Tech Execs Grapple with Balancing AI, Gaming, and Social Media for Their Families

Leaders at companies like Paypal, Snapchat, and Facebook share how they navigate technology decisions for their kids.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 9:40am by Ben Kaplan

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Many parents struggle with how to manage their kids' use of technology, and tech executives are no exception. Leaders at companies like Paypal, Snapchat, and Facebook have shared insights into how they approach screen time, social media, and AI for their own children. While some set strict limits, others focus more on the quality and purpose of technology use rather than just the quantity. The approaches vary, but the common thread is a desire to harness the benefits of technology while mitigating the potential downsides.

Why it matters

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, especially for younger generations, how tech leaders navigate these issues for their own families provides valuable insights. Their perspectives shed light on the challenges and considerations all parents face when it comes to raising kids in the digital age.

The details

Some tech executives, like Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel and Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, limit their young children to just an hour and a half of screen time per week. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says he wants his kids to use screens for communication, not passive consumption. Others, like Niyoka McCoy of Stride, see technology as a tool for learning and creativity first, and entertainment second. Hari Ravichandran of Aura focuses more on technology's impact on his children's well-being rather than strict time limits. And some, like Cisco's Nik Kale, are more concerned about who is controlling the technology interaction - a human or an algorithm.

  • Three years ago, Hari Ravichandran's daughter, who was then 13, went through a tough time that he believes her access to a smartphone contributed to.

The players

Peter Thiel

Paypal co-founder who limits his young children to an hour and a half of screen time per week.

Evan Spiegel

Snapchat CEO who limits his young children to an hour and a half of screen time per week.

Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook founder who wants his kids to use screens for communication, not passive consumption.

Niyoka McCoy

Chief learning officer at online education company Stride, who sees technology as a tool for learning and creativity first.

Hari Ravichandran

Founder and CEO of online security company Aura, who focuses on how technology impacts his children's well-being.

Nik Kale

Principal engineer with Cisco Systems, who is more concerned about who is controlling the technology interaction - a human or an algorithm.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Like most things in life, the right answer feels like it lies somewhere in the middle. It's not tech abstinence, and it's not unlimited, unfettered usage. It's moderate usage on non-addictive apps and games with boundaries.”

— Kate Doerksen, Co-founder and CEO of Sage Haven (Business Insider)

“When kids spend too much time scrolling or watching instead of creating, learning, or building something meaningful, that is when technology stops being beneficial.”

— Niyoka McCoy, Chief learning officer at Stride (Business Insider)

“What I think is overblown is the idea that technology itself is the enemy. Cutting it out completely doesn't solve the root problem and can actually limit kids' independence and digital literacy.”

— Hari Ravichandran, Founder and CEO of Aura (Business Insider)

“I don't let automated systems make unsupervised decisions in my production environments at work. I'm not going to let one make unsupervised decisions about what my three-year-old's brain consumes either.”

— Nik Kale, Principal engineer at Cisco Systems (Business Insider)

The takeaway

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, especially for younger generations, how tech leaders navigate these issues for their own families provides valuable insights. Their perspectives shed light on the challenges and considerations all parents face when it comes to raising kids in the digital age.