Lavanya Gupta, CEO and Founder of Silana Learning and a former Meta employee, is raising awareness about the hidden dangers of tech. With insight into the inner workings of Big Tech, she made the deliberate choice to keep her young daughters offline. But when the pandemic hit and remote learning became a necessity, she realized the inescapable - and often harmful - role that digital platforms can play, even in the classroom.
Many parents assume that school-approved apps are safe, but Lavanya warns otherwise. Her top concern? Data privacy. “Schools are consenting on behalf of parents without considering long-term consequences,” she says. Invited by her children’s school to help shape tech policies, she found her mission: empowering parents to protect their kids online.
Lavanya shares practical strategies for digital safety, rates apps based on the strength of their parental controls, and offers guidance on age-appropriate media use - all backed by research and real-world insights.
Don’t miss this conversation with Nicki from Scrolling 2 Death and Lavanya Gupta - packed with tips, best practices, and must-know advice to keep your kids safe online.
About Lavanya Gupta
Lavanya Gupta (pronounced Laav-un-yaa Goop-tha) is the Founder and CEO of Silana Learning, an organization dedicated to designing research-based learning programs that empower both individuals and institutions to navigate an increasingly complex digital world. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of learning, technology, and leadership development, Lavanya has held roles at leading global organizations such as Meta, Stanford University, and American Express, as well as consulted with a diverse array of startups, nonprofits, and educational institutions including the United Nations Population Fund.
Lavanya holds a Master’s degree in Adult Learning and Leadership from Columbia University. Her career has taken her across continents and cultures, giving her a nuanced understanding of people and cultures and how learning systems must adapt in a globalized and digital world.
Recently, Lavanya has been focusing on parent education around technology and social media, offering guidance to hundreds of families on how to navigate the digital landscape with intention and clarity. Over the past three years, she has delivered talks and workshops at numerous schools, helping parents understand the psychological and developmental risks associated with unregulated tech and social media use, while also supporting them in building a family philosophy around digital wellness.
As CEO of Silana Learning, Lavanya recently launched an innovative online course for parents titled "How to Protect Your Child Online." The course offers a comprehensive approach to digital safety, combining high-level research based insights on emerging risks with hands-on video tutorials for setting up parental controls across devices and platforms. In addition to her work with parents, Lavanya has also consulted with school leaders on developing sensible cellphone and technology policies. She has two teenage daughters of her own, and her most recent work was inspired by a desire to educate and protect them from digital harm.
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