Email from Enough Is Enough #ProtectKidsOnline   PODCAST RELEASE: From Algorithms to AI Chat Bots: A Youth's Perspective WATCH THE PODCAST HERE In this episode of "Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes"-- Donna is joined by Ava Smithing, Advocacy Director at The Young People's Alliance to examine how social media algorithms expose kids and teens to harmful content. Ava reveals how algorithms on Pinterest and Instagram fueled her social media feeds—and ultimately her struggle with a devastating eating disorder. Watch a Preview of the Podcast: ... there must have been a certain amount of information that Pinterest knew upfront ... I started to receive advertisements about bikinis ... and because I was spending a lot of time looking at the bikini advertisements, they decided that the best option to keep my engagement was to show me more of those bikini advertisements... ...My algorithm started showing me more of this eating disorder content. I went down the rabbit hole because this content was very engaging ... it led me to many, many years spent with an eating disorder..." --Ava Smithing, Advocacy Director, Young People's Alliance Ava and Donna also discuss AI chat bots and the tragic suicide of 16-year-old Adam Raine who his parents report was influenced by an AI companion on ChatGPT, claiming it acted as a 'suicide coach.' Ava highlights the need for open parent-child communication and warns of the unregulated dangers AI companions pose to youth. By the Numbers: According to Common Sense Media (July 2025), about one in three teens: Have used AI companions for social interaction and relationships, including role-playing, romantic interactions, emotional support, friendship, or conversation practice. Find conversations with AI companions to be as satisfying or more satisfying than those with real-life friends. Update: A week after OpenAI was hit with a wrongful death lawsuit, they announced safety features to help protect teens using ChatGPT: OpenAI is introducing parental controls to ChatGPT Parents will be able to link accounts, set feature restrictions, and receive alerts if their teen shows signs of emotional distress Sensitive ChatGPT conversations will also be routed through more cautious models trained to respond to people in crisis Download AI Assistant Guide 'Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes' is available on our podcast page or your preferred platform. Hosted by Donna Rice Hughes, President and CEO of Enough Is Enough®, this podcast provides parents and guardians with up-to-date information, tips, and expert insights on topics like online predators, sex trafficking, pornography, social media, online gaming, Big Tech accountability, and child protection legislation." *** If you enjoyed today’s episode, please take a moment to give us a high rating wherever you access podcasts! DONATE HERE! FUND THE FIGHT Please remember to share this information with your family and friends using the social icons here! Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Enough.org InternetSafety101.org We Can't Keep Children & Families Safe Online Without You!   Enough Is Enough® is a national non-partisan, non-profit organization who has led the fight to make the Internet safer for children and families since 1994. EIE's efforts are focused on combating internet p*rnography, child sexual abuse material, sexual predation, sex trafficking and cyberbullying by incorporating a four-pronged prevention strategy with shared responsibilities between the public, corporate America, government and faith community. STAY CONNECTED   Enough Is Enough | PO Box 1532 | Great Falls, VA 22066 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice