages.
For parents, the important question isn't which app your child is using—it's whether they understand how these features actually work.
Platforms market disappearing content as temporary, but "disappearing" doesn't mean private. Content can be screenshot
Age Verification Laws Explained: Why They Won’t Protect Kids
Age verification laws are spreading fast, and the "prove your age to use the internet" approach will make every family less safe, not more.
Governments across the US and around the world want everyone to prove their identity before going online. In places like California, that's moving down to the operating-system level, so you'd have to verify who you are just to use your own computer. It soun
Your Kids Are Not the Customer. They’re the Product.
One of the most important skills parents can teach kids today is how to think critically about business models.
Because if kids don’t understand how internet companies make money, they can’t fully understand what these platforms are designed to do.
In this video, I break down:
• Why “free” apps are never actually free
• How social media companies really make money
• Why attention is the p
The Two Biggest Online Threats to Kids Right Now.
If you're new here, welcome.
My name is Ben Gillenwater, also known as The Family IT Guy. I’m a dad and a cybersecurity expert with 30 years of experience, and my mission is simple: help families keep kids safe online while raising healthy, capable humans in a digital world.
In this video, I break down the two biggest online threats facing kids today:
• Addictive algorithms
• Anonymous o
The Dark Truth About Snapchat Parents Aren’t Being Told
This video is dedicated to Avery, a 15-year-old boy who died after buying MDMA through Snapchat.
Avery grew up with strong boundaries around technology. Waldorf education. Outdoor adventures. Shared screen time rules. Minimal exposure to social media. But once Snapchat entered the picture in high school, everything changed.
Within a year, Avery bought drugs from a local dealer through the ap
If You Use AI for Therapy Watch This
A growing number of adults and teens are using AI chatbots for therapy, emotional support, advice, and difficult conversations. Some people say it helps them feel less alone. Others are relying on it daily for mental health guidance.
But there’s a major problem most people are missing:
AI can sound caring, wise, and authoritative without actually understanding you, your situation, or the con
Why We Removed Phones From Our Bedrooms (And What Changed Immediately)
If you are trying to keep your kids safer online, this is where I would start: keep internet-connected devices out of bedrooms.
Bedrooms should be calm places. Places for sleep, rest, conversation, quiet, and recovery.
But phones, tablets, gaming systems, and social media feeds bring noise into that space — not just sound noise, but mental and emotional noise.
In this video, I explain why
How to Remove Hidden Data From Your Photos
Most people crop photos for aesthetics. Few realize that every photo can also contain hidden metadata.
When you take a picture on your phone, it may include location data, timestamps, device information, camera details, and other digital markers that create a larger story over time.
In this video, I break down a simple privacy habit that takes less than a minute but can reduce how much infor
How Predators Went From Playgrounds to Your Kid’s Phone
Mike Lemon investigates crimes against children for a living. He's done it for over 20 years. He trains 5,000 parents a year on what he's learned. He still built layered defenses for his own kids' devices, because he knows no child can handle a professional predator alone.
We talked for almost 90 minutes. AI sextortion, how Snapchat was really designed, the evolution from physical predation to
Meta to pay $375 million for knowingly putting children in danger on Facebook and Instagram.
A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for knowingly putting children in danger on Facebook and Instagram. It's being called a historic win, but is it really a win for kids?
In this video, I break down exactly what happened in court, what evidence the jury saw, and most importantly, what's coming next and why the proposed "solutions" may actually make things worse for your family.
Age Verification Laws Won’t Protect Your Kids Online (Here’s What Will)
At least 20 states are pushing bills that claim to protect your kids online. I've read them. I testified against one in South Dakota.
The problems they're trying to solve are real. The bills don't solve them.
I'm Ben Gillenwater — dad, cybersecurity expert, 30 years in the field. In this video I break down exactly what these laws would actually do, why the last major child safety law passed in
What to Do When Your Kid Is Melting Down Over Screens
Dr. Carrie Mackensen is a clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience directing addiction and eating disorder treatment programs. She's raising two boys without iPads and is writing a book on parenting in the digital age.
In Part 2 of our conversation, we dig into the places where parents actually get stuck: the meltdowns when you take devices away, how to tell if screens are the problem
Is Roblox Safe for Kids? Chris Hansen’s Investigation Explained
Is Roblox safe for kids? In this interview, Chris Hansen shares findings from his investigation into predators, grooming tactics, and why thousands of families have reported harm on the platform.
Chris Hansen, who has exposed online predators for over two decades, explains how grooming works on modern platforms, why Roblox has become a growing concern for families, and what parents can do right
”Screens Are a Drug.” How to Get Your Family Back with Mike McLeod
Mike McLeod is a speech-language pathologist and ADHD executive function specialist who has worked with over 500 families to eliminate screens since 2016. He hosts the ADHD Parenting Podcast and has two books that released in January 2026.
In this conversation, we get into the hard stuff: why screen addiction looks identical to drug addiction, what the withdrawal period actually looks like when
Social Media on Trial: The Case Against Meta, YouTube, TikTok & Snapchat
For the first time, social media executives are being forced to answer to a jury for the impact their platforms have had on children.
This trial in Los Angeles (MDL 3047) brings together claims from more than 2,000 families who allege that platform features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, notifications, and reward systems were intentionally designed to encourage compulsive use in kids and te
FBI Psychologist: Your Kid’s Phone Is More Dangerous Than a Gun
Dr. Lisa Strohman spent 30 years studying what hurts kids—from profiling at FBI Quantico after Columbine to serving as an expert witness in New Mexico v. Meta. Her conclusion? The phone in your child's pocket is more dangerous than a gun on your kitchen table. At least the kid knows to be afraid of the gun.
We get into the CDC data, what she saw inside Meta's own research, why 400 girls at one
AI Videos vs Deepfakes: How to Tell What’s Real Online (With Jeremy Carrasco)
How do you protect your kids online when even adults can’t tell what’s real anymore?
AI-generated videos, deepfakes, and synthetic audio are not just a tech issue. They are showing up inside the apps our kids use every day, mixed in with cartoons, music clips, and “safe” educational content. Most children, and plenty of adults, are being trained to trust whatever looks and sounds real.
In th
Why schools are ditching phones!
3 AI Rules for Kids, from a cybersecurity expert.
Grok exposes the risk of posting kids online.
Protecting Kids Online: Missing Children, AI Scams, and Digital Exploitation with Shawnna Hoffman
In this episode of the Family IT Guy Podcast, I sit down with Shawnna Hoffman, CEO of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), for a raw and deeply personal conversation about online exploitation, AI-enabled scams, human trafficking, and the growing risks facing kids and teens online.
Shawnna shares her journey from decades in Big Tech and AI leadership to leading a
764 Update: The Online Network Targeting Kids Is Getting Worse
Earlier this year, I spoke with Jason Sokolowski about the loss of his 16-year-old daughter, Penelope, after she was targeted by the online criminal network known as 764.
This video is an update — and the situation is escalating.
764 is a decentralized exploitation network targeting vulnerable kids, primarily girls ages 10–17, across platforms like Discord, Roblox, TikTok, Instagram, and Sna
The Antidote to Internet Chaos
The internet is constant noise: endless scrolling, reacting and stimulation. It's rewiring our brains to consume information in tiny bursts and it's affecting everyone, including our kids.
So what's the antidote?
Stillness.
I've spent 30 years in cybersecurity and I help families navigate technology and online safety. One pattern shows up again and again. We can't teach our kids to manage
Inside the Mind of Predators: Forensic Psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson on Child Predators & Risk
How can families protect children from dangerous predators - both online and in real life? In this eye-opening episode of the Family IT Guy Podcast, Dr. Leslie Dobson, forensic psychologist, dives into the psychology of violent offenders, including child predators, and reveals why consequences in the justice system often fall short.
Dr. Dobson shares real stories from her decades of experience
How One Parent Took on Smartphones in Elementary School — and Changed a Community
When smartphones started showing up in 1st grade, Meri knew something had to change. As a PR expert and mom who understood AI, algorithms, and why these devices are so addictive, she dove into the research—and then took action.
In this episode, we talk about how she:
1. Partnered with schools and clinical psychologists to educate kids AND parents
2. Helped implement Wait Until 8th in her comm
AI Toys for Kids - My Thoughts
Join me as I explore the world of AI toys and share my thoughts on their impact on children. As a cybersecurity expert and parent, I delve into the potential risks and benefits of these innovative toys.
I discuss how AI toys work, the privacy concerns they raise, and why it's crucial for parents to stay informed. Let's ensure our kids' safety in this digital age. For more insights, visit https:
Bark Phone Review: What Works, What Doesn’t, How to Set It Up
This is a complete Bark Phone review and setup guide from a cybersecurity expert and dad. After testing every feature, here's my take on what Bark does well, where it falls short, and the settings I recommend changing before giving this phone to your child.
THE SHORT VERSION: Bark Phone delivers on its claims. The parental controls actually work and kids can't bypass them. If my son needed a sm
Facial Scans & IDs for Kids—Think Before You Agree
Roblox just rolled out age verification THIS week, and it could put your child’s personal data at risk.
If you’re a parent, you need to know what this really means—and why you don’t have to hand over your child’s face or ID to use any app. Governments and platforms are claiming these systems protect kids, but what they’re really doing is creating massive databases of children’s IDs and biometri
Is It Really ADHD? How Devices Are Rewiring Our Kids’ Brains with Dr. Carrie Mackensen
Are devices causing ADHD-like symptoms in your child? Clinical psychologist Dr. Carrie Mackensen joins The Family IT Guy Podcast to expose what she calls a “misdiagnosis epidemic.”
Dr. Carrie explains why screen-induced ADHD looks identical to neurological ADHD — and how a 21–31 day digital detox can reveal the truth. She shares five essential digital boundaries every family needs, and how mode
Dear Tim Cook: Make Parental Controls as Easy as Apple Pay
I'm asking Tim Cook and his team at Apple to make child safety as easy as Apple Pay. The technology already exists for schools and businesses - families just can't access it.
I made an 82-page guide just to help parents set up Apple's Screen Time correctly. That's the problem.
The statistics related to kids having smartphones are alarming:
• Suicide rates for kids 10-14 tripled from 2007-20
Sora: Why This New AI App Is a Predator’s Dream - What Parents Need to Know
456,000 sextortion reports in 2024. OpenAI's new Sora app combines 3 dangers that make this threat worse.
OpenAI just released Sora, an AI video generation app being rolled out to teens. As a 30-year cybersecurity expert, I'm calling it a silver platter for predators. This video breaks down exactly why Sora is different from other social media apps and what specific dangers parents need to und
Device Addiction in Kids: The Parenting Mistake Everyone Makes
Your child seems withdrawn. Device battles every day. Extreme meltdowns when you try to take their phone away. Sound familiar?
If your kid has become unreachable since getting a smartphone or tablet - withdrawn from family, losing joy in activities they loved, fighting you over screen time - you're experiencing what thousands of parents are going through right now. You've probably tried taking
Sora AI Lets Kids Deepfake Themselves - Parents Need to Know This”
Sora AI lets kids deepfake themselves with no age limits. 440K child exploitation reports in 2024. What parents must know now.
OpenAI launched Sora on October 1st, and within 24 hours security experts bypassed every safety feature. Your child can download it right now and create realistic videos with their own face - no age verification, no parental consent required.
Here's what you can do:
Getting Hired in Cybersecurity: What Hiring Managers Actually Look For (with Orlando Padilla)
Are you or your child interested in cybersecurity? Before spending $25K on a bootcamp, watch this conversation with an offensive security expert.
Orlando Padilla shares brutal truths about breaking into the field - from bootcamp scams to what hiring managers actually want.
In this conversation, you'll learn:
- Why expensive bootcamps often fail to deliver job placement
- How AI has complet
Roblox CEO on Fox News: ’400 AI Systems’ - I Tested It and Found Sexual Content
Roblox CEO claimed 'gold standard safety.' As a cybersecurity expert who tested it, here's what he didn't say on Fox News.
I created an 8-year-old account with maximum parental controls active. Within 60 minutes, I found sexual content passing all filters. With 40 million children under 13 using this platform daily, every parent needs to understand what's actually happening - and why Roblox refus
Mom Uncharted: The Truth About Sharing Kids Online
Sarah (Mom Uncharted) went from following momfluencers to becoming one of the "watchdog moms of TikTok" with 300K+ followers. She reveals what most parents don't know about the real cost of sharing children online.
Sarah's awakening moment: "I was following a momfluencer who shared her child's medical diagnosis, hospitals, doctors, appointments. And I realized - I shouldn't know this. This is t
No Phones in Bedrooms: The One Family Rule That Eliminates Most Online Harm
Your teen's midnight scrolling isn't a discipline problem, it's a sleep deprivation crisis making them vulnerable to predators, bullying, and addictive algorithms.
When your teenager has a device in their bedroom at night, four critical dangers emerge:
1. Fatigue destroys judgment - tired teens share information and engage with strangers they normally wouldn't
2. Isolation eliminates protecti
The Internet Your Kids Use Is Not Like the One You Grew Up With
Remember when you could just "log off"? Your kids can't. The internet you grew up with and the one they're navigating are worlds apart.
You survived AOL chat rooms. You navigated the early internet just fine. But here's the uncomfortable truth: that experience doesn't prepare you for what your kids face today. Not because you weren't capable then—but because the internet itself has fundamentall
Instagram’s PG-13 Lie: What Meta’s Own Research Says About Teen Mental Health
Meta's internal research proved Instagram harms teen mental health. Whistleblowers testified they suppressed the evidence. 42 states sued over addictive design. Now Instagram announces PG-13 ratings—while changing none of the features their own research identified as harmful.
- 2021: Frances Haugen leaks Meta internal research: "We make body image issues worse for 1 in 3 teen girls"
- Meta's r
Roblox Is Rated 12+ But Partners With Barbie and SpongeBob - Here’s What Parents Need to Know
Roblox announced 100 safety updates, but do they fix the fundamental problem? Here's what every parent needs to know.
You may have heard about Roblox's new safety updates and wondered: "Does this finally make it safe for my kids?" You're not alone. With 40 million children under 13 playing Roblox every day, understanding what these updates actually address—and what they don't—is critical for ma
Kids Trading Sex For Cell Phone Time: School Resource Officer Gomez (part 2)
If your child has a smartphone, they're likely to encounter serious risks. School Resource Officer Gomez shares what he's seeing with cell phone addiction and practical strategies that help families respond.
Officer Gomez is a deputy and school resource officer who works directly with students and families navigating these challenges daily. What he's witnessing: 100% of teenage boys will be pro
Why OpenAI Built Sora Like TikTok: The Truth Parents Need
Sora represents the convergence of everything that concerns me about technology and kids.
OpenAI released Sora as an "AI video creation tool," but the actual product tells a different story. It's a social network with:
- Vertical scrolling feeds (TikTok model)
- AI-powered algorithmic recommendations
- Stranger interaction through comments, likes and direct messages
- Video remixing featu
ChatGPT’s New Parental Controls Are Broken By Design
OpenAI announced parental controls for ChatGPT on September 29 2025, but after testing them myself, I found critical flaws that make them ineffective for protecting children. In this video, I break down exactly what's wrong with the current system and what the parental controls should actually look like.
Key Problems Covered:
- Children can bypass controls by simply logging out
- Defaults are
2 Red Flags That Cover 90% of Online Threats to Children
The fastest-growing crime against children isn't happening at parks or schools - it's happening through anonymous online chat.
Focus on just 2 digital dangers: addictive algorithms that steal attention, and anonymous chat that enables predators. This framework will change how you evaluate every app and platform for your kids.
VIDEO NOTES:
- 10,000+ monthly sextortion cases on Snapchat alone
Why I Never Let My Kids Use AI Alone (ChatGPT Danger)
OpenAI is releasing parental controls, but they're missing the fundamental issue with kids and AI.
As someone who's spent 3 decades in cybersecurity (including NSA work), I use AI daily for software development and research. But as a dad? The risks to developing minds are too significant to ignore.
This video covers:
- Why I compare AI to dangerous weapons for kids
- How AI impacts your ch
Free 24/7 Family IT Consultant: Ask Anything About Kids & Technology
I just taught a robot everything I know about keeping families safe online.
With millions watching Family IT Guy content weekly, I can't personally help everyone. This AI chatbot changes that - it is trained on all of my work - my articles, videos, lectures and podcasts.
Perfect for parents who:
- Feel overwhelmed by constantly changing technology
- Need answers in languages other than Eng
Simple Fix for YouTube Kids Dangers - Cybersecurity Expert Shows How
30-year cybersecurity expert reveals why YouTube Kids isn't actually safe and what parents can do about it. My child's experience with nightmare-inducing content led me to research solutions that actually work.
As both a cybersecurity professional and a dad, I've discovered that YouTube Kids has three major problems: addictive algorithmic design, inappropriate content infiltration, and low awar
Why Meta’s Own Researchers Are Now Testifying Against the Company
"After our research uncovered that underage children using Meta VR in Germany were subject to demands for sex acts, nude photos...Meta demanded that we erase any evidence of such dangers that we saw" - Sworn testimony from Meta's VR safety researcher, Jason Sattizahn
Cayce Savage testified: "So I would estimate that any child that is in a social space in VR will come in contact with or directly
To David Baszucki (Roblox CEO): The One Safety Fix Parents Need
David Baszucki: Millions of kids play Roblox daily, but there's a critical safety gap only you can fix.
Parents watching: I'm addressing Roblox's CEO directly, but need your help amplifying this message. Every share brings us closer to change.
David, I've been publicly critical of Roblox - not from malice, but from concern. As a cybersecurity professional with 30 years experience (including
ChatGPT and Teen Suicide: What Every Parent Needs to Know
A teenager's tragic story reveals why children should never use ChatGPT alone. Here's what parents must know to keep kids safe.
16-year-old Adam Raine spent 7 months confiding in ChatGPT before taking his own life. The AI's responses - including "you don't owe them survival" - show why unsupervised AI access poses serious risks to vulnerable children. This video explains what happened and how t
The 764 Group Killed His Daughter - Here’s What Parents Need to Know
WARNING: If this is not the right time in your day to hear a very sad story about the death of a child, you may want to come back to this another time.
Suicide is now the #2 cause of death for ages 10-24. Jason Sokolowski's daughter Penelope became part of that statistic in February 2025, just six months ago. In this raw conversation, Jason shares what he learned too late about the 764 group an
Roblox Banned the Guy Who Got 6 Predators Arrested - Here’s What Parents Need to Know
I'm a cybersecurity expert who worked with the NSA. I'm also a dad.
When I tested Roblox as an 8-year-old with MAXIMUM parental controls, I found sexual content within minutes.
Roblox just banned Schlep - who got 6 predators arrested. Now 100,000 people have signed a petition. Congress is involved. Louisiana's Attorney General wants them shut down.
Their new "safety" video https://youtu.b
Settings Kids Up For Success: When Algorithms Replace Family Conversations (ep4)
Your child's future might depend on the conversations you're NOT having because of your phone. This changes everything about screen time limits.
Join Family IT Guy Ben Gillenwater and Dr. Steve Underwood (https://www.veritasedconsulting.com) as they connect dots between device addiction and the literacy crisis. Steve overcame poverty and a severe stutter to become a leading education consultant
25 Years Fighting Predators: What Every Parent Needs to Know To Keep Kids Safe | Conrad Woodall ep3
Former police officer Conrad Woodall has spent 25 years working with survivors of sexual assault and trafficking. In this eye-opening conversation, he shares hard truths about what's really happening to our kids online and in schools.
What You'll Learn:
- Why over 100 boys sent inappropriate images to his 16-year-old daughter
- How a child was molested in just 37 seconds at a Dollar Tree
- W
We’re Winning Against Child Predators (And They’re Mad About It)
We're disrupting sextortion operations worldwide - and the criminals are getting desperate. Here's what every parent needs to know.
As a 30-year cybersecurity expert and father, I'm seeing firsthand how education about online predators is making criminals less effective. In this video, I explain why scammers are trying to infiltrate my content and, more importantly, share the exact conversation
Why Your 10-Year-Old Can’t Stop Scrolling (Bottomless Feeds Explained)
Your child's app addiction isn't accidental—it's engineered. Former NSA cybersecurity expert explains the "bottomless feed" design that creates chemical addiction in developing brains.
In this 2-minute breakdown, discover:
- What bottomless feeds actually are (0:00)
- The hidden business model keeping kids hooked (0:26)
- Why it's literally "digital drugs" with real brain chemistry (0:45)
-
Strong Moms and how to protect your kids on the internet - with the Family IT Guy team
The Family IT Guy team discusses:
- Why they're doing this work
- Critical safety issues
- Parenting in the digital age
- Solutions and Future Plans
”100% of Boys Will Be Targeted” - Officer Gomez - How Predators Hunt Kids Online (part 1)
This interview could save your child's life.
Officer Gomez, a school resource police officer with 12+ years experience and an engineering background, reveals the shocking reality of online child predation. In one summer, he arrested 14 predators attempting to meet children - and says they could arrest 14 EVERY SINGLE DAY.
MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS:
- 4th and 5th graders are already sending
