August 1, 2025 • 30 mins
📱 Parenting in the Age of Social Media
One of the top concerns for parents today is managing kids' screen time and navigating the risks of social media. Manny talks with Dr. Kara Alaimo, associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and author of “Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Women and Girls — And How We Can Take It Back,” about how platforms are affecting young people — especially girls — and what we can do about it.
🧠Advances in Alzheimer’s Research
Some of today’s most promising medical breakthroughs are being made in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Manny also speaks with Dr. Doris Molina-Henry, Assistant Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, about her ongoing study and why participation in research is critical to finding a cure.
One of the top concerns for parents today is managing kids' screen time and navigating the risks of social media. Manny talks with Dr. Kara Alaimo, associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University and author of “Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Women and Girls — And How We Can Take It Back,” about how platforms are affecting young people — especially girls — and what we can do about it.
🧠Advances in Alzheimer’s Research
Some of today’s most promising medical breakthroughs are being made in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Manny also speaks with Dr. Doris Molina-Henry, Assistant Professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, about her ongoing study and why participation in research is critical to finding a cure.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to iHeartRadio Communities, a public affairs special focusing on
the biggest issues in facting you.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
This week, Here's many Munio's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And welcome to another edition of iHeartRadio's Communities.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
As you heard, I am Manny Munyo's.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And I would love a follow from you on Instagram
at iod Manny is my handle at iodma ny. It's
one of the biggest concerns for parents raising kids in
the digital social media age. We're leaving in dealing with
screen time and the potential dangers that brings with it.
But new research finds many parents might be focused on
(00:41):
the wrong things. Let's discuss it all as we bring
in Doctor Cara Alaimo, a Sociate Professor of Communications at
Fairleigh Dickinson University. He most recent book is titled Over
the Influence, Why Social Media is toxic for women and
Girls and how we could take it back. Doctor Olemo,
I appreciate the time, my pleasure, So talk to me
(01:02):
about what is so different about raising kids today when
so many of them have phones or iPads and are
constantly connected.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh my goodness, how much time do you have? I
would say that you know, in past generations and even
when I was growing up, we learned to communicate face
to face and that's essential for our mental health. Research
shows that, you know, having friendships and getting together with
people in person is just as important for our long
(01:34):
term health as our diet and our exercise. And instead,
you see even when kids are together with their friends,
they're so engrossed in their phones instead of forming those
human connections. And then of course there's the predators and
all of the toxic content that they're exposed to online.
And we see so many kids getting addicted to social media.
(01:56):
It's really sad.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, a whole lot.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
To unpack there, and I guess, I guess the difference
is having access to you know, to the digital world,
whether it be on a phone or an iPad or something,
and the addictive use of them. And of course all
of these, especially the social media sides, the algorithms prey
on that and they become addictive.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
That's exactly right. I mean, social platforms are designed to
keep us hooked because the more time we spend on them,
of course, the more money that social networks can make
from showing us advertising. So that's the goal.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Where is the line between screen use high screen time
and maybe addictive use of these things.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Well, there was a really interesting study published last month
in jama, a journal of the American Medical Association, that
looked at addictiveness and social media use among youth. And
I asked the lead author for a piece that I
wrote for CNN about her study, You know, what do
we think of as active use? Since she told me
(03:01):
that addictive use is excessive use. It interferes with things
like home responsibilities, schoolwork, or other things. And it's basically
when kids, or really any of us find a craving
for it. And she said, can't stop using it.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
It's tough in this day and age, right, because you
hear about kids whose parents try to be tough keep
them away from these things and say, no, you don't
need a phone, You're not going to have a phone,
and the maybe abuse is the right word that those
kids experience because all their other friends do have them.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So where is the line that a parent should draw.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Well, I think it's really important for parents to hold
the line here. I think ultimately what we have in
this country is what John Hite calls the collective action problem.
I have been speaking to parents and students and teachers
across the country about how to handle kids' social media use.
And I have yet to meet a single parent who
(04:02):
is dying to have their kids on social media. The
reason that kids are on social media often so young,
it's because of pure pressure and parents fear that their
kids will lose out on opportunities if they don't give
them a phone. So this is really a matter of
parents talking to one another and collectively agreeing not to
(04:23):
allow their kids to have smartphones and social media. Really
until age sixteen, I think is the magic number.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
We're obviously seeing kids with not only social media but
phones much much much younger than that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's right, and there's really solid research out of the
UK that shows that there's two periods of time in
your life when using social media more is associated with
lower life satisfaction a year later. And one of those
times is when kids are going through puberty. And we
know that that's a difficult enough time without bringing in all
(05:00):
of the anxieties that come from social media and seeing
their friends get together at parties without them and feeling
like everyone else has a better body. So it's really
a great idea to keep kids off social media during
that time.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Difference between just allowing them to have a phone or
an iPad and you know, watching YouTube videos or something
like that, and having things like Snapchat or Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, I mean I'm a fan of so called dumb phones.
I think things like a watch or a flip phone
that kids can use to text are a good starting
point for younger kids. For tweens, I think they don't
belong on social media until age sixteen. And you know,
YouTube is tricky because a lot of parents have even
(05:48):
very young kids watching videos. Yes, and some of those
videos can be educational, but the problem is I know
with my own young daughters that that algorithm is quickly
you know, serving them up other videos that I definitely
don't want them watching because they know that it'll keep
them hooked. So, you know, the less time kids can
(06:09):
spend on YouTube, the better, for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
It's also there is there a difference between the development
and the mental health of kids who spend a lot
of time on the screens but maybe less time on
social media.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So, I mean the literature is very mixed. Overall. I
think the research shows that it can be healthy to
spend a moderate amount of time on social media. But
where we see trouble is where kids are spending an
excessive amount of time on social media. And this new
study that was published in jama in June is very
(06:45):
interesting because it looked at addictiveness. A lot of the
time parents are looking at how much time our kids
spend on social media, but this study actually found that
the amount of time that young kids spend on social
media and mobile phones and video games wasn't in and
of itself a predictor of bad mental health outcomes. The
(07:09):
predictor was whether kids were getting addicted, and so the
researchers really suggested that that's what we have to be
paying attention to, right. Are they unable to disconnect when
it's time for dinner or time to do their homework?
Are they using it excessively? And that's where the problems
seem to come.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
In a few more.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Minutes with doctor Kara Alaimo, Deputy chair and a social
professor of Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University, or most recent
book is titled Over the Influence, Why social Media is
toxic for women and Girls and how we could take
it back.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Let me look into that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Is it worse for women and girls social media use
than it.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Is for boys, I absolutely think it is. I don't
want to minimize the dangers and the pressures that anyone
faces on social media, but I do think that women
and girls face an additional set of challenges. So we
know that when girls start using social media, it's often,
(08:08):
you know, during a time of their lives where they're
already very fixated on their bodies. And you know, girls
go on visually oriented platforms like Instagram and see these
photos of the so called Instagram body, which actually, you know,
can typically only be achieved with surgery. It's not what
most people's human bodies look like. And then they, you know,
(08:32):
los off feeling less than right, feeling like they don't
have the right face or the right body. And then
of course there's all the predators that you know, pray
on girls and women online, and I think that men
face and boys face that danger, but to a lower degree.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Do you find that that boys generally are more attracted
to things like video games and mobile apps, where girls
are more in tune with the actual social media aspect
and influencers.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yeah, I think that's often the case. We know that
girls tend to prioritize social relationships more so that's where
they're spending more time on social media and these visually
oriented platforms. Boys can spend a lot of time on
video games. And while you know, researchers have mixed views
on this, I'm not a fan of spending an excessive
(09:23):
amount of time on video games. Certainly, the study, the
new study that I've been telling you about, did find
that excessive use of video games was associated with greater
risk of mental health problems later on if kids were
getting addicted to them. But I also think it's you know,
again what John Hype calls the opportunity costs. So you know,
if a boy is spending four or five hours a
(09:45):
day on video games, what else could he be doing
with that time? Right, probablyst some other really valuable things.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Well, and I see it with my kids and the
neighbor kids. If one of them, uh, twelve thirteen year
old specifically that I'm thinking of, has his phone, even
if they are outside playing basketball or football or something
like that. So often I look over and they're not playing,
They're sitting there on the phone, And that's what you
don't want them to be doing, especially if they're at outside.
(10:15):
Different addictative uses between boys and girls with the screens.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, So this latest study found that girls were more
likely to have high trajectories of addictive social media use,
boys were more likely to get addicted to video games,
which makes sense as we discussed, but totally agree. And
I think that problem of you know, the kids ostensibly
playing basketball, but one of them taking out their phones
is a big one for parents because what it means
(10:44):
is that, you know, even if I don't allow my
kids to be on social media or have a smartphone
at a particular age, if other kids do, they're being
exposed to it on the school bus or at playdates.
There's a lot that we can't control. And that's why,
in addition to making smart decisions about when we allow
our kids to use these platforms, we also have to
(11:04):
be having these conversations really young with kids about what
they might be exposed to on social media, even if
they don't have the platforms themselves, and how they should
handle it, and how they should react to it, and
when they should reach out to us for help.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Things like.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Oh my goodness, things like pornography, things like toxic content,
promoting eating disorders, things like predators or just other friendly
adults who they don't know who are trying to become
their friends on social media. All of the friendship drama
that happens on social media, including bullying or just the
(11:43):
feelings of exclusion and being left out, you know, potentially
really violent content. One of the things I write about
in my book Over the Influence is how, you know,
it's kind of become a mainstream part of youth culture
on places like tiktoku to quote unquote joke about violently
abusing women and girls. And you know, that's really unique
(12:06):
compared to other forms of extremism because like American teenagers
are generally not on TikTok joking about things like beheading people.
But how that's really normalized violence against women and girls
that I think we see playing out offline now. So
you know, we have to open these conversations with kids
about what they're seeing on social media, how it makes
(12:29):
them feel, and how they can cope with it.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Early warning signs parents should look forward to identify compulsive,
addictive screen time in their kids.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I would say definitely if it's interfering with their other activities,
so things like homework, getting together with friends and family,
face to face, other extracurricular activities exercise, time outdoors and
in nature, right, are kids still getting all of these
things that are so important for their health? And then
you know, it's always funny when I ask, you know,
(13:04):
I interview people for my CNN pieces, I'll say, like,
what are the signs to watch out for? And they'll say, well,
if you're a teenagers like looking moody or you know,
and it's like, well of adolescents, right, but like if
it's except right, if kids are like moody and isolating themselves,
then it seems to be happening more than usual. Or
(13:26):
you notice how thether sort of big changes, that's time
to have the conversation. And then you know, if it's
sort of not working out for you to maybe you know,
think about talking to a school guidance counselor or a
therapist or someone else they can talk to for help.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Is taking away electronics a good form or a bad
form of punishment?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
So I believe it or not, despite all the other
things by counsel parents on, I think it's a bad
form of punishment, right, I have I have spoken to
so many lawyers who say that they've seen kids being
say sex stworded. Right, So someone has formed a relationship
with them online, convince them to share one racing image
(14:02):
and is now telling this kid to then mow them
tens of thousands of dollars or they're going to post
it on the internet and send it to all their friends.
And you see kids in this situation afraid to go
to their parents for help because they're afraid of really
draconian consequences, so things like their parents taking away their phone.
And so I actually tell parents that the most important
(14:24):
thing they can do is tell their kids that if
they break all the rules in disregard everything they've previously agreed,
and then they get into trouble online, they can come
to them for help without fear of consequences like that,
and that is really something that could save your kid's life.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Doctor Kara Alamo as social professor from Communications at Fairleigh
Dickinson University. The book is titled Over the Influence, Why
social media is toxic for women and girls and how
we could take it back.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Doctor Alamo, I appreciate the time, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So much, best of luck, my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Just a reminder if you have any questions or comment,
so you could follow me on Instagram at iod manny
as my handle at IODMA, n Y. It seems like
every day we hear about breakthroughs and the diagnosis and
treatment of all sorts of diseases. Some of the greatest
strides are being made in Alzheimer's disease. But those breakthroughs
(15:18):
don't happen without research. So let's take a look at
one of those projects right now, as where you bring
in doctor Doris Molina Henry, Assistant Professor at the usc
CLEX School of Medicine, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute. Doctor Malina Henry,
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Thank you so much, Manny. It's a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
So let me start off with this. What is Alzheimer's disease?
Speaker 4 (15:40):
So, when we think of Alzheimer's disease, it's a type
of dementia or a change in the brain that significantly
impairs or affects the individual's ability to function as they
normally would have functioned. It begins to impacting things like
your memory, your cognitive function, your ability to think and
(16:02):
process through things, and eventually, a disease like Alzheimer's disease
as it progresses, begins to affect your everyday life, your
ability to function in everyday space, your ability to move, communicate,
and engage with others, and it can take an incredibly
debilitating role on the individual and ultimately on those that
(16:22):
surround them. And so when we think of Alzheimer's, we
think of a subclass of the dementias that is typically
thought as one of the most prevalent or most commonly occurring.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
So all dementias are not Alzheimer's disease, but all Alzheimer's
disease are a form of dementia.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
That is exactly right, And what exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Is dementia then, specifically, it's.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
A collection of symptoms that really are rooted in changes
in the brain. Typically, we would have thought, maybe decades ago,
that changes in the brain, your ability to remember, your
ability to function with age, should be changing dramatically, and
that these were things that when we saw them, this
collection of symptoms, when we saw them and saw them
(17:07):
happen in our loved ones, that this was just a
normal part of aging. And research has taught us that
that's not the case. That as we've learned more, we
understand that our brains don't have to be completely impaired
by the time that we reach our seventies and eighties
that we can have very strong function a very strong
functioning brain. And so when we think about dementias, we
(17:30):
think about that collection of symptoms memory loss, changes in thinking,
changes in functioning, changes in your mood, changes in your
ability to connect, remembering individuals, remembering lists, remembering appointments. All
of those things are the early signs. And then even
more progressive science began with aggression in some individuals, or
just ability the ability to communicate as well is lost
(17:54):
in a number of other things, ultimately getting to a
place where the individual can barely do their activities as
daily living.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
How do we.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Go from the point where me, for example, getting older,
walks into another room forget why I was walking in there,
or forgetting where I put my phone or my keys,
and the point where it begins to become dementia.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Yes, that's an excellent question. So what we've learned is
that this is happening well before we begin to detect
these changes. Individuals that will have Alzheimer's disease typically show
a protein in their brain called the amyloid, and that
protein can begin to accumulate along with other pathological changes
(18:41):
even ten twenty years prior to an individual beginning to
show the early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, and
typically we associate these proteins with Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, do we.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Know what causes these proteins to increase in the brain.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
We don't know. Specifically, There could be a myriad of factors.
What we do know is that there are certain genetic
risk factors. Some individuals may show up with a particular
gene that has a component that makes them more at risk.
Some individuals, when they have that may not progress into dimension,
and others that accumulate amyloid may not even develop dimentsia.
(19:24):
So we are still learning. There's much to be learned.
But what we have understood is that when we begin
to see these individuals that present with this apoe for
allio that carry it, they tend to be at higher
risk of presenting with the disease. But we also understand
that there are other factors that may contribute to accelerating
(19:45):
and those may be really associated to modifiable factors such
as diabetes or uncontrolled glucose levels, uncontrolled blood pressure, and
these things seem to contribute to possibly the aggression of
Alzheimer's disease and individuals that are at risk.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I want to get into your specific research, what you're
looking into, and then into the study which is really
really unique. In a second, here, it seems I mentioned
breakthroughs at the beginning. It seems like some of the
greatest breakthroughs right now is not necessarily the treatment of Alzheimer's,
but in the diagnosis and the early detection.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Can you talk to me about some of those.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
I would say it's both. I think we're seeing incredible
breakthroughs in the treatment of a disease that for decades
we have tried to treat and had barely stretched the surface,
and all of a sudden, now we have two therapies
that are available that are disease modifying, me that they
can delay that the accumulation or even eliminate some of
(20:48):
that accumulation of amyloid in individual's brains. We also have
the incredible resource now and tool of the blood tests
which were not in existence, and the fact that we
can now measure in some one's blood and we have
approved tests that will contribute to the timely diagnosis of
Alzheimer's disease really is a game changer, because this all
(21:09):
means that it will allow individuals to know sooner where
we have much more, a much stronger potential for effective intervention.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Are there already guidelines for how, when, on whom these
blood tests for early detection can be used.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Yes, there are guidelines in place, and these are being
communicated more in the clinical space. They have come from
a number of institutes and organizations. The Alzheimer's Association has
heavily involved the FDA, So there are guidances right now
for therapies. We know that these are only a produce
for individuals with mild cognitive impairment. And I mentioned that
(21:49):
specifically because we hope that based on the evidence that
we are seeing that even individuals that are the very
very early stage of mild cognitive impairment, which is almost
a tree allude in some cases to dementia, these individuals
may benefit even more from the therapies that are currently available.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
How far have you had to guess? Would you say
we are from a cure?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I think we are getting closer. It's very hard
to say how far we are from a cure. I
think what we're closer to is prevention and prevention strategy
and the fact that we can detect these proteins well
before someone begins to experience symptoms may certainly be considered
a form of cure because they may never experience the
(22:33):
devastating and debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease if we get
this right.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
And that's the perfect segue.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Here a few more minutes here with doctor Doris Molina Henry,
Assistant professor at the USC KEECH School of Medicine, Alzheimer's
Therapeutic Research Institute.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
So talk to me about this apt web study.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Absolutely, and so when we think of all of what
we've just discussed in the important development are happening. We
have a program known as the app web Study, which
is a free, easy to access online study designed to
help researchers really understand how memory and thinking is changing
over time. It helps us also provide opportunities for individuals
(23:16):
who may be progressing or may show signs that they
could be qualified to participate in one of these studies
that is interventional where we are testing these treatments to
see if they can effectively reduce the progression of amyloid,
reduce the progression of some of these pathological factors that
contribute to symptoms in the long run, and so this
(23:38):
becomes the sort of a matching mechanism, but it also
allows individuals to follow and track their own memory over time,
whether they have concerns or not.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Prevention is the word that jumped out at me initially
when you mentioned it. Exactly who are you looking for
in terms of participants for the web study, We.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Are typically looking for anyone at agency year or older
and who has access to internet and can sign up,
whether they have memory concerns or not. And so these
are individuals are welcome to just go to the website
at theww dot APT web study dot org and there
there are very clear instructions on how someone may sign up,
(24:19):
but also has it gives you an opportunity to view
the information and understand what type of study this is,
and the ask is very minimal. What participants are asked
to do is simply complete a cognitive assessment, a test
that allows us to evaluate their cognitive function, their brain
function at the time they're taking it, and that is
repeated every six months, and then they complete also a
(24:40):
questionnaire that allows us to gauge how they're perceiving their
memory at this time and any changes that they are experiencing,
and that happens every three months. So with those two
pieces of information, we continually monitor and can provide that
information back to participants in individuals in the community.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
How many people are you looking for.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
We are looking for We are constantly into thousands. We
find that it is some of these as we evaluate
individuals for clinical studies. For interventional studies, you're looking for
a very specific type of individual that presents with the
disease at a particular stage. But the apt web study
(25:21):
gives us this opportunity of inviting hundreds and thousands of participants.
So we are looking for anyone and everyone who is
willing to participate and engage and may be interested in
the future of participating in a clinical trial.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Aptwebstudy dot org. Apt web Study dot org is the website.
In terms of who Alzheimer's effects. Is there a cultural component?
Have you found some sort of a socioeconomic component, because
I know you study both the biological and non biological
(25:56):
contributors to this disease.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, that's next questions. So we have known based on
prior evidence that there is a higher risk of dementia
in certain communities, in certain groups associated with social factors.
Social demographic factors, particularly the individuals that may be his
from Black communities or from Hispanic communities, These tend to
be much more present with the higher risk of dementia.
(26:22):
So we always hope to engage these individuals because they're
not traditionally as present in our studies. But the doors
are open and the opportunities abound, and so we really
hope that individuals that are finding themselves at the higher
risk of the spectrum may be I'm willing to engage
and participate. We are starting to see relationships and other
(26:44):
factors as well, and I think that these have been
described in the literature, but we're starting to look at
this also with blood tests and looking at the biomarkers
and looking at how some of these social factors can
affect the biology that ultimately may contribute to increased risk
and from individuals.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
What is the benefit I guess for the participants to
take part in this stuffy.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
I think the greatest benefit of this is the ability
to be proactive about your own things. This web study
of participates is now a part of this web study
community that receives information about their own brain health. Your
results or return to you, but also the ability and
the opportunity to engage further in research via participation in
(27:26):
blood assessments or participation in an interventional clinical trial, receiving
information about how things are changing in the field and
how you can best get involved. And I think that that,
especially as our population ages becomes much more important, it
gives them an opportunity to really be engaged when there's
(27:47):
time to be able to make the adaptations and changes
that might provide them with a longer, healthier a brain
for a longer health longer time.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
What makes this web study so unique because it's seems
like you're able because of the way you're conducting it.
You're able to not only get a lot more people
to participate, but do it in ways that I guess
other research hasn't looked at yet.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
It is our hope, and I think that there are
many other spaces where these things are being tried. But
one thing that I believe is unique about the app
web study is that it provides this information to participants
but also opens the door and the ability to match
for an interventional trial if this is something that the
individual is pretty qualified for. And that I mean, we're
(28:34):
noticing changes in your brain. Now here's an opportunity to
get in on the most breakthrough, latest potential interventions that
might change the course of the disease in the future.
And so it is really an opportunity to be most engaged,
but also to be at the very very early or
the most breakthrough end of the research spectrum.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I'm over fifty.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I'm going to go to APT webstudy dot org and
register for it myself. APT webstudy dot org. Doctor Doris
Malina Henry, I hope to follow up with you a
few months down the line, see what you've learned.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
That's doctor Doris Malina Henry, Assistant professor at the USC
Tech School of Medicine, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute. Again, if
you're inst interested in joining the study, finding out more
or for one of your loved ones, APT webstudy dot org.
As always, I'd love a follow on Instagram and I
follow back at iod Manny is my handle at iod
(29:42):
M A N N Y. And that'll do it for
another edition of Iheartradios Communities.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
I'm Manny Muno's until next time.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
His
Welcome to iHeartRadio Communities, a public affairs special focusing on
the biggest issues in facting you.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
This week, Here's many Munio's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And welcome to another edition of iHeartRadio's Communities.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
As you heard, I am Manny Munyo's.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And I would love a follow from you on Instagram
at iod Manny is my handle at iodma ny. It's
one of the biggest concerns for parents raising kids in
the digital social media age. We're leaving in dealing with
screen time and the potential dangers that brings with it.
But new research finds many parents might be focused on
(00:41):
the wrong things. Let's discuss it all as we bring
in Doctor Cara Alaimo, a Sociate Professor of Communications at
Fairleigh Dickinson University. He most recent book is titled Over
the Influence, Why Social Media is toxic for women and
Girls and how we could take it back. Doctor Olemo,
I appreciate the time, my pleasure, So talk to me
(01:02):
about what is so different about raising kids today when
so many of them have phones or iPads and are
constantly connected.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh my goodness, how much time do you have? I
would say that you know, in past generations and even
when I was growing up, we learned to communicate face
to face and that's essential for our mental health. Research
shows that, you know, having friendships and getting together with
people in person is just as important for our long
(01:34):
term health as our diet and our exercise. And instead,
you see even when kids are together with their friends,
they're so engrossed in their phones instead of forming those
human connections. And then of course there's the predators and
all of the toxic content that they're exposed to online.
And we see so many kids getting addicted to social media.
(01:56):
It's really sad.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, a whole lot.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
To unpack there, and I guess, I guess the difference
is having access to you know, to the digital world,
whether it be on a phone or an iPad or something,
and the addictive use of them. And of course all
of these, especially the social media sides, the algorithms prey
on that and they become addictive.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
That's exactly right. I mean, social platforms are designed to
keep us hooked because the more time we spend on them,
of course, the more money that social networks can make
from showing us advertising. So that's the goal.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Where is the line between screen use high screen time
and maybe addictive use of these things.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Well, there was a really interesting study published last month
in jama, a journal of the American Medical Association, that
looked at addictiveness and social media use among youth. And
I asked the lead author for a piece that I
wrote for CNN about her study, You know, what do
we think of as active use? Since she told me
(03:01):
that addictive use is excessive use. It interferes with things
like home responsibilities, schoolwork, or other things. And it's basically
when kids, or really any of us find a craving
for it. And she said, can't stop using it.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
It's tough in this day and age, right, because you
hear about kids whose parents try to be tough keep
them away from these things and say, no, you don't
need a phone, You're not going to have a phone,
and the maybe abuse is the right word that those
kids experience because all their other friends do have them.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So where is the line that a parent should draw.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Well, I think it's really important for parents to hold
the line here. I think ultimately what we have in
this country is what John Hite calls the collective action problem.
I have been speaking to parents and students and teachers
across the country about how to handle kids' social media use.
And I have yet to meet a single parent who
(04:02):
is dying to have their kids on social media. The
reason that kids are on social media often so young,
it's because of pure pressure and parents fear that their
kids will lose out on opportunities if they don't give
them a phone. So this is really a matter of
parents talking to one another and collectively agreeing not to
(04:23):
allow their kids to have smartphones and social media. Really
until age sixteen, I think is the magic number.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
We're obviously seeing kids with not only social media but
phones much much much younger than that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's right, and there's really solid research out of the
UK that shows that there's two periods of time in
your life when using social media more is associated with
lower life satisfaction a year later. And one of those
times is when kids are going through puberty. And we
know that that's a difficult enough time without bringing in all
(05:00):
of the anxieties that come from social media and seeing
their friends get together at parties without them and feeling
like everyone else has a better body. So it's really
a great idea to keep kids off social media during
that time.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Difference between just allowing them to have a phone or
an iPad and you know, watching YouTube videos or something
like that, and having things like Snapchat or Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, I mean I'm a fan of so called dumb phones.
I think things like a watch or a flip phone
that kids can use to text are a good starting
point for younger kids. For tweens, I think they don't
belong on social media until age sixteen. And you know,
YouTube is tricky because a lot of parents have even
(05:48):
very young kids watching videos. Yes, and some of those
videos can be educational, but the problem is I know
with my own young daughters that that algorithm is quickly
you know, serving them up other videos that I definitely
don't want them watching because they know that it'll keep
them hooked. So, you know, the less time kids can
(06:09):
spend on YouTube, the better, for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
It's also there is there a difference between the development
and the mental health of kids who spend a lot
of time on the screens but maybe less time on
social media.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So, I mean the literature is very mixed. Overall. I
think the research shows that it can be healthy to
spend a moderate amount of time on social media. But
where we see trouble is where kids are spending an
excessive amount of time on social media. And this new
study that was published in jama in June is very
(06:45):
interesting because it looked at addictiveness. A lot of the
time parents are looking at how much time our kids
spend on social media, but this study actually found that
the amount of time that young kids spend on social
media and mobile phones and video games wasn't in and
of itself a predictor of bad mental health outcomes. The
(07:09):
predictor was whether kids were getting addicted, and so the
researchers really suggested that that's what we have to be
paying attention to, right. Are they unable to disconnect when
it's time for dinner or time to do their homework?
Are they using it excessively? And that's where the problems
seem to come.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
In a few more.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Minutes with doctor Kara Alaimo, Deputy chair and a social
professor of Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University, or most recent
book is titled Over the Influence, Why social Media is
toxic for women and Girls and how we could take
it back.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Let me look into that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Is it worse for women and girls social media use
than it.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Is for boys, I absolutely think it is. I don't
want to minimize the dangers and the pressures that anyone
faces on social media, but I do think that women
and girls face an additional set of challenges. So we
know that when girls start using social media, it's often,
(08:08):
you know, during a time of their lives where they're
already very fixated on their bodies. And you know, girls
go on visually oriented platforms like Instagram and see these
photos of the so called Instagram body, which actually, you know,
can typically only be achieved with surgery. It's not what
most people's human bodies look like. And then they, you know,
(08:32):
los off feeling less than right, feeling like they don't
have the right face or the right body. And then
of course there's all the predators that you know, pray
on girls and women online, and I think that men
face and boys face that danger, but to a lower degree.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Do you find that that boys generally are more attracted
to things like video games and mobile apps, where girls
are more in tune with the actual social media aspect
and influencers.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yeah, I think that's often the case. We know that
girls tend to prioritize social relationships more so that's where
they're spending more time on social media and these visually
oriented platforms. Boys can spend a lot of time on
video games. And while you know, researchers have mixed views
on this, I'm not a fan of spending an excessive
(09:23):
amount of time on video games. Certainly, the study, the
new study that I've been telling you about, did find
that excessive use of video games was associated with greater
risk of mental health problems later on if kids were
getting addicted to them. But I also think it's you know,
again what John Hype calls the opportunity costs. So you know,
if a boy is spending four or five hours a
(09:45):
day on video games, what else could he be doing
with that time? Right, probablyst some other really valuable things.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Well, and I see it with my kids and the
neighbor kids. If one of them, uh, twelve thirteen year
old specifically that I'm thinking of, has his phone, even
if they are outside playing basketball or football or something
like that. So often I look over and they're not playing,
They're sitting there on the phone, And that's what you
don't want them to be doing, especially if they're at outside.
(10:15):
Different addictative uses between boys and girls with the screens.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, So this latest study found that girls were more
likely to have high trajectories of addictive social media use,
boys were more likely to get addicted to video games,
which makes sense as we discussed, but totally agree. And
I think that problem of you know, the kids ostensibly
playing basketball, but one of them taking out their phones
is a big one for parents because what it means
(10:44):
is that, you know, even if I don't allow my
kids to be on social media or have a smartphone
at a particular age, if other kids do, they're being
exposed to it on the school bus or at playdates.
There's a lot that we can't control. And that's why,
in addition to making smart decisions about when we allow
our kids to use these platforms, we also have to
(11:04):
be having these conversations really young with kids about what
they might be exposed to on social media, even if
they don't have the platforms themselves, and how they should
handle it, and how they should react to it, and
when they should reach out to us for help.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Things like.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Oh my goodness, things like pornography, things like toxic content,
promoting eating disorders, things like predators or just other friendly
adults who they don't know who are trying to become
their friends on social media. All of the friendship drama
that happens on social media, including bullying or just the
(11:43):
feelings of exclusion and being left out, you know, potentially
really violent content. One of the things I write about
in my book Over the Influence is how, you know,
it's kind of become a mainstream part of youth culture
on places like tiktoku to quote unquote joke about violently
abusing women and girls. And you know, that's really unique
(12:06):
compared to other forms of extremism because like American teenagers
are generally not on TikTok joking about things like beheading people.
But how that's really normalized violence against women and girls
that I think we see playing out offline now. So
you know, we have to open these conversations with kids
about what they're seeing on social media, how it makes
(12:29):
them feel, and how they can cope with it.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Early warning signs parents should look forward to identify compulsive,
addictive screen time in their kids.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I would say definitely if it's interfering with their other activities,
so things like homework, getting together with friends and family,
face to face, other extracurricular activities exercise, time outdoors and
in nature, right, are kids still getting all of these
things that are so important for their health? And then
you know, it's always funny when I ask, you know,
(13:04):
I interview people for my CNN pieces, I'll say, like,
what are the signs to watch out for? And they'll say, well,
if you're a teenagers like looking moody or you know,
and it's like, well of adolescents, right, but like if
it's except right, if kids are like moody and isolating themselves,
then it seems to be happening more than usual. Or
(13:26):
you notice how thether sort of big changes, that's time
to have the conversation. And then you know, if it's
sort of not working out for you to maybe you know,
think about talking to a school guidance counselor or a
therapist or someone else they can talk to for help.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Is taking away electronics a good form or a bad
form of punishment?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
So I believe it or not, despite all the other
things by counsel parents on, I think it's a bad
form of punishment, right, I have I have spoken to
so many lawyers who say that they've seen kids being
say sex stworded. Right, So someone has formed a relationship
with them online, convince them to share one racing image
(14:02):
and is now telling this kid to then mow them
tens of thousands of dollars or they're going to post
it on the internet and send it to all their friends.
And you see kids in this situation afraid to go
to their parents for help because they're afraid of really
draconian consequences, so things like their parents taking away their phone.
And so I actually tell parents that the most important
(14:24):
thing they can do is tell their kids that if
they break all the rules in disregard everything they've previously agreed,
and then they get into trouble online, they can come
to them for help without fear of consequences like that,
and that is really something that could save your kid's life.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Doctor Kara Alamo as social professor from Communications at Fairleigh
Dickinson University. The book is titled Over the Influence, Why
social media is toxic for women and girls and how
we could take it back.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Doctor Alamo, I appreciate the time, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So much, best of luck, my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Just a reminder if you have any questions or comment,
so you could follow me on Instagram at iod manny
as my handle at IODMA, n Y. It seems like
every day we hear about breakthroughs and the diagnosis and
treatment of all sorts of diseases. Some of the greatest
strides are being made in Alzheimer's disease. But those breakthroughs
(15:18):
don't happen without research. So let's take a look at
one of those projects right now, as where you bring
in doctor Doris Molina Henry, Assistant Professor at the usc
CLEX School of Medicine, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute. Doctor Malina Henry,
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Thank you so much, Manny. It's a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
So let me start off with this. What is Alzheimer's disease?
Speaker 4 (15:40):
So, when we think of Alzheimer's disease, it's a type
of dementia or a change in the brain that significantly
impairs or affects the individual's ability to function as they
normally would have functioned. It begins to impacting things like
your memory, your cognitive function, your ability to think and
(16:02):
process through things, and eventually, a disease like Alzheimer's disease
as it progresses, begins to affect your everyday life, your
ability to function in everyday space, your ability to move, communicate,
and engage with others, and it can take an incredibly
debilitating role on the individual and ultimately on those that
(16:22):
surround them. And so when we think of Alzheimer's, we
think of a subclass of the dementias that is typically
thought as one of the most prevalent or most commonly occurring.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
So all dementias are not Alzheimer's disease, but all Alzheimer's
disease are a form of dementia.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
That is exactly right, And what exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Is dementia then, specifically, it's.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
A collection of symptoms that really are rooted in changes
in the brain. Typically, we would have thought, maybe decades ago,
that changes in the brain, your ability to remember, your
ability to function with age, should be changing dramatically, and
that these were things that when we saw them, this
collection of symptoms, when we saw them and saw them
(17:07):
happen in our loved ones, that this was just a
normal part of aging. And research has taught us that
that's not the case. That as we've learned more, we
understand that our brains don't have to be completely impaired
by the time that we reach our seventies and eighties
that we can have very strong function a very strong
functioning brain. And so when we think about dementias, we
(17:30):
think about that collection of symptoms memory loss, changes in thinking,
changes in functioning, changes in your mood, changes in your
ability to connect, remembering individuals, remembering lists, remembering appointments. All
of those things are the early signs. And then even
more progressive science began with aggression in some individuals, or
just ability the ability to communicate as well is lost
(17:54):
in a number of other things, ultimately getting to a
place where the individual can barely do their activities as
daily living.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
How do we.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Go from the point where me, for example, getting older,
walks into another room forget why I was walking in there,
or forgetting where I put my phone or my keys,
and the point where it begins to become dementia.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Yes, that's an excellent question. So what we've learned is
that this is happening well before we begin to detect
these changes. Individuals that will have Alzheimer's disease typically show
a protein in their brain called the amyloid, and that
protein can begin to accumulate along with other pathological changes
(18:41):
even ten twenty years prior to an individual beginning to
show the early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, and
typically we associate these proteins with Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, do we.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Know what causes these proteins to increase in the brain.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
We don't know. Specifically, There could be a myriad of factors.
What we do know is that there are certain genetic
risk factors. Some individuals may show up with a particular
gene that has a component that makes them more at risk.
Some individuals, when they have that may not progress into dimension,
and others that accumulate amyloid may not even develop dimentsia.
(19:24):
So we are still learning. There's much to be learned.
But what we have understood is that when we begin
to see these individuals that present with this apoe for
allio that carry it, they tend to be at higher
risk of presenting with the disease. But we also understand
that there are other factors that may contribute to accelerating
(19:45):
and those may be really associated to modifiable factors such
as diabetes or uncontrolled glucose levels, uncontrolled blood pressure, and
these things seem to contribute to possibly the aggression of
Alzheimer's disease and individuals that are at risk.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I want to get into your specific research, what you're
looking into, and then into the study which is really
really unique. In a second, here, it seems I mentioned
breakthroughs at the beginning. It seems like some of the
greatest breakthroughs right now is not necessarily the treatment of Alzheimer's,
but in the diagnosis and the early detection.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Can you talk to me about some of those.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
I would say it's both. I think we're seeing incredible
breakthroughs in the treatment of a disease that for decades
we have tried to treat and had barely stretched the surface,
and all of a sudden, now we have two therapies
that are available that are disease modifying, me that they
can delay that the accumulation or even eliminate some of
(20:48):
that accumulation of amyloid in individual's brains. We also have
the incredible resource now and tool of the blood tests
which were not in existence, and the fact that we
can now measure in some one's blood and we have
approved tests that will contribute to the timely diagnosis of
Alzheimer's disease really is a game changer, because this all
(21:09):
means that it will allow individuals to know sooner where
we have much more, a much stronger potential for effective intervention.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Are there already guidelines for how, when, on whom these
blood tests for early detection can be used.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Yes, there are guidelines in place, and these are being
communicated more in the clinical space. They have come from
a number of institutes and organizations. The Alzheimer's Association has
heavily involved the FDA, So there are guidances right now
for therapies. We know that these are only a produce
for individuals with mild cognitive impairment. And I mentioned that
(21:49):
specifically because we hope that based on the evidence that
we are seeing that even individuals that are the very
very early stage of mild cognitive impairment, which is almost
a tree allude in some cases to dementia, these individuals
may benefit even more from the therapies that are currently available.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
How far have you had to guess? Would you say
we are from a cure?
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I think we are getting closer. It's very hard
to say how far we are from a cure. I
think what we're closer to is prevention and prevention strategy
and the fact that we can detect these proteins well
before someone begins to experience symptoms may certainly be considered
a form of cure because they may never experience the
(22:33):
devastating and debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease if we get
this right.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
And that's the perfect segue.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Here a few more minutes here with doctor Doris Molina Henry,
Assistant professor at the USC KEECH School of Medicine, Alzheimer's
Therapeutic Research Institute.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
So talk to me about this apt web study.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Absolutely, and so when we think of all of what
we've just discussed in the important development are happening. We
have a program known as the app web Study, which
is a free, easy to access online study designed to
help researchers really understand how memory and thinking is changing
over time. It helps us also provide opportunities for individuals
(23:16):
who may be progressing or may show signs that they
could be qualified to participate in one of these studies
that is interventional where we are testing these treatments to
see if they can effectively reduce the progression of amyloid,
reduce the progression of some of these pathological factors that
contribute to symptoms in the long run, and so this
(23:38):
becomes the sort of a matching mechanism, but it also
allows individuals to follow and track their own memory over time,
whether they have concerns or not.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Prevention is the word that jumped out at me initially
when you mentioned it. Exactly who are you looking for
in terms of participants for the web study, We.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Are typically looking for anyone at agency year or older
and who has access to internet and can sign up,
whether they have memory concerns or not. And so these
are individuals are welcome to just go to the website
at theww dot APT web study dot org and there
there are very clear instructions on how someone may sign up,
(24:19):
but also has it gives you an opportunity to view
the information and understand what type of study this is,
and the ask is very minimal. What participants are asked
to do is simply complete a cognitive assessment, a test
that allows us to evaluate their cognitive function, their brain
function at the time they're taking it, and that is
repeated every six months, and then they complete also a
(24:40):
questionnaire that allows us to gauge how they're perceiving their
memory at this time and any changes that they are experiencing,
and that happens every three months. So with those two
pieces of information, we continually monitor and can provide that
information back to participants in individuals in the community.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
How many people are you looking for.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
We are looking for We are constantly into thousands. We
find that it is some of these as we evaluate
individuals for clinical studies. For interventional studies, you're looking for
a very specific type of individual that presents with the
disease at a particular stage. But the apt web study
(25:21):
gives us this opportunity of inviting hundreds and thousands of participants.
So we are looking for anyone and everyone who is
willing to participate and engage and may be interested in
the future of participating in a clinical trial.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Aptwebstudy dot org. Apt web Study dot org is the website.
In terms of who Alzheimer's effects. Is there a cultural component?
Have you found some sort of a socioeconomic component, because
I know you study both the biological and non biological
(25:56):
contributors to this disease.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, that's next questions. So we have known based on
prior evidence that there is a higher risk of dementia
in certain communities, in certain groups associated with social factors.
Social demographic factors, particularly the individuals that may be his
from Black communities or from Hispanic communities, These tend to
be much more present with the higher risk of dementia.
(26:22):
So we always hope to engage these individuals because they're
not traditionally as present in our studies. But the doors
are open and the opportunities abound, and so we really
hope that individuals that are finding themselves at the higher
risk of the spectrum may be I'm willing to engage
and participate. We are starting to see relationships and other
(26:44):
factors as well, and I think that these have been
described in the literature, but we're starting to look at
this also with blood tests and looking at the biomarkers
and looking at how some of these social factors can
affect the biology that ultimately may contribute to increased risk
and from individuals.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
What is the benefit I guess for the participants to
take part in this stuffy.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
I think the greatest benefit of this is the ability
to be proactive about your own things. This web study
of participates is now a part of this web study
community that receives information about their own brain health. Your
results or return to you, but also the ability and
the opportunity to engage further in research via participation in
(27:26):
blood assessments or participation in an interventional clinical trial, receiving
information about how things are changing in the field and
how you can best get involved. And I think that that,
especially as our population ages becomes much more important, it
gives them an opportunity to really be engaged when there's
(27:47):
time to be able to make the adaptations and changes
that might provide them with a longer, healthier a brain
for a longer health longer time.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
What makes this web study so unique because it's seems
like you're able because of the way you're conducting it.
You're able to not only get a lot more people
to participate, but do it in ways that I guess
other research hasn't looked at yet.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
It is our hope, and I think that there are
many other spaces where these things are being tried. But
one thing that I believe is unique about the app
web study is that it provides this information to participants
but also opens the door and the ability to match
for an interventional trial if this is something that the
individual is pretty qualified for. And that I mean, we're
(28:34):
noticing changes in your brain. Now here's an opportunity to
get in on the most breakthrough, latest potential interventions that
might change the course of the disease in the future.
And so it is really an opportunity to be most engaged,
but also to be at the very very early or
the most breakthrough end of the research spectrum.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I'm over fifty.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I'm going to go to APT webstudy dot org and
register for it myself. APT webstudy dot org. Doctor Doris
Malina Henry, I hope to follow up with you a
few months down the line, see what you've learned.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
That's doctor Doris Malina Henry, Assistant professor at the USC
Tech School of Medicine, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute. Again, if
you're inst interested in joining the study, finding out more
or for one of your loved ones, APT webstudy dot org.
As always, I'd love a follow on Instagram and I
follow back at iod Manny is my handle at iod
(29:42):
M A N N Y. And that'll do it for
another edition of Iheartradios Communities.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
I'm Manny Muno's until next time.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
His
Host
Manny Munoz
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.