First Fish Chronicles
Emily Cherkin, Denise Champney, Annie Karabell, PhD, Swimming UpScreenFirst Fish Chronicles is about dismantling the EdTech industry to save children, education, and democracy.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Twice weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 163 | Founded | 2 years ago | Last Issue | 3 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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firstfish.substack.comLatest Issues
P*rn, Gambling, Genitals, and AI Slop: A Day in the Life of a School-Issued Laptop
Note from Emily: In a recent essay, I shared an image of the result a second grader received when he searched up “Egyptian queen” in Book Creator1 on his school-issued Chromebook. I asked readers to please send me screenshots or other examp...
NEW Lawsuit Against OpenAI Gets at the Heart of the Big Tech Business Model. Schools Might Want to Take Heed.
Photo by Maja Petric on Unsplash
Sometimes, the simplest message is the most effective.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, a lawsuit against OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, was filed, alleging the company knowingly takes private information from c...
13 Things Schools and States Can Do to Protect Children from EdTech Harms
Note from Emily: The Kentucky Budget Review Subcommittee on Education invited me to provide expert testimony on EdTech, particularly around spending, on October 7, 2026. (I testified previously before Kentucky lawmakers, which you can read...
Calling on School Leaders to Disable YouTube and Gemini AI on School-Issued Devices
Photo by Thomas Park on Unsplash
Note from Emily: Recently, I joined a coalition of experts concerned about children’s online safety and signed on to and sent an open letter to 150 of the largest American school districts, requesting that...
Here is What a Child Got When He Searched “Egyptian Queen” on his School Laptop.
I need your help.
A parent recently shared with me this image that she printed off from the search results given to her elementary-school aged child when he entered “Egyptian Queen.”
What an elementary school-aged child got when he search...
Audience Metrics
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| Subscribers | Engagement | 77 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
My mission is to save children, education & democracy by dismantling the EdTech industry through grassroots change. I am The Screentime Consultant, an author, teacher, speaker, writer, activist, and parent.
Denise Champney (MS CCC/SLP) is a school based speech-language pathologist, working to undue Big Tech's grip on education. All writing completed without the use of generative AI.
Annie is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Maryland, College Park.
The best way for us to teach our kids how to manage life with digital technology, is to first teach them how to manage life without it.
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