Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
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I 'dated' Character.AI's popular boyfriends, and parents should be worried
Experts evaluated our chats and explained the red flags.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Explaining the phenomenon known as 'AI psychosis'
"Psychosis thrives when reality stops pushing back, and AI can really soften that wall."
By Rebecca Ruiz
AI has entered the therapy session — and it's recording you
More therapists are recording sessions with AI, leading to concerns over consent and data breaches.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Latest From Rebecca Ruiz
How ChatGPT ends up in children's toys
A teddy bear using ChatGPT got spicy. Now we have more questions about AI toys than answers.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Child experts: AI toys too risky for young kids
Researchers warn parents about popular AI toys after testing them.
By Rebecca Ruiz
OpenAI launches age prediction for teen safety
OpenAI is trying to keep teens safer by estimating their age.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Google reverses key parental control policy
Teens will now need to get explicit permission to remove a parental supervision setting.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Character.AI settles lawsuits related to teen deaths
The lawsuits alleged that Character.AI's chatbot product was defective and dangerous.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Study: Teens spend hour-plus on their phones at school
Teens aren't using their phones to study or learn. Instead, they're on these popular apps.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Public Domain Day 2026 list: Betty Boop, Disney cartoons, classic books, and more
The list includes characters and books, like Betty Boop and Faulkner's 'As I Lay Daying.'
By Rebecca Ruiz
Instagram CEO thinks real content should be labeled
How will we tell real creator content from the AI variety? Adam Mosseri has some ideas.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Make 2026 the year your kid gets off their device
Use these four strategies to reset your child's relationship with time-sucking tech.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Why your kid can't rely on tech tools to spell
When kids depend on spellcheck, autocorrect, and ChatGPT, they're at a serious disadvantage.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Kids aren't learning to spell anymore
If your child struggles to spell, they're not alone. Here's what to do.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Meta AI glasses adds 'conversation focus' feature
Glasses wearers can now amplify the voice of someone they're trying to hear.
By Rebecca Ruiz
OpenAI vows to 'put teen safety first' on ChatGPT
New update aims to provide a safe experience for teens between the ages of 13 and 17.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Trump signs AI executive order, aims to stop state laws
A new task force will challenge existing state AI regulations.
By Rebecca Ruiz
PSA imagines AI chatbots as creepy humans who harm kids
The ad calls for AI regulation just as Trump says he won't allow states to pass their own laws.
By Rebecca Ruiz
'Running Up That Hill' returns for Season 5 of 'Stranger Things'
Explaining the significance of the song that defined Season 4.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Trump to sign order prohibiting state AI regulation
Trump declares need for "One Rulebook" so U.S. can dominate AI race.
By Rebecca Ruiz
OpenAI denies allegations in teen death lawsuit
The company instead cites Adam Raine's past suicidal risk and his violation of ChatGPT policies.
By Rebecca Ruiz
What to know before you buy an AI toy
AI toys may look fun, but there's a lot to understand about how they can affect your child.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Experts: AI chatbots unsafe for teen mental health
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Meta AI consistently failed expert testing.
By Rebecca Ruiz
TikTok debuts 'affirmation' journal, soothing sounds
The video platform is going all in on relaxation and mindfulness tools.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Want to chat on Roblox? You'll need to verify your age.
The gaming platform will soon require age estimation in order to chat with other users.
By Rebecca Ruiz
5 strategies to avoid ChatGPT dependency
Avoid getting hooked on an AI chatbot by taking these steps.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Waymo to start taking freeway rides in select cities
The autonomous vehicle company announced new freeway capabilities.
By Rebecca Ruiz
Sports bettors: Think twice about that parlay bet
Parlays can be a fun way to bet on games. They're also riskier than you think.
By Rebecca Ruiz
