1 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the Happy Families podcast. Start of 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: another week, and today it's a big one. It's an 3 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: absolute cracker. In fact, Roadblocks is a pedophile healthscape. That's 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: what I said on Parnal Guidance when we discussed the 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: platform on National TV last year, and it caused a stir. 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: As you know if you've been listening to the podcast 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: for a while, I've been agitating against Roadblocks and a 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: bunch of other big tech platforms for years. I'm an 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: equal opportunity aggressor. If you're big tech, I pretty much 10 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: don't like you because you're exploitative and you're not looking 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: after the kids anyway. Roadblocks poor Parnal controls anyone gaining 12 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: access to kids content that's extreme in violence and astonishingly sexual. 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: Then there's the bullying, the allegations of sexual exploitation, the traffic, 14 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: and a range of other I'm going to call them 15 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: extreme concerns that make me absolutely anti Roadblocks, even if 16 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: you are monitoring your child on the platform. So I 17 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: was surprised to receive a call from Roadblocks last week. 18 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: It was an invitation a one on one meeting with 19 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: CEO and co founder of Roadblocks, David Bazouki. Today we 20 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: unpack what happened in that meeting on the Happy Families podcast. 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: I think you're going to be very interested in how 22 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: it all went down. Stay with us. 23 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 2: It's a platform millions of kids use every day. No 24 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: Roadblocks is a massive online universe with seemingly endless numbers 25 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: of mini. 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: This morning, Florida's Attorney General is issuing criminal subpoenas against 27 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: rule Blocks, the popular online gaming company, citing alleged abuse 28 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: of children by online predators. 29 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 3: Wherever kids are, predators will be so kids like being. 30 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 4: A twenty seven year old man's facing almost six hundred 31 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 4: chargers accused of creating fake profiles to groom children online 32 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 4: across multiple social media and gaming platforms, including Roadblocks. 33 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: Coday, Welcome to the Happy Families podcast, where you get 34 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: real parenting solutions every single day. It's Australia's most downloaded 35 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: parenting podcast and we have got the the spill today 36 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: Coylie and missus Haavy Families joins me for a conversation 37 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: about what went down in the very informal meeting room 38 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: at south Bank's Emporium Hotel, South Brisbane last week when 39 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: I sat down with co founder CEO of Roadblocks, David Bazouki, Kylie, 40 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: what would you ask the CEO of Roadblocks? If you've 41 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: got to have a one on one just you and 42 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: the CEO. 43 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 3: You're asking the wrong person. I'm not interested in meeting them. 44 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: I didn't have a lot of days to think about it. 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: But once I got the invite, I thought what I 46 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: actually say here? 47 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 2: Like? 48 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: Do I tell him what I really think? Why are 49 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: they invited me? It was a pretty interesting get together. 50 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: Let's talk about it. 51 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 3: Well. I actually had forgot that big mic drop moment 52 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 3: from parental guidance, and. 53 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: It was big. 54 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 3: Yeah. I wouldn't have gone on miss, that's for sure. 55 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: The most popular online gaming platform for young children is 56 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: a pedophile healthcape. 57 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: No way, what is it? 58 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: This is a place where tens of millions of children are, 59 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,839 Speaker 1: and when there are that many children there, there will 60 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: be people who have motivations for those children that are 61 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: not consistent with what our motivations are as parents, Which 62 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: means that if parents are willing to allow their children 63 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: into that space, they have to be across what the 64 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: game is. Yeah, and don't let them play in their bedrooms. 65 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: So let's just set the stage here, there were some 66 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: informal rules. I was told that I was allowed to 67 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: make some basic notes and jut some stuff down, but 68 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: no quotes allowed. I've skirted that real a little bit, 69 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: just with a couple of words, but basically no quotes allowed. 70 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: I wasn't allowed to tell anybody that who was in 71 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: the country until he had left the country because they 72 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: didn't want to be inundated with media interview requests. And 73 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: who knows what else might have happened. And I was 74 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: told I had thirty minutes. So to put this into context, 75 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: David Bazooki is a busy guy, and he doesn't need 76 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: to be talking to people like me. He's worth. He's 77 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: worth at least five billion dollars. I don't know about you, 78 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: but that's more than I'm worth. 79 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 3: That's really five billion dollars, and he's put done two 80 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 3: a percentage my net worth as percentage of his. 81 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: I don't think that we've even got a number that small. 82 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: And he was here to meet with some very high 83 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: powered people, including people in the political landscape. That's as 84 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: much as I know. Getting time with him though, and 85 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: his chief of civility and his head technical safety guy. 86 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: I need to say at the outset, it was a 87 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: generous offer and it was a legitimately big deal. 88 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 3: I watched you over the days leading up to this, 89 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 3: and there was this kind of internal battle in me 90 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: whether you really wanted to go and spend time with him, 91 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 3: knowing for well that there were so many other things 92 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 3: you could be doing with. 93 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: Your time much more productive. 94 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 3: But also recognizing this is kind of for once in 95 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 3: a lifetime opportunity to sit in front of somebody and 96 00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 3: actually have the platform to articulate to the powers that 97 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 3: be the concerns of parents around. 98 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: I say once in a lifetime, But at the end 99 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 1: of this podcast we may find out that it really was. 100 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: There may never be another limitation again. But You're right, 101 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: there was a tension, And I'll tell you why the 102 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: tension was there, because I actually don't want to meet 103 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: David Buzuki. I'm not interested in meeting big tech founders, 104 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: not that I don't want to have my opinions of 105 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: them shattered. I already know who they're going to be 106 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 1: and what they're going to be like, right, I mean, 107 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: if you are the CEO of a tech firm whose 108 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: business model harms children at scale globally, I'm not really 109 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: that interested in what your vision is for how the 110 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: platform is going to change the world or give parents 111 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: the secure knowledge that it really is safe. And I 112 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: also know what to expect. If you are the CEO 113 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: of a listed company on the biggest stock exchange in 114 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: the world, and your company is worth billions of dollars, 115 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: you are going to be a charismatic and intelligent and 116 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 1: well spoken person who knows how to show up for 117 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: people like me when I'm in the room and I 118 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: have the opportunity to ask questions, so I expect to 119 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: somebody who was going to be considered and respectful and knowledgeable. 120 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: And I was right on all accounts, but obviously I 121 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: had this tension there. As you've rightly pointed out. 122 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 3: I'm really interested in the chief of civility's role. 123 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: I know, but that's really the role. I am the 124 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: chief of civility. I'm here to make sure that people 125 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: are civil on roadblocks. I'd fire somebody who was a 126 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: chief of civility if the in civil, uncivil non civil 127 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: behavior that happens on roadblocks was happening under. 128 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 3: My watch, So that they are in charge of civility 129 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 3: on the platform, right, I thought they were in charge 130 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 3: of the civility of the. 131 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: Conversations that these you're the best. No no, no civility 132 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: for Roadblocks. 133 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 3: She was there to mass such the conversation when it 134 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 3: got a bit too heated. 135 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: Well it did. But here's the thing. The other reason 136 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: that I had some tension around the conversation was because 137 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: I also knew that nothing that I said was going 138 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: to meaningfully impact how Roadblocks operates. But they came to me. 139 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 1: I didn't go to them. I didn't know that he 140 00:06:58,720 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: was going to be in the country. They came to 141 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: me and they said, we really want to hear what's 142 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: happening on the ground. We want to know what parents 143 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: are worried about, and we want to know what we 144 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: can do to help. Literally, one of the people in 145 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: the room asked me, what can we do to help 146 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: parents and to educate parents. 147 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 3: The critic in me wants to suggest that this was 148 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 3: a bit of a PR stunt, and yet, yeah, it 149 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 3: wasn't because it's not going anywhere, right, there's no publicity 150 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 3: about this meeting. 151 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: That's right. 152 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 3: They're not going to be sharing anything their end. 153 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: But they don't need to, because when you bring people 154 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: like me into the room. It's like saying, hey, why 155 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: don't we sit down and just have a drink. Let's 156 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: have a chat about things. Because when you get to 157 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: see how reasonable everybody is, and you get to see 158 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: them face to face, it does soften hards, it does 159 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: soften attitudes. 160 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 3: It's a nice guy. 161 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: He's not just a nice guy. He's a delightful guy. 162 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,119 Speaker 1: He's charming, he's likable. I will say he's defensive because 163 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: when I brought a couple of things up, and I did, 164 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: really I could have been a lot more forthright, but 165 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: I certainly didn't hold back. Tammy Bummick, who is the 166 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: VP of civility, that is the role VP of civility. 167 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: She was, as you said, the one who smoothed things over. 168 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: I've also got to highlight Matt Kaufman, the head of safety. Reassuring, 169 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: very reassuring and technical. I mean, I walked out and well, 170 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: I'll tell you about take homes in a sec. Here's 171 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: what I just have to say. I'm going to call 172 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: him Dave because that's what he told me to call him, Dave, 173 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: not David Dave Pazuki. Dave started off with a little 174 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: bit of a lecture about where it Roadblocks was like, 175 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: I didn't know the platform. So I helped him to 176 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: know that I didn't know it, and then we moved on, 177 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 1: and then he said, just one thing that I want 178 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: to highlight. He said, I know the platform is not perfect, 179 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: and we're working on that, but we've got all these 180 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: recent safety improvements. I jumped in and said they're not adequate, 181 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: and I told him why. And then he said, and 182 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 1: this is the only thing that I'm quoting from the 183 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: whole conversation, he said that their safety focus is too 184 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: and I quote designed for the absentee parent. Roadblocks is 185 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 1: being designed for the absentee parent. In other words, that 186 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: is designing it in such a way that children can 187 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 1: play it unsupervised because they know that many parents are 188 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: not supervising their children on the platform. 189 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 3: So here in line is the actual problem. It's not 190 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 3: that a platform exists, it's that so many of our 191 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 3: children are actually on the platform unsupervised. 192 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to argue against that the platform is problematic. 193 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 3: Of course it is, and it shouldn't be. It's not 194 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 3: their role to parent my child. 195 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: No, but it is their role if they're providing a 196 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 1: product for children, to make sure that it's safe for children. 197 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 3: Not a product for children. 198 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: Well, it absolutely is. I mean, they have one hundred 199 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: and fifty million daily users. 200 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 3: But it is not a product that has been designed 201 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 3: for children. 202 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: No, it actually has more than forty million of those 203 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: sometimes as many as sixty to seventy million users per 204 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: day are under the age of fourteen. 205 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 3: You're misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. I'm trying to 206 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 3: say that this has not been designed with the best 207 00:09:57,960 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 3: interests of children in mind. 208 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: But it is a children's platform and it has been 209 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: designed as one. It's just that it's been hijacked. And 210 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 1: because we talked about this last week section two hundred 211 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: and thirty of the United States Law Code, whatever it is. 212 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: I'm not a lawyer. They are not responsible for what 213 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: happens on the platform because the users are responsible for it. 214 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: But of course there are all sorts of challenges around that. 215 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: But again, I just want to come back to this 216 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: idea that if they're designing fro an absentee parent, they're failing. 217 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: They're failing dramatically, They're failing absolutely, and they wanted to 218 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: talk about that failure, and they wanted to talk about 219 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: how they can improve things. So after the break, I 220 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: want to share with you what I said that changed 221 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: the temperature in the room. Stay with us, We're back. 222 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: This is The Happy Family's podcast my meeting with David 223 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: Bozuki and a couple of his key staff members one 224 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: on one thirty minutes in Brisbane last week. I'm allowed 225 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:52,719 Speaker 1: to talk about it now that he's gone back to 226 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: the United States, no doubt. I don't know. I'm speculating, 227 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,599 Speaker 1: but I presume that somebody worth five billion dollars is 228 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: probably flying on their own plan. I don't think that 229 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: he jumped on a local aeroplane. He's jumped on the 230 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: plane and gone home. Kylie. I said something that really 231 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 1: changed the temperature in the room. He talked about how 232 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: Roadblocks is being held to a higher standard than other 233 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: platforms because it's such a big platform. And I said, 234 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: absolutely and appropriately, and your standards are too low. You're 235 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: saying it's being held to a higher standard. It's not 236 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: high enough, and your standards too low. And then I 237 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: raised the approximate one hundred and fifteen lawsuits that are 238 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:27,960 Speaker 1: currently in the courts against Roadblocks because their standards are 239 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 1: not high enough. And I've pointed out that there's a 240 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: Brisbane man in court this month facing five hundred and 241 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: twenty nine charges, many of which are related to his 242 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: alleged sexually exploitive conduct on roadblocks. And that's when it 243 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,679 Speaker 1: got really awkward, and Dave jumped in and was very, 244 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: very defensive. He said, well, we can't know it's on roadblocks. 245 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: We haven't seen the police forensic report. We can't say 246 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 1: anything about that. We need to be very careful here, 247 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: although everything that I've read about it indicates that the 248 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: police forensic report has indicated that that's where it happened. 249 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: And that's when things were sort of smoothed over by 250 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: Tammy and by Matt who offered that reassurance about their 251 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: continual and ongoing safety improvements. But Honey, I couldn't shake 252 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: this for this feeling this You talked about the tension 253 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: that I felt. This platform, like so many others, probably 254 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 1: most of the others, will continue to prioritize engagement and growth, 255 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: that is, children's addiction and their compulsive use, even when 256 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: it costs them over safety. And if new safety policies 257 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: and protocols genuinely risk reducing user numbers, I don't think 258 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: they'll implement them. In spite of the fact that they 259 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: looked into my eyes and told me how much they care, 260 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: and I really believe it, Like they are sincere people, 261 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: and they are smart people, and they already know this stuff. 262 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: But if they know this stuff, why aren't they doing it? 263 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: And this is the whole thing, right Like people say, oh, 264 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: but they said this, and they said that, And my 265 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:55,839 Speaker 1: whole thing is, I don't care what people say. I 266 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: call what people do. And right now, you're not doing it. 267 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: You're not doing it, You're not protecting our kids. 268 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 3: That's my frustration, I guess at the core of this though, 269 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 3: they're not the first people to be found in this position, 270 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 3: and they won't be the last. No, we are going 271 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 3: to constantly be pushing against the grain when we stand 272 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 3: up and hold people accountable for their poor behavior or 273 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 3: conduct in relation to our children's safety. 274 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, Kylie, when I left that meeting, they probably looked 275 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: at each other and thought, oh, my goodness, we've got 276 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: better things to do with our time than sit down 277 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: and talk to this guy. But for whatever reason, they 278 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 1: chose me, they wanted me in the room, they wanted 279 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: to have the conversation. And I still stand by the 280 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: fact that number one. I really believe they're sincere people. 281 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: They are very, very smart people, and it was a 282 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: privilege to receive the invitation. It was good for my ego, 283 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: I thought, very important, right, Like, how many people get 284 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: to get an invitation like that with such limited time 285 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: while he's here, so great for my ego. There's my 286 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: big head. Scratch my ear in another suburb if you 287 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 1: need to, because my head's gotten that big. But more 288 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: than that, as you've said, saying yes was not about 289 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: my ego. I said yes because parents deserve to know 290 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: what these platforms are doing and what they're not doing 291 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: to protect kids. I said yes because transparency matters. I 292 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: said yes because I felt compelled to be there to 293 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 1: say uncomfortable things directly to the people in charge, even 294 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: if it doesn't change anything, at least in the short term. 295 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: So that's kind of that's what happened. 296 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 3: So this is a podcast where we actually promise solutions. 297 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 3: We've got lots and lots of talking and you've shared 298 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 3: a lot about this experience. But what does this actually 299 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 3: mean for parents? How can we help parents if they 300 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 3: have children who are already on the platform. 301 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: And yeah, the toothplace out of the tube. 302 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 3: They're kind of feeling like it's too late, it's all 303 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: doom and gloom. 304 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: It happened a couple of weeks ago. I was at 305 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 1: a presentation. I mentioned something about roadblocks, and a parent 306 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: put up the hand and they're like, well, now, I 307 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: just feel like a bad parent because you've told me 308 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: that it's a terrible place for my kids. And I 309 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: let my kids plan all the time, so and I 310 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: don't want to make parents feel awful about things. This 311 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: is not the purpose of why I say what I say. 312 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: It's try to be genuinely trying to be helpful. My 313 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: top five tips, and I can rattle them off really 314 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: fast because I'm always going through this. Number One, You've 315 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: got to talk to you kids about what they're experiencing online. 316 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: You need to know what they're doing, who they're talking to, 317 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: Ask them if anything weird happen, ask them if anyone's 318 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: been mean to them or to their friends. Just ask 319 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: them what they're witnessing and seeing. That's the first one 320 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: second thing. Parental controls are important. Don't rely on them 321 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: because they are inadequate, but they are better than nothing. 322 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: You've just got to make sure you jump in and 323 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: check those settings regularly, so if your kids are on 324 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: these platforms, just jump in and check the parenal controls. 325 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: The third thing I'd say is use the platform with 326 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: your kids. Play with your children, and it won't take 327 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: you very long to learn. They're pretty simple platforms to use, 328 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: and once you see what the kids are doing, you're 329 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: going to have much more constructive conversations. You might even 330 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: enjoy it and see the benefits that can come from it. 331 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: And you can keep your kids safer. Limits and boundaries, 332 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: so no phones and screens and bedrooms and bathrooms or 333 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: during family time or at the table. And lastly, trust 334 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: your instincts, like as a parent, if something feels off 335 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: about your child or about the platform, then there's a 336 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: good chance it is. And I say this to parents 337 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: consistently at my parent nights when I'm giving talks around 338 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: the country. You don't need my permission to say no. 339 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: You can say no without checking in with the parenting 340 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: expert first. It's acceptable, it's allwable. You can say no, 341 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: but remember that how you say it is just as 342 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: important as that you say it. 343 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 3: I think the struggle that I have as a parent 344 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 3: is backing myself up. Yeah, you know, you have these 345 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 3: you have these impressions, you have these feelings, and you 346 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 3: kind of think, but I'm going so counter to what 347 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 3: everybody else is doing, and it's really nice and reassuring 348 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 3: to have somebody else go. Yeah. 349 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: But so that was my meeting with the CEO of Roadblocks, 350 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: David Bozouki, and a couple of his key stuff on 351 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: my website, on happy Families dot com, DOTU and also 352 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: on Facebook. I've shared eleven priorities that I think Roadblocks 353 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: should have to keep kids safe. I got through a 354 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: few of those items in the meeting, but eleven was 355 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: too many. We only had thirty minutes, and there was 356 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: a lot of other stuff that came up as well. 357 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: But if Ropeblocks or any other platforms actually do want 358 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: to work with me constructively rather than having a thirty 359 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 1: minute one on one which has that sense of can 360 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: we just be buddies and Quim be nice to each 361 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: other and understand each other a bit better, I'm really 362 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: interested in showing up for meetings that are constructive and productive, 363 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: and I would love to be invited again. But not 364 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: holding my breath. If you'd like to see more information 365 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: about what happened in that meeting. Check out Happy families 366 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 1: dot com dot you'll go to the Facebook page doctor 367 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: Justin Colson's Happy Families. The Happy Families Podcast is produced 368 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: by Justin Rulon from Bridge Media. Mim Hammond's provides our 369 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: additional admin and other support. Tomorrow on the pod, we 370 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: get stuck into a conversation about dishonors kids. We're going 371 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: to talk about homework this week, adolescence, personality changes. So 372 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: much more to come all this week on the Happy 373 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: Families Podcast. If you're enjoying the pod, please like it, 374 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: share it, rate it, review it, and help others to 375 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 1: find out about it so that they can make their 376 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: families happier as well.