The PYE Download: November 12, 2026

Hello! Once a month, we download the digital news that impacts your family, update you on what the Protect Young Eyes team is up to, and end with a note from Chris.

We hope our research helps you feel informed and confident, and that our work with schools, churches, and non-profits is motivating.

Thank you for reading this!

The latest news:

🤖 Google will turn off search if schools block AI. Google is strong-arming schools into keeping Gemini AI "on." If your school uses Google Classroom or Chromebooks, this affects you. Our take? It has never been about learning. Just student data. Tech companies need our kids. Find resources for talking to your school here.

📣 Grand Theft Auto VI is 1 week away. With over 8 million copies already sold, kids will be talking about this. Our take? It's difficult to convey how graphic, mature, and inappropriate this game is for minors. Zero kids should be playing it.

😠 A girl planned suicide using Gemini & a school Chromebook. The school's monitoring didn't catch it for weeks. It was almost too late. Our take? Chatbots like ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, and Gemini should be used only with supervision. They're still unsafe.

🧸 An AI teddy made an unprompted "killing" statement. A toy marketed as "perfect" for children said, "I can't help with killing you" after seemingly mishearing a question. Our take? There are next to zero uses of AI in elementary and middle school that outweigh the risks.

🔥 New York passed the strictest law protecting kids from AI companions. The law restricts AI-powered chatbot features for users under 18, prohibiting simulated human emotions, romantic relationships, and harmful content. Our take? Bravo, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Regarding safer digital spaces, you are leading well.

What PYE is up to:

Grandparents are Concerned Grandparents are dominating the audience in our recent parent presentations. They're unsettled about the current state of technology and the future their grandchildren will inherit. Give them something to read!

School Consulting Did you know I spent a decade in business consulting at EY? Now, I'm applying that experience at schools that want better tech policies, less classroom tech, stronger parent support, and more. Would this help your school? I LOVE IT. Inquire with Michele

Taco Bell Training! I delivered two employee education sessions for Yum! Brands. First, about wrapping our homes in layers of protection. Second, about protecting parents from scams in the AI age. Would your company benefit from employee training? Learn About Our Webinars

An Honest Porn Talk I'm not shy about talking about pornography. I shared my testimony of recovery and redemption during a recent webinar with Pencils Over Pixels. It's time to rob porn's power by speaking openly and honestly! 10 Before 10 Porn Talks

Upcoming speaking:

My speaking team is busy! The PYE Master Calendar:

• Nov. 15, First Baptist Church, TX
• Nov. 16-17, St. Francis of Assisi, AZ
• Nov. 21, First UMC of Northville, MI
• Nov. 23-24, Northern IN Non-Public Schools Conference
• Dec. 2, Ignacio School District, CA
• Dec. 3-4, Orange County Classical Academy, CA
• Dec. 8, Wayland Public Schools, MI
• Dec. 9, Ionia Public Schools, MI

​Email Michele to bring us to your community!

A note from Chris:

Author Brené Brown said, "Attention is such an undervalued expression of love."

A 2024 JAMA study found that when a parent’s use of digital technology interrupts interactions between them and their children, it can result in higher levels of anxiety among the children. 😳
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“In early childhood, parental technoference is associated with decreases in parent-child engagement, reduced ability to notice and attend to children’s needs, less frequent and lower-quality joint play and conversational turns, and more negative responses to children’s behavior.”
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​Not shame or guilt for using tech around our kids! Just more awareness. A good reminder for all of us, straight from The 5 Habits, as we hang out together more during an amazing holiday season.

Parenting with you!
​Chris & PYE​
#delayistheway

P.S. School and ministry leaders! If you want to share this newsletter with your parents, please use this direct link in your own newsletter, app, or social media!

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