Why Your Teen’s Brain Can’t Outrun the Algorithm

Episode 48

Jill explores one of the most urgent parenting challenges of our time: the dangers hidden inside our kids’ devices. From algorithm-driven eating disorders to sextortion scams run like global businesses, today’s threats don’t hide outside the house; they live inside apps, platforms, and anonymous accounts. Inspired by the podcast Left to Their Own Devices, Jill shares four essential insights every parent needs to understand, plus why talking about these uncomfortable realities is now part of true death readiness.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Our Kids Are Growing Up in a Completely Different World

Today’s kids carry danger in their pockets: algorithms designed to addict, track, shape, and trap.
Teen brains are still developing; they can’t self-regulate the way adults can.

Sextortion Has Become a Multi-Million-Dollar Industry

Sextortion is sexual extortion; predators obtain a nude image and weaponize it.
Organized cybercriminal networks (including the “Yahoo Boys”) specifically target teen boys.
Sextortion cases have surged 18,000% in two years.
Snapchat receives 10,000 sextortion reports every month.
The responsibility isn’t on kids to outsmart scammers; it’s on us to talk to them early and often.

Algorithms Are Not Neutral

Algorithms detect hesitation, scrolling patterns, zooms, and replays—then feed more of what hurts.
They’re designed to maximize profit, not protect mental health.
A teen’s developing prefrontal cortex is no match for a machine built to keep them hooked.
“Outrunning” the algorithm isn’t a fair fight; it moves faster than teen impulse control can.

Death readiness means facing uncomfortable truths.

It’s not just documents. It’s talking about the hard things before a crisis hits.
It’s about protecting our kids in a world very different from the one we grew up in.
Because silence is far more dangerous than another awkward conversation with your teen.

Resources & Links

Left to Their Own Devices Podcast hosted by Ava Smithing. A powerful, honest exploration of what teens face in today’s digital world. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/left-to-their-own-devices/id1840912030

Connect with Jill:

Website: DeathReadiness.com
Email: jill@deathreadiness.com
Learn more about Jill’s solutions
Subscribe to the Death Readiness Dispatch!
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Published on 1 week, 5 days ago

Podcast Episode Details

Why Your Teen’s Brain Can’t Outrun the Algorithm