Richard Freed, PhD, is a psychologist and author who has a leading role in exposing Silicon Valley’s addictive science of persuasive design in social media, video games, and online videos and how that affects children’s health. He wrote the first major media article on the subject and has testified at the California State Assembly Judiciary Committee on how to protect kids from harm. Dr. Freed’s recent book Better Than Real Life describes not only how Silicon Valley uses its science of addiction to steal kids’ away from essential real-world experiences but actions we can take to help our kids. Freed’s efforts to protect kids from addictive screens have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets.

Dr. Freed speaks nationally to groups of parents, teachers, and health care providers. Receiving his professional training at Cambridge Hospital / Harvard Medical School and the California School of Professional Psychology, he is on the advisory boards of Smartphone Free Childhood US, the Screen Time Action Network at Fairplay, ScreenStrong, and Wait Until 8th. Dr. Freed lives in Walnut Creek, California and is the proud father of two daughters.