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The PYE Download: February 23, 2026
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Hello! Every few weeks, we share the latest digital news that impacts your family, update you on what the Protect Young Eyes team is up to, and end with a quick 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:
- Over a dozen countries consider social media age limits (WSJ). Australia took a chance in December, and now their idea is going "viral" in Asian and European countries. Our take? As usual, the headlines are getting it wrong. It's a ban on companies accessing kids, not the other way around. Let's keep it going!
- Lego will release Smart Bricks in March (WIRED). They look epic, especially because they're starting with Star Wars. Our take? Will they honor privacy? Is this too much tech for childhood, or just where we are now? We'll see.
- The White House is attacking AI child safety bills (Axios). David Sacks’ team has been privately trying to kill HB 286, a Utah bill that covers child safety and catastrophic risks. Our take? This is a really bad look. DC is siding with business, instead of families.
- Mark Zuckerberg testified in historic social media case. (NY Times). Similar to Instagram's CEO last week, Zuckerberg deflected questions about addiction, saying there's not enough evidence. Our take? Forcing him to testify under oath before jurors is monumental for parent survivors. This is how change begins.
- Are RING cameras a privacy concern? (NY Times) A creepy Super Bowl ad triggered surveillance concerns, even if it's about finding lost puppies. Our take? If Google Nest could recover footage from Nancy Guthrie's camera, then it's hard to trust them.
- Nicki Petrossi is America's Digital Safety Reporter (Fox News). During the landmark social media trial, Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death has been on the ground non-stop, giving us real-time updates. We are so thankful for her sacrifice.
- The risks of AI in education outweigh the benefits (Brookings). A sweeping study found that using AI in education can "undermine children's foundational development" and that "the damages it has already caused are daunting," though "fixable." Our take? It's time to hit the pause button on much of the tech in the classroom.
What PYE is up to:
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Featured in San Salvador's newspaper!
Academia Británica Cuscatleca is an amazing international school where I spoke to staff, parents, and >1000 students. They are aggressively considering best practices, including bell-to-bell phone-free, soon! What a beautiful country, people, and culture.
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Testifying for App Store accountability.
The App Store Accountability Act protects parental rights, protects kids from harmful contracts, and forces accurate App Store disclosures. I'm proud to testify in support of this bill, created by the Digital Childhood Alliance.
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Educators learn our best practices.
In 2026, schools from California to Missouri to Central America have learned our 6 tech standards. Does your school need updated AI policies? We can help! It's time to roll back EdTech in learning!
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Upcoming speaking:
(PYE Master Calendar)
- Feb. 23, Hope Unexpected, MI
- Feb. 23, Calhoun Christian, MI (parents, students)
- Feb. 24-25, Savannah Christian Prep, GA (parents, students)
- Feb. 25, Woodlawn Church, MS (parents, students)
- Feb. 25, North River Church of Christ, GA (moms)
- Feb. 27, Missouri Lutheran High Schools PD (educators)
- Mar. 1, Dutton United Reformed, MI (students)
- Mar. 1-2, Mission Hills Church, CO (moms, virtual)
- Mar. 2-3, St. Thomas More, LA (parents, students)
- Mar. 8-9, Oakdale School, OK (parents, students)
- Mar. 9, All Saints Academy, MI (parents, students)
- Mar. 10, Queen of Peace School, FL (parents)
- Mar. 10-11, Thunder Ridge School, KS (parents, students)
- Mar. 16, Jackson Catholic Schools, MI (parents)
- Mar. 19, St. Ann's Catholic, TX (parents)
Email Michele to bring us to your community! These Facebook and Instagram posts explain our talk titles! We it.
A note from Chris:
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in the most significant social media trial to date. In the words of former Meta executive turned whistleblower, Kelly Stonelake:
"This trial is different from every previous legal challenge to Big Tech because it does not focus on content. It targets the product design itself — the algorithms, the infinite scroll, the notification systems, the engagement loops deliberately built to maximize time on the platform, regardless of the cost to users. For the first time, these companies cannot hide behind Section 230 immunity."
Section 230 is the 1996 provision that tech companies use to deflect accountability.
More from Kelly in her Substack post (emphasis mine):
"This trial is a watershed moment. For the first time, a jury of ordinary people will examine whether tech companies deliberately engineered addiction into products they knew were being used by children — and whether there are real consequences for that. The Ford Pinto case changed automotive safety. The tobacco settlements changed public health policy. This trial has the same potential to change what’s acceptable in tech."
Last week, I met with our digital coaching community for parents, where I expressed the challenge of battling multiple Goliaths - Apple, Snap, Google, Meta, and TikTok. But this trial and the brave parents are giving us all hope that a tipping point favoring families might be close.
Parenting with you,
Chris & PYE
#delayistheway
P.S. School and ministry leaders - a new feature! If you want to share this newsletter with your parents, please share this direct link.
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