Introducing Kinder Tech
A newsletter about technology, kids, and digital parenting.
Welcome to Kinder Tech, a newsletter about new technologies, how they are being used by kids, and a look under the hood to help parents and families navigate choices for safe and fun use. Exploring this intersection has been a passion project of mine for several years, and I’m excited to be able to share what I’ve learned (and am still learning) with a broader audience.
As a bit of background, and I’ll date myself here — I grew up in the early days of personal computers and the internet, so I suppose I’m a digital native by the very broadest definition. As a young kid, I played games like Oregon Trail, Rocky’s Boots, and King’s Quest on early Apple models, and I remember the excitement associated with hearing the modem’s beep-boop-bop as I waited to connect to some of the first online games in AOL.
This early exposure to computers and games blossomed into a life-long interest in technology; I went on to take computer science classes in high school and college (back when they were still taught in Pascal and C), got jobs in software engineering during the dot-com boom, and now my work primarily focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence applications.
As a nerd at heart, I think it’s safe to say that my natural inclination is to get excited about new technologies and to think about opportunities for new applications and problems that they can be used to solve. And as a mom, I also enjoy sharing and learning about new gadgets and tech alongside my kids. Early in the pandemic, I wrote an article about fun activities that kids and parents can access from home to learn more about machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in their daily lives. My son and I have also been trying out some of the smart toys from the Smart Toy Awards (more on that in a later article!).
But, as both a parent and a practitioner in the field, I’m also wary of increased screen time, and of how games and online apps might be collecting my kids’ data or exposing them to inappropriate or behavior-altering content — even content that may seem innocuous at first glance. I want to know what algorithms are being used, or at least the implications of those algorithms for my kids’ privacy and safety. And I try to pay attention to new policies and guidelines, but it can be hard to find good sources of information to distill what these policies mean in practical terms.
My goal with this newsletter is to build a community of parents and caregivers who are curious and who want to know how things work so they can make decisions that are best for their families. As I’ve floated the idea for this newsletter to my network of parent friends and colleagues, I’ve received some great suggestions for topics they would like to see covered, ranging from what information sources to follow to learn more and stay educated, to wanting to understand how a specific smart toy or online game works.
We’re going to roll up our sleeves, install applications, create logins, and learn how different applications work. This newsletter will investigate new policies and their practical implications. We’ll explore learning resources for kids, so they can be empowered and educated users. We’re going to share interviews and highlight companies that are using artificial intelligence and other technologies for good — for example, to protect kids and keep them safe online, or to diagnose autism, diseases, and recommend early interventions. And hopefully, we’ll have some fun along the way. I hope you’ll join us!