This comprehensive guide by CNN contributor and social media expert Dr. Kara Alaimo in partnership with Cornerstone Day School provides parents, teachers and mental health professionals with ready-made conversations and exercises to teach young people how to protect and empower themselves online. Drawing on a decade of expertise covering digital safety, this book tackles critical topics including deepfakes, catfishing, misinformation, influencer culture, AI-generated content, online predators, privacy protection and healthy screen time boundaries.

Each chapter includes reflection questions and exercises designed for immediate use in one-on-one conversations, classroom settings or therapy sessions – no prior expertise required. Written in accessible language that avoids being preachy or patronizing, this playbook reduces the burden on overwhelmed caregivers by providing the exact scripts they need to have these crucial conversations. From understanding how algorithms work and identifying misinformation to negotiating reasonable rules and building authentic offline identities, this book covers everything today's teens need to know about social media and screen time.

Whether you're preparing a child for their first phone, integrating digital literacy into your curriculum or seeking practical tools for your therapy practice, this book offers the comprehensive framework you've been searching for. With its practical exercises, research-backed insights and conversational tone, it's the essential guide for helping the next generation develop healthier, safer and more empowering relationships with technology.

Companion resources for parents, teachers and students are available online. Visit https://cornerstonedayschool.com/book-resources to access the No Filter workbook and related materials from Cornerstone Day School.

Kara Alaimo, PhD, is a Professor of Communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she created the university’s academic programs in social media. She has been writing opinion and analysis pieces for CNN about how social media is affecting us all since 2016. She is the author of Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back, published in March 2024. She is a former spokesperson in the Obama administration and communicator at the United Nations and speaks frequently to educators, students and parents in schools about how to handle kids’ social media use. For more information, visit www.karaalaimo.com and follow her on social media.

Cornerstone Day School is a private therapeutic school in Cranford, New Jersey, for students in grades 5-12 with significant emotional and psychiatric challenges. Since its founding by Dr. Allan J. Blau and Dr. David Nyman in 2006, Cornerstone has created a unique setting for these students and has built a reputation for clinical and academic excellence.

Cornerstone is the only therapeutic school in New Jersey licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health to provide treatment. It is accredited by the Middle States Association, Cognia and the National Independent Private Schools Association.