Publishing Details
About This Podcast
Ben Gillenwater helps families protect children from digital dangers, bringing 30 years of cybersecurity expertise to the parenting journey. His background includes working with the NSA and serving as Chief Technologist of a $10 billion IT company, where he built global-scale systems and understood technology's risks at every level.
His mission began when he gave his young son an iPad with "kid-safe" apps—only to discover inappropriate content days later. Despite his deep technical background, Ben realized that if protecting children online was challenging for him, it must be even more difficult for parents without his expertise.
Through Family IT Guy, Ben creates videos and articles that help parents and kids learn how to leverage the positive parts of the internet while avoiding the dangerous and risky parts. His approach bridges the knowledge gap between complex technology and practical family protection, making digital safety accessible to everyone.
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Recent Episodes
How Predators Went From Playgrounds to Your Kid’s Phone
Mike Lemon investigates crimes against children for a living. He's done it for over 20 years. He trains 5,000 parents a year on what he's learned. He still built layered defenses for his own kids'…
Meta to pay $375 million for knowingly putting children in danger on Facebook and Instagram.
A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for knowingly putting children in danger on Facebook and Instagram. It's being called a historic win, but is it really a win for kids? In this…
Age Verification Laws Won’t Protect Your Kids Online (Here’s What Will)
At least 20 states are pushing bills that claim to protect your kids online. I've read them. I testified against one in South Dakota. The problems they're trying to solve are real. The bills don't…
What to Do When Your Kid Is Melting Down Over Screens
Dr. Carrie Mackensen is a clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience directing addiction and eating disorder treatment programs. She's raising two boys without iPads and is writing a book on…
Is Roblox Safe for Kids? Chris Hansen’s Investigation Explained
Is Roblox safe for kids? In this interview, Chris Hansen shares findings from his investigation into predators, grooming tactics, and why thousands of families have reported harm on the…
”Screens Are a Drug.” How to Get Your Family Back with Mike McLeod
Mike McLeod is a speech-language pathologist and ADHD executive function specialist who has worked with over 500 families to eliminate screens since 2016. He hosts the ADHD Parenting Podcast and has…
Social Media on Trial: The Case Against Meta, YouTube, TikTok & Snapchat
For the first time, social media executives are being forced to answer to a jury for the impact their platforms have had on children. This trial in Los Angeles (MDL 3047) brings together claims…
FBI Psychologist: Your Kid’s Phone Is More Dangerous Than a Gun
Dr. Lisa Strohman spent 30 years studying what hurts kids—from profiling at FBI Quantico after Columbine to serving as an expert witness in New Mexico v. Meta. Her conclusion? The phone in your…
AI Videos vs Deepfakes: How to Tell What’s Real Online (With Jeremy Carrasco)
How do you protect your kids online when even adults can’t tell what’s real anymore? AI-generated videos, deepfakes, and synthetic audio are not just a tech issue. They are showing up inside the…
Why schools are ditching phones!
3 AI Rules for Kids, from a cybersecurity expert.
Grok exposes the risk of posting kids online.
Protecting Kids Online: Missing Children, AI Scams, and Digital Exploitation with Shawnna Hoffman
In this episode of the Family IT Guy Podcast, I sit down with Shawnna Hoffman, CEO of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), for a raw and deeply personal conversation…
764 Update: The Online Network Targeting Kids Is Getting Worse
Earlier this year, I spoke with Jason Sokolowski about the loss of his 16-year-old daughter, Penelope, after she was targeted by the online criminal network known as 764. This video is an update —…
The Antidote to Internet Chaos
The internet is constant noise: endless scrolling, reacting and stimulation. It's rewiring our brains to consume information in tiny bursts and it's affecting everyone, including our kids. So…
Inside the Mind of Predators: Forensic Psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson on Child Predators & Risk
How can families protect children from dangerous predators - both online and in real life? In this eye-opening episode of the Family IT Guy Podcast, Dr. Leslie Dobson, forensic psychologist, dives…
How One Parent Took on Smartphones in Elementary School — and Changed a Community
When smartphones started showing up in 1st grade, Meri knew something had to change. As a PR expert and mom who understood AI, algorithms, and why these devices are so addictive, she dove into the…
AI Toys for Kids - My Thoughts
Join me as I explore the world of AI toys and share my thoughts on their impact on children. As a cybersecurity expert and parent, I delve into the potential risks and benefits of these innovative…
Bark Phone Review: What Works, What Doesn’t, How to Set It Up
This is a complete Bark Phone review and setup guide from a cybersecurity expert and dad. After testing every feature, here's my take on what Bark does well, where it falls short, and the settings I…
Facial Scans & IDs for Kids—Think Before You Agree
Roblox just rolled out age verification THIS week, and it could put your child’s personal data at risk. If you’re a parent, you need to know what this really means—and why you don’t have to hand…
Frequently Asked Questions
Family IT Guy Podcast has published 50 episodes since August 2025, covering topics in Kids & Family, Parenting.
Family IT Guy Podcast is currently moderate with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 32m.
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