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As parents look to keep their kids safe online, identity protection firm Aura has released new AI tools to track youth mental health that comes on the heels of the startups one hundred and forty million dollar Series G funding round. Aura's CEO Hari Ravi Chandron, and the company's biggest investor, Jeffrey Katzenberg, managing partner at Winderco, are here with me, and I appreciate you guys joining me on this topic, which you know, I think finally is getting the attention that it deserves, the damage that social media and technology due to the mental health of our children. Jeff, let me start with you and ask what brought you to this investment and what sort of put you on this put you on this path?

As parents look to keep their kids safe online, identity protection firm Aura has released new AI tools to track youth mental health that comes on the heels of the startups one hundred and forty million dollar Series G funding round. Aura's CEO Hari Ravi Chandron, and the company's biggest investor, Jeffrey Katzenberg, managing partner at Winderco, are here with me, and I appreciate you guys joining me on this topic, which you know, I think finally is getting the attention that it deserves, the damage that social media and technology due to the mental health of our children. Jeff, let me start with you and ask what brought you to this investment and what sort of put you on this put you on this path?

Love it?

Love it?

So. I spent forty years in the media and entertainment business at the Walt Disney Studios and a DreamWorks, and every day got up and was in the world of bringing to parents, moms, dads, and kids safe content and.

So. I spent forty years in the media and entertainment business at the Walt Disney Studios and a DreamWorks, and every day got up and was in the world of bringing to parents, moms, dads, and kids safe content and.

The appreciation of you know what that means.

The appreciation of you know what that means.

And today keeping our kids safe has actually never been more challenging or more complicated because of these devices and the online lives that we have. When I parented my kids, there were three things I wanted to know.

And today keeping our kids safe has actually never been more challenging or more complicated because of these devices and the online lives that we have. When I parented my kids, there were three things I wanted to know.

Where are they, what are they doing? And who are they with?

Where are they, what are they doing? And who are they with?

And today they could be sitting in your kid can be sitting across you at a kitchen table with a phone in their hand.

And today they could be sitting in your kid can be sitting across you at a kitchen table with a phone in their hand.

You cannot answer those three questions.

You cannot answer those three questions.

As you said, there is actually just a growing epidemic of how damaged and damaging we are doing to our kids today, this generation. It's extraordinary. A few stats just to frame how big the problem is. So twenty percent of adolescents report.

As you said, there is actually just a growing epidemic of how damaged and damaging we are doing to our kids today, this generation. It's extraordinary. A few stats just to frame how big the problem is. So twenty percent of adolescents report.

Low self esteem, fifty.

Low self esteem, fifty.

Two percent have experienced or our experience and eating disorder. Seventy percent of teens say anxiety and depression is a major part among their peers, and a shocking twenty five percent have ideation around suicide. So this is just we're destroying our kids.

Two percent have experienced or our experience and eating disorder. Seventy percent of teens say anxiety and depression is a major part among their peers, and a shocking twenty five percent have ideation around suicide. So this is just we're destroying our kids.

And what Hari has done.

And what Hari has done.

As the founder of this is through his own personal experience, which he should tell you about dealing with his own family. Got on this mission two years ago to say he built a company in which he has brought security for families online.

As the founder of this is through his own personal experience, which he should tell you about dealing with his own family. Got on this mission two years ago to say he built a company in which he has brought security for families online.

Now he's going to bring safety. So Harry, tell.

Now he's going to bring safety. So Harry, tell.

Us about your experiences before starting this company, and then how are you solving the problem?

Us about your experiences before starting this company, and then how are you solving the problem?

Yeah, no, I'm happy to I have four kids, and so one of my kids about two years ago was going through a really tough patch, whether feeling depressed, feeling down, some negative coping strategies, which was very frightening to us as a family. And so leading up to that, you know, we were pretty tight knit family. You know, we spend time together. Ask her how she's doing. She says, Oh, everything's fine. And then as we're kind of going through the recovery cycle, we asked her how she's doing. She says, I'm doing fine, and so as a parent, you wonder, well she's saying the same thing, is she actually find or not right? And so then we started looking around for tools because the one thing I do I do know during that journey, when we were super privacy, Oorent never gave you know, never spend time on the kids device or anything like that. During the journey, we did spend some time on the device and there were things there that I wish we'd kind of found earlier because we might have been able to help her sooner. And there really weren't any tools. There just wasn't anything to actually go do this in a systematic way. And we already were helping a lot of families with content problems, etcetera that their kids had, So this is a natural entree for us, and frankly is a tool that I needed for my own kids. So I figured there's lots of lots of families that can also use the same technology as well.

Yeah, no, I'm happy to I have four kids, and so one of my kids about two years ago was going through a really tough patch, whether feeling depressed, feeling down, some negative coping strategies, which was very frightening to us as a family. And so leading up to that, you know, we were pretty tight knit family. You know, we spend time together. Ask her how she's doing. She says, Oh, everything's fine. And then as we're kind of going through the recovery cycle, we asked her how she's doing. She says, I'm doing fine, and so as a parent, you wonder, well she's saying the same thing, is she actually find or not right? And so then we started looking around for tools because the one thing I do I do know during that journey, when we were super privacy, Oorent never gave you know, never spend time on the kids device or anything like that. During the journey, we did spend some time on the device and there were things there that I wish we'd kind of found earlier because we might have been able to help her sooner. And there really weren't any tools. There just wasn't anything to actually go do this in a systematic way. And we already were helping a lot of families with content problems, etcetera that their kids had, So this is a natural entree for us, and frankly is a tool that I needed for my own kids. So I figured there's lots of lots of families that can also use the same technology as well.

Jeff, how do you deal with this in your family?

Jeff, how do you deal with this in your family?

I mean, we've heard from recently Kate Winslet who said her method is just to ban all social media for her children.

I mean, we've heard from recently Kate Winslet who said her method is just to ban all social media for her children.

Can't you cannot. It's an impractical thing. And so what you need to do as a parent is you need tools. You need insights in order to be able to navigate and help your kids navigate through these.

Can't you cannot. It's an impractical thing. And so what you need to do as a parent is you need tools. You need insights in order to be able to navigate and help your kids navigate through these.

Challenges.

Challenges.

And what you need for a twelve year old or thirteen year old is quite different from what you need for a sixteen year old or a seventeen year old. And what Aura has created and is delivering is not spying. It's about giving you the parent insights, giving you enough knowledge you can still give your kids a lot of leeway and a lot of privacy. We're not reading you as a parent, are not going to read their text, because if you do that, they're going to find.

And what you need for a twelve year old or thirteen year old is quite different from what you need for a sixteen year old or a seventeen year old. And what Aura has created and is delivering is not spying. It's about giving you the parent insights, giving you enough knowledge you can still give your kids a lot of leeway and a lot of privacy. We're not reading you as a parent, are not going to read their text, because if you do that, they're going to find.

A way to get off this and get around it.

A way to get off this and get around it.

In it they you know, they actually want some help, they want some guidance. We hear that from you know, our beta, from the kids that are on it today.

In it they you know, they actually want some help, they want some guidance. We hear that from you know, our beta, from the kids that are on it today.

And so the analogy I would give you is is that when.

And so the analogy I would give you is is that when.

Your child turns sixteen years old and gets a driver's license, you don't send them out on a you know, on a highway doing sixty five miles an hour without practice, coaching and some experience in time.

Your child turns sixteen years old and gets a driver's license, you don't send them out on a you know, on a highway doing sixty five miles an hour without practice, coaching and some experience in time.

Why would this be any other different? Why? Why should this device?

Why would this be any other different? Why? Why should this device?

Why should you be out there in that world, in the wilderness with no guidance, no help, And parents right now are really really struggling with this. And it's why frankly, you know, I'm so proud to be on this mission with Hari, because I think he's created something that's gone from a nice to have to something that's actually essential.

Why should you be out there in that world, in the wilderness with no guidance, no help, And parents right now are really really struggling with this. And it's why frankly, you know, I'm so proud to be on this mission with Hari, because I think he's created something that's gone from a nice to have to something that's actually essential.

We hear all the time parents are just desperate for help. Is it an arms race? Hari?

We hear all the time parents are just desperate for help. Is it an arms race? Hari?

I mean, have you found a solution that will work forever or do you have to continually develop those tools? As you know social media continuating.

I mean, have you found a solution that will work forever or do you have to continually develop those tools? As you know social media continuating.

It's always innovative innovation run. I mean you're continuously trying to stay out in front because people do catch up from behind, both in terms of you know, social media companies changing strategy, et cetera, but also because the competitive set, especially with the AI revolution, building things have been easier than ever before.

It's always innovative innovation run. I mean you're continuously trying to stay out in front because people do catch up from behind, both in terms of you know, social media companies changing strategy, et cetera, but also because the competitive set, especially with the AI revolution, building things have been easier than ever before.

So you have to build.

So you have to build.

Motes and go to market avenues in other areas beyond just technology. You have to keep evolving the tech as well and finding more and more use cases. But you have to do a lot more than that anymore, especially with AI making things so ubiquitous.

Motes and go to market avenues in other areas beyond just technology. You have to keep evolving the tech as well and finding more and more use cases. But you have to do a lot more than that anymore, especially with AI making things so ubiquitous.

Can you work with other social media companies? I mean, Jeffrey Katzenberg, you must know some of these executives who run you know, Facebook or Twitter.

Can you work with other social media companies? I mean, Jeffrey Katzenberg, you must know some of these executives who run you know, Facebook or Twitter.

Can't they be helping as well? It's a problem that they should be aware of.

Can't they be helping as well? It's a problem that they should be aware of.

Maybe they can, but they have their missions they are on And I want to be clear, not all social media is bad.

Maybe they can, but they have their missions they are on And I want to be clear, not all social media is bad.

Right.

Right.

There's been incredible, incredible values that have been created in terms of community and communications and knowledge and just extraordinary access that we have in this new generation has with these tools in it, and.

There's been incredible, incredible values that have been created in terms of community and communications and knowledge and just extraordinary access that we have in this new generation has with these tools in it, and.

So this is a byproduct of it.

So this is a byproduct of it.

The rabbit holes, the deep dark rabbit holes, that you know, one can go down or get sucked down into in it. And we're not here pointing fingers at anybody. What we are doing is is we're creating a solution. And frankly, I would think those companies would be thrilled with this solution. And you know, it comes out of these things you use. In my opinion and certainly my experience matters, they come out of a person with enough technical and experience knowledge in an area who suddenly comes upon a mission. And Hari, from his own personal experience with his own family, has been mission driven for the last two years, and I think that's what has created something that is so invaluable and practical and of the moment in time.

The rabbit holes, the deep dark rabbit holes, that you know, one can go down or get sucked down into in it. And we're not here pointing fingers at anybody. What we are doing is is we're creating a solution. And frankly, I would think those companies would be thrilled with this solution. And you know, it comes out of these things you use. In my opinion and certainly my experience matters, they come out of a person with enough technical and experience knowledge in an area who suddenly comes upon a mission. And Hari, from his own personal experience with his own family, has been mission driven for the last two years, and I think that's what has created something that is so invaluable and practical and of the moment in time.

Well, I appreciate you both coming by to talk about this. It's an issue that Bloomberg has focused on as well, so very important too, I think all of us, certainly as parents. Thanks very much, jeffre Katzenberg and Hari Rabi Chandron of Aura

Well, I appreciate you both coming by to talk about this. It's an issue that Bloomberg has focused on as well, so very important too, I think all of us, certainly as parents. Thanks very much, jeffre Katzenberg and Hari Rabi Chandron of Aura