Safe AI for Kids: How Chatperone Protects Your Child ft. Caleb Hurd | My EdTech Life 356

In this episode, Dr. Alfonso sits down with Caleb Hurd, founder of Chatperone, an AI chat platform built specifically to keep kids safe online. As a father of two and a 20-year tech industry veteran, Caleb built Chatperone not for investors or school district contracts, but for his own children first. What started as a personal solution has become a mission to give parents and educators peace of mind in a world where AI chatbots are already in the hands of our kids.

From the Character AI controversy to COPPA compliance gaps, Caleb and Dr. Fonz unpack the real dangers lurking in unguarded AI platforms and why Big Tech is getting it wrong. They also explore what it truly means to put the child at the center of EdTech design, how parents and teachers can work together to guide healthy AI interactions, and why data ownership matters more than ever in 2026.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context Setting
06:04 The Birth of Chatperone
12:01 Navigating Parental Concerns
17:48 Building Trust with Parents
23:52 Challenges with Big Tech
29:52 The Future of Child Safety in EdTech
30:47 Understanding AI in Education
35:46 Building Solutions with Children in Mind
40:39 The Philosophy Behind Chatperone
42:44 Navigating the Current Educational Landscape
47:46 Reflections on Parenting and Technology

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