Ready Set Screen launches social media safety program for families

Ready Set Screen has introduced The Social Media Driver’s License, a media literacy program for children ages 10–14 and their parents as concerns grow about teen mental health and risky digital habits. The nonprofit says the first-of-its-kind offering is meant to help families build healthier, safer relationships with smartphones, social media and other online platforms. Why it matters: - Social Media Harms Awareness Month is meant to spotlight the mental health and safety risks tied to digital platforms. - Ready Set Screen’s program targets children ages 10–14, a key window before or around first smartphone use. - The program is designed to help families build healthier digital habits before harmful patterns become entrenched. What happened: - Ready Set Screen introduced The Social Media Driver’s License in June 2026. - The nonprofit describes the program as a first-of-its-kind media literacy offering for children and parents. - Jennifer Berger, founder and executive director of Ready Set Screen, created the program. - Berger has more than 20 years of experience teaching media literacy to adolescents. - The program was launched in San Francisco during Social Media Harms Awareness Month. The details: - The Social Media Driver’s License includes two learning tracks: one for parents and one for pre-smartphone children. - Teen hosts and parents appear in the program and share real-world experiences. - A companion podcast series gives parents conversation starters for technology-related discussions. - The podcast also offers strategies for supporting children’s tech use instead of only monitoring it. - The program includes insights from parents and experts on raising healthy, balanced teens in the digital age. - Ready Set Screen says the content is guided by research and is independent from social media companies. - Pricing is $29 per family. - Lower-income families can access the program for $15. - Schools, community organizations and nonprofits can buy the program in bulk. - More information is available at Ready Set Screen , Jennifer Berger and The Social Media Driver’s License . Between the lines: - The launch lands amid an ongoing teen mental health crisis and growing concern about how social platforms affect young users. - The program’s parent-focused model reflects a broader shift away from pure screen-time restriction and toward guided digital literacy. - A Stanford Medicine youth mental health leader called the resource practical and hands-on for parents and young people. - Vicki Harrison said families can use the program together to prepare for safer, healthier online experiences. What’s next: - Ready Set Screen is positioning the program as an ongoing support tool for parents and families, not a one-time lesson. - Schools and community organizations could use bulk access to extend the program beyond individual households. - The nonprofit is likely to lean on media literacy and family engagement as it expands its digital safety efforts. The bottom line: - Ready Set Screen is betting that early, parent-led media literacy can help families reduce the risks of smartphones and social media before they escalate.