Power of Zero: Online safety skills from day one

In this episode of Doing Tech Right, Larry  talks with Nicholas Carlisle, CEO of Power of Zero, about childhood moving online and the rapid spread of AI as a transformative “general purpose technology.”Carlisle explains the origin of Power of Zero’s name and its focus on helping children use technology responsibly with “zero violence and zero bullying” from an early age. They discuss very young children’s screen exposure, World Health Organization guidance on limiting screen time for ages 2–5, and the importance of avoiding displacement of face time and physical play.The conversation also covers the harms of passive scrolling, online harassment—especially targeting young women.Carlisle outlines Power of Zero’s education-first approach, including its Superpowers Program teaching 12 character strengths for kindergarten through third grade.00:00 Welcome to Doing Tech Right00:29 Meet Nicholas Carlisle01:04 Childhood Goes Online02:03 AI as a Mega Shift03:55 Why Power of Zero05:24 Screens and Tiny Kids08:04 Healthy Screen Balance10:25 Passive vs Active Online13:48 Harassment and Deepfakes15:57 Education Over Regulation17:37 Programs Around the World19:10 Preparing Kids for AI21:21 Guardrails and Resilience22:50 Wrap Up and Credits