Conference session

We are living through an inflection point in human history, that is reshaping how trust, identity, and knowledge are formed. For the first time, children are developing their understanding of the world not primarily through relationships, but through algorithmic systems. This raises a critical question: What happens to public trust, democratic participation, and human connection when relational development is displaced by digital environments? This session will be of interest to scholars, educators, policymakers, and practitioners working across education, mental health, technology, and public policy who are concerned with the societal impacts of artificial intelligence and digital life. Drawing on the science of early developmental, neuroscience, and digital ethics, this presentation introduces a Love-Informed framework for digital resilience, grounded in the Neurorelational Love Model. It argues that children’s ability to navigate digital environments safely depends not only on cognitive skills, but on emotional safety, co-regulation, and relational belonging. Without these foundations, algorithmic systems can become primary predictors of self-worth, belonging, and truth. Participants will explore how early relational experiences shape long-term patterns of trust, identity, and meaning-making, and why the current crisis of misinformation and institutional distrust cannot be separated from childhood development. The session will offer practical and conceptual insights for rethinking parenting, education, and policy in ways that prioritize relational safety alongside digital literacy. This work is informed by, Love Over Algorithms: How to Raise Emotionally Safe Kids in a World of Screens (2026), which expands on these ideas for broader application across families, education systems, and public discourse.