Family IT Guy Podcast (audio)

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: knowledge plus communication equals protection. You don't need to become an AI expert, but you do need to stay informed and have real conversations with your kids about these tools - not just the exciting features they see on social media, but the serious risks that come with putting their face and voice into an AI system.My advice: Don't let your kids use AI tools like Sora alone. Supervision and education are your best defenses.View the Family IT Guy Amazon store for my recommended family-safe products https://www.amazon.com/shop/family.it.guy

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 completely changed tech hiring (and what to do about it)- How a chemistry major with no CS degree got hired- Why passion matters more than credentials in actual hiring decisions- The free resources students can use to test if this career is right for themIf your family is navigating decisions about tech education, cybersecurity careers, or alternatives to traditional CS degrees, this conversation provides the insider perspective you need.About Orlando Padilla:26 years of experience. Specializing in vulnerability research, penetration testing, and security training. Former work at Northrop Grumman and founder of multiple security companies. Has trained military and government personnel at Fort Meade.View the Family IT Guy Amazon store for my recommended family-safe products https://www.amazon.com/shop/family.it.guy

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 refuses to implement features that would genuinely protect kids.What I discovered:Sexual content in 'Public Bathroom Simulator' within 1 hour of testingCourt-documented cases of predators using Roblox to groom teenagersPlatform allows 5-year-old registration despite 12+ ratingPartners with Barbie and SpongeBob to target preschoolersDeliberately won't build 'approved games only' mode like YouTube Kids hasRevenue protection prioritized over child safetyThis video covers Roblox safety concerns, parental controls testing, online predator awareness, children's gaming safety, and why tech companies prioritize engagement over protection. Essential viewing for parents of kids interested in or currently playing Roblox.If this information helped you understand the risks better, please share it with other parents. Subscribe for more evidence-based digital safety guidance.View the Family IT Guy Amazon store for my recommended family-safe products https://www.amazon.com/shop/family.it.guy

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 too far."That realization led her down a rabbit hole that revealed platform suppression, AI threats, and business models designed to exploit our children.Topics discussed:- Why Mom Uncharted got shadowbanned after CNN called her a "watchdog mom"- The moment a regular mom realized sharenting had gone too far- Three problems with sharenting every parent should understand- Why Big Tech suppresses child safety advocates- What happens when your teenager Googles themselves- The new AI app that looks like TikTok but threatens every photo- Why you should model healthy tech boundaries for your kidsView the Family IT Guy Amazon store for my recommended family-safe products https://www.amazon.com/shop/family.it.guy

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't2. Isolation eliminates protection - when bullying happens at midnight, there's no escape3. Predators specifically target late night hours when kids are alone, tired, and vulnerable4. Algorithms exploit exhaustion - tired brains are more susceptible to addictive contentThe research is clear: Psychologist Jonathan Haidt documents this in The Anxious Generation. Sleep experts universally recommend it. Parents who implement this report better sleep, fewer emotional crises, less risky behavior, and improved mental health.One rule eliminates all these risks: No devices in bedrooms—for anyone in the family.RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS:Charging station: https://amzn.to/47KN6hm and cables: https://amzn.to/4hIZwe9Seiko alarm clock: https://amzn.to/3WExTt6View the Family IT Guy Amazon store for other recommended family-safe products https://www.amazon.com/shop/family.it.guy

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 fundamentally changed.WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGED:Then: You had to ask permission to use the family computerNow: The internet is in your child's pocket 24/7Then: You heard that dial-up sound when connectingNow: Silent, constant access with no "logging off"Then: Your parents could walk by and see the screenNow: Private devices, encrypted apps, hidden contentThen: Websites were static pages you chose to visitNow: AI algorithms study every click and serve addictive contentThen: Chat rooms had 10-20 strangersNow: Anonymous access to millions of people worldwideThen: The internet was a destination you visitedNow: It follows your child everywhere, constantly pulling their attention backThis isn't about your parenting skills. It's about understanding that a neighborhood street and a six-lane highway require completely different safety rules.THE THREE MYTHS:MYTH #1: "I survived the early internet, my kid will be fine"This is like saying you crossed a quiet street safely, so your kid will be fine crossing a freeway at rush hour. The internet had no algorithms tracking your behavior in the 90s. Today's platforms use artificial intelligence to study your child's every move and serve them exactly what keeps them scrolling. You could log off. Your kids can't escape.MYTH #2: "The government and platforms will protect my kids"Who makes money when your kid stays on TikTok for another hour? TikTok does. Who gets campaign donations from tech companies? Politicians do. Frances Haugen testified to Congress with internal documents proving Instagram knew their platform harmed teenage mental health—and they buried the research to protect profits. Right now, 40% of children aged 8-12 are using social media illegally. The biggest fine the FTC ever gave? $5.7 million to TikTok - a rounding error. These companies aren't on your team.MYTH #3: "Platforms will moderate harmful content"When the product is free, your child's attention is what's being sold to advertisers. Keeping your kid safe means less time on the platform. Less time means less money. Their business model and your child's safety are opposing goals. This is why every dangerous platform is free—TikTok, Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite. And every safer platform costs money—Nintendo Switch, Minecraft. When you pay, you're the customer. When it's free, your child's attention is the product.THE TWO DANGERS THAT MATTER:After 30 years in cybersecurity (including work at the NSA) and raising my own kid, I've learned that most of the complexity boils down to TWO core dangers:1. Addictive algorithms - AI designed by psychologists to capture and keep your child's attention2. Anonymous communication - Strangers having access to your child without accountabilityEvery dangerous platform has one or both of these. Every safer platform has neither or has strong protections against them.Once you understand these two dangers, you don't need to become a tech expert. You don't need to learn every new app. You can evaluate TikTok, Roblox, Snapchat, or whatever launches next month using the same framework.WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW:The skills you developed navigating the early internet - critical thinking, stranger danger awareness, healthy skepticism - those are still valuable. But they need to be updated for an internet that:- Never turns off- Studies your child to manipulate them- Connects them to millions of anonymous strangers- Makes money by keeping them addictedYou don't need to understand algorithms. You need to have ongoing conversations with your kids about these two dangers and why they matter.https://www.familyitguy.com/assets/downloads/safe-chat-conversation-starters.htmlKEY TAKEAWAY:Your parents' advice about internet safety was "don't talk to strangers online." That's still true. But today you also need to teach your kids about how platforms are designed to be addictive and why "free" apps are actually the most expensive - they cost attention, mental health, and safety.Keep your kids away from addictive algorithms and anonymous communication. Teach them why these dangers exist. That's 90% of online safety right there.

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 research showed the problem was NOT content ratings but comparison mechanics, infinite scroll, algorithmic feeds, and validation systems- September 2025: Four whistleblowers testify Meta systematically suppressed research, used vague language, and destroyed evidence about child solicitation- October 2023: 42 state attorneys general sue Meta for designing Instagram to addict children and deliberately misleading the public- 2025: Instagram announces content filtering—the only change that doesn't reduce engagement or revenueWhen a platform's revenue depends on maximizing user engagement, safety features that reduce engagement become business threats. Content filtering is the only change Instagram can make that doesn't impact their core business model—which is why it's the only change they're making, despite their own research showing it doesn't address the architectural features causing harm.

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 making informed decisions about your family's safety.I'm Ben Gillenwater, the Family IT Guy. I've spent 30 years in cybersecurity, including time at the NSA, and I'm also a dad navigating these same challenges. In this video, I break down what Roblox's new safety updates are and I explain the fundamental architecture problem that no update can solve.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:- Why user-generated content platforms are fundamentally incompatible with child safety- The missing feature that YouTube Kids has but Roblox refuses to implement- How free gaming platforms create conflicts between your child's safety and company revenue- Why Roblox partners with preschool brands despite being rated for ages 12+- What action you can take to protect not just your family but create broader changeRoblox's safety updates treat symptoms, not the core problem. The platform's architecture—millions of user-generated games combined with anonymous social features—is fundamentally incompatible with child safety. Understanding this helps you make better decisions not just about Roblox, but about any platform your children want to use.This isn't about being anti-technology. It's about understanding how these platforms are designed and whether that design aligns with your family's values and your children's developmental needs.GET MORE KIDS INTERNET SAFETY GUIDANCE:Subscribe for practical, parent-friendly guides on keeping kids safe onlineVisit FamilyITGuy.com for step-by-step instructions on parental controls across all major platformsSHARE WITH OTHER PARENTS:If this helped you understand the issues more clearly, share it with other parents in your community. The more families understand these patterns, the more pressure we can put on platforms to prioritize safety over engagement.

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 emotional and physical risks. Officer Gomez shares what he's seeing with cell phone addiction and practical strategies that help families respond.Officer Gomez is a Deputy Sheriff 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 propositioned for sextortion. Kids offering sex for cell phone access. Teens arrested for crimes who prioritize saving their Snapchat streaks. Children whose ideal weekend is "locked in my room on social media all weekend long."This isn't just your child. This isn't your parenting. This is addiction by design.Officer Gomez provides the crisis response framework, family communication strategies, and preventive measures that help families regain control and restore connection.IN THIS CONVERSATION:The Addiction Truth: Cell phone addiction mirrors substance abuse patternsSextortion Reality: How boys with internet access become targetsCrisis Response Protocol: Steps to take when you discover sextortion, inappropriate content, or concerning behaviorThe Tribal Council Method: How to respond as a family team instead of treating your child as "broken"Age 16 Recommendation: Waiting to give smartphones mattersSchool Chromebook Reality: "You can have cell phones or education, not both"The Off-Grid Family: Real example of kids thriving without technology—dirty, adventurous, and genuinely happyTwo-Hour Rule: Realistic screen time management with monitoring strategiesMental Health Conversation: Why everyone needs supportNational Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-THE-LOSTCONNECT WITH OFFICER GOMEZ:https://www.facebook.com/deputygomez/abouthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXkte-5lPIcRHLvvEtYOB2AThis conversation covers difficult topics including sextortion, addiction, and mental health. It's designed to empower parents with practical knowledge and tools. Officer Gomez speaks with both professional authority and parental humility—he's been through these challenges as both a law enforcement officer and a dad.Share this if you know parents navigating digital safety concerns.Subscribe for more conversations on digital safety, parenting in the tech age, and practical solutions from experts working with families.

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 features using other users' content and likenesses- Self-reported age verification with zero actual verificationFrom a security standpoint, this combines addictive algorithm design with anonymous communication channels—the two highest-risk factors for young people online.OpenAI is projected to lose $8 billion in 2024. They won't be profitable until 2029. When a company hemorrhaging money gives away cutting-edge technology cheaply and adds social features, ask: What (or who) is the actual product?Answer: User data. Every video created, every prompt typed, every interaction feeds their AI training models. In Sora's case, that includes children's faces, voices, creative patterns, and behavioral data.Kids should not be early adopters of AI technologies. These companies are experimenting with business models, and your kid's data is part of that experiment.If your children use AI at all, it should be supervised 100% of the time. You should know:- What they're creating or consuming- Who they're interacting with- What data is being collected- How that data will be used