How do we help young people navigate a digital world that is changing faster than any of us can keep up with?
In today’s episode of After the Bell with The Stunt Brothers, Martin and Roy welcome Dr. Victoria Talwar, Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University and Canada Research Chair in Forensic Developmental Psychology.
Dr. Talwar is also the co-chair of Youth Digital Compass, a resource hub designed to help youth, parents, and educators better understand online safety, digital citizenship, cyberbullying, and how to become positive upstanders online.
The conversation begins, as always, with a little ABC 123 fun—from takeout on the couch to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and the teacher who made the biggest difference in Dr. Talwar’s life.
Then, the conversation gets into some of the biggest questions facing families and schools today:
- Has social media changed childhood development—or simply added another complicated context to young people’s lives?
- Why can online bullying feel impossible to escape?
- How can parents build relationships where children feel safe telling the truth—even when they’ve made a mistake?
- What can parents and educators do when they don’t have all the answers about rapidly changing technology?
- How can we teach students to slow down, think critically, verify information, and recognize misinformation and scams?
- Are smartphone bans in schools the answer, or just one part of a much bigger conversation?
- Why should digital citizenship and online safety be part of every student’s education?
- How can parents model healthy technology habits for their children?
- And perhaps most importantly: how can we help young people see technology not as something to fear, but as a powerful tool that they can learn to use responsibly?
Dr. Talwar reminds us that technology itself is neither entirely good nor entirely bad. The key is learning to be in the driver’s seat—using these powerful tools thoughtfully, responsibly, and with empathy.
Whether you’re a teacher trying to make sense of AI and smartphones in the classroom, a parent wondering how to keep up with your child’s online world, or simply someone trying to break the habit of doom-scrolling, this is a conversation filled with practical ideas and an important reminder: we’re all learning how to navigate this digital world together.
Learn More
Explore Youth Digital Compass for resources designed for youth, parents, and educators, including information about online safety, cyberbullying, digital citizenship, privacy, and healthy online habits.
Thank you to Dr. Victoria Talwar for joining us for this timely and thoughtful conversation!
Listen. Laugh. Learn. And remember—there’s always more to talk about After the Bell.
