PRESS ROOM
Will Maurer
Executive Director, Children’s Media Research and Reform Lab (CMRRL)
Early Childhood Screen Time and AI Literacy
TEDx and Keynote Speaker
20-year media insider working to reform the systems shaping how the youngest children encounter screen time, while helping parents become screen smart and screen safe from the start.
Press & media inquiries: Will Maurer, Executive Director, press@cmrrl.org
Responses within 3 business hours, 9am–6pm PT, Monday–Saturday
For faster scheduling, call or text 1-818-679-4868
Photo Credit: 406 Memories
About Will
Will Maurer is a leading voice in children's media reform, working at the intersection of early childhood development, screen time literacy and digital wellbeing. After a 20+ year career as a tech and media executive, he brings a rare insider's view of how children's media is designed and delivered, and how those choices impact and interrupt a young child's development.
Becoming a father during the pandemic changed Will's course. Searching for guidance on screen use for his own child, he found a wide gap between what developmental science and experts recommend and the realities families actually face.
At CMRRL, Will turns complex research into screen time literacy, tools and resources for parents and practitioners, so that a child's digital ecosystem meets the same standards of care, intention and safety as every other pillar of early childhood.
Speaking Topics
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Screen time literacy from birth to five: helping families move from confusion to confidence.
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A former children's media insider on helping families recognize, identify and understand the ingredients in their child's digital media diet.
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Relationally centered tools for attuned co-viewing that put caregiver–child connection at the center of media use.
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Parents as Producers: teaching CMRRL's 5D Mirror and ARC Frameworks so parents and educators can create their own developmentally appropriate content.
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AI and technology: what to know and assess before they're used in homes and schools.
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Developmentally designed digital literacy training and tools for families, early childhood professionals, home visitors and policymakers.
CMRRL Position Statements
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The screen time crisis is the result of a systemic failure, not a parenting failure.
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“No screens before 2” policies have created a regulatory void that profit-driven platforms have rushed to fill.
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Although we agree that screens should be avoided for as long as possible, the research shows that screens are being introduced at younger ages and for longer periods of time. Parents of young children want non-commercial content and platform options.
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Current screen time policies are not only ineffective, they have created a knowledge and regulatory gap, and have blocked support and funding for broader research and safer solutions.
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Parents are targeted with deceptive marketing claims such as “educational,” “low stimulation,” “baby-safe,” “developed by experts”, without companies being required to provide proof for any of it.
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Parents, educators and pediatricians often lack the digital literacy skills to identify overstimulating design elements and to support families whose children are already dependent on screens.
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While many organizations offer general screen time advice and commercial media recommendations, they often lack the insider technical knowledge of how children’s content and streaming platforms are actually built to capture and hold attention. This gap in expertise is a blindspot for families and professionals alike.
Statistics
Source
Screen time typically begins by 4 months of age
Average daily viewing time approaches one hour by 6 months
Over 75% of infants are watching television before their first birthday
Over 90% of children are watching screens by age two
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