Corporate Ethics Drive Societal Impact and AI Safety Regulation

The Grill Room · December 30, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Tech companies' leadership values and personal ethics directly correlate with their long-term societal impact, influencing child safety, democracy, and global order.
Common Sense Media shifted from rating content to rating platforms and their safety guardrails due to the unmanageable volume of user-generated content.
The AI arms race creates immense pressure, potentially compromising essential guardrails for child safety and existential risk, even among well-intentioned leaders.
California serves as the critical battleground for regulating AI and technology globally, as federal action in the U.S. has been historically absent.
Independent third-party AI safety testing platforms are necessary to build public trust, as neither government nor self-regulating companies can effectively provide unbiased oversight.
Apple and Microsoft's support for privacy laws, driven by leadership values, demonstrates how corporate ethics can shape industry standards and public perception.
Common Sense Media's success relies on its broad consumer brand and ability to mobilize public support, positioning it as a "David" against industry "Goliaths."

Deep Dive

Common Sense Media, founded by Jim Steyer, operates as a crucial arbiter in the digital age, providing parents with essential guidance on media and technology's impact on children. The organization has evolved from rating traditional media like movies and TV shows to rating platforms and advocating for legislative change, recognizing that the sheer volume and user-generated nature of social media content make individual content rating impractical. This strategic shift is vital for safeguarding young users, as tech companies, despite their immense power and wealth, have demonstrated a consistent failure in self-regulation, necessitating external oversight and advocacy.

The core of Common Sense Media's impact lies in its dual role: educating parents through "nutritional labeling" for digital content and actively advocating for stronger regulations. This advocacy is particularly critical in the current landscape, where powerful tech giants often prioritize profit over child safety and broader societal well-being, as evidenced by their lobbying efforts against proposed legislation. Steyer highlights a notable dichotomy, contrasting the perceived lack of genuine concern from Facebook's leadership with a more responsible approach from entities like Google and Microsoft, suggesting that the personal values of company leaders significantly influence their approach to child safety and ethical technology development.

The implications of this work are far-reaching, extending beyond individual families to impact public discourse on technology's role in society, democracy, and the future of artificial intelligence. Common Sense Media's success in passing California's privacy law demonstrates the potential for effective advocacy even against well-funded corporate opposition, underscoring the importance of public support and strategic legislative action. As AI rapidly advances, the organization's efforts to establish independent safety testing and rating platforms for AI technologies like chatbots are paramount, aiming to provide a trusted benchmark for parents and the public amidst an industry-wide "arms race" where self-regulation is demonstrably insufficient. Ultimately, Common Sense Media's mission is to ensure that technological progress is managed responsibly, balancing innovation with the fundamental need to protect children and uphold societal values.

Action Items

Audit AI platforms: Implement age restrictions and safety testing for chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) to mitigate mental health risks.
Develop platform guardrails: Rate AI creators and platforms, not just individual content, to address user-generated content at scale.
Advocate for legislation: Draft and support state-level privacy laws for social media and AI, mirroring California's 2018 privacy act.
Create media literacy resources: Develop consumer-facing guides for parents on navigating new platforms like TikTok and Discord.

Key Quotes

"I would posit that the leaders of the companies these are the richest most powerful companies in the history of the world right it's they're way bigger than disney or warner brothers or fox used to be and i would posit that you can look at the behavior of the companies and their long term impact on society not just in terms of kids and families but on democracy and on our broader society here in the us and globally based on who the people are at the top."

Jim Steyer argues that the immense power and influence of top tech company leaders necessitate scrutiny of their behavior and its societal impact. Steyer suggests that their decisions affect not only children and families but also the broader landscape of democracy, both domestically and internationally. This highlights his view that leadership at these powerful entities carries significant responsibility.

"We rate, educate, and advocate. We're really the in each field we're the largest nonprofit in the United States and globally rating is we started with movies and tv dylan you cover hollywood so when I started Common Sense Media no one rated movies other than Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority."

Jim Steyer explains the three-pronged approach of Common Sense Media: rating content, educating the public, and advocating for children's issues. Steyer notes that their initial focus on rating movies and TV shows filled a void, as existing ratings were politically driven rather than consumer-focused. This demonstrates the organization's foundational strategy to provide objective information to parents.

"The big change from the effect of movies tv and video games which we started with and which all the hollywood guys know us for to this day was when that social media stuff took off which is like 2007 2008 and that was the sea change and you're right our goal is to help you as a parent navigate that landscape and we don't tell you what's right or wrong we it's basically nutritional labeling for media and technology."

Jim Steyer identifies the advent of social media around 2007-2008 as a pivotal shift for Common Sense Media. Steyer explains that this transition moved their focus from rating individual media content to helping parents navigate the broader media and technology landscape. He likens their approach to providing "nutritional labeling" for digital experiences, emphasizing guidance over dictation.

"You're exactly right Dylan and here's how it happened so the first few years it was really successful from the get go thank god and we basically replaced the MPAA the PG-13 Jack Valenti hated us the New York Times had a front page story when we launched Common Sense Media... but the sea change is exactly right it's when basically Facebook took off... and so the truth is you're right you can't rate every single YouTube video that's been uploaded because since we started talking there've been a thousand new YouTube videos uploaded or TikToks right so we had to figure out how to give you guardrails and number two we went heavily on advocacy."

Jim Steyer elaborates on the evolution of Common Sense Media's strategy in response to the explosion of user-generated content on platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Steyer explains that the sheer volume of content made individual rating impractical, necessitating a shift towards providing "guardrails" and a stronger emphasis on advocacy. This highlights the organization's adaptive approach to the changing digital environment.

"I think we're more effective and let me explain why but it's a complete difference between the legacy media companies... and the landscape has changed and the here's the thing almost all these guys are parents so they all use Common Sense Media this is the interesting thing number two I'm a fairly outgoing gregarious person so I know all of them and have known them at the top level from the beginning."

Jim Steyer asserts that Common Sense Media is more effective in the current tech landscape than with legacy media, attributing this to several factors. Steyer points out that many tech leaders are parents themselves and use the organization's resources, fostering a connection. He also notes his personal relationships with these leaders, which facilitate communication and influence.

"I think that we have to look at the top so I'm happy to say that about Sundar and Ruth and some of the other people who run Google even though I disagree with them and they try to block our legislation or get Gavin to veto it in California... but if you look quite frankly you look at Dario Amodei for example the founder and ceo of Anthropic he's a really good guy he actually cares about this a lot."

Jim Steyer expresses a nuanced view on the leadership of tech companies, identifying specific individuals and companies he believes demonstrate genuine concern for child safety and societal impact. Steyer credits leaders at Google and Anthropic, like Sundar Pichai, Ruth Porat, and Dario Amodei, with caring about these issues, even while acknowledging disagreements on regulatory approaches. This indicates his belief in assessing leadership on a company-by-company basis.

"We are the David and they're Goliath and I believe at least on the kids and family front and I'm talking not just in the US David is going to win and Common Sense Media is David... we poll this and the public loves us and it's not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue in fact Common Sense Media is more popular in conservative areas of the United States than we are in New York or Berkeley California or Hollywood Hills where you know many people it's like we're really popular with mainstream America and this is true globally too."

Jim Steyer frames the advocacy efforts of Common Sense Media as a "David vs. Goliath" struggle against powerful tech companies. Steyer expresses confidence in their eventual success, citing broad public support across the political spectrum in the U.S. and globally. He emphasizes that their popularity with mainstream America, rather than partisan alignment, is a key strength.

"The other parent I'd by far the most time and what it the thing is I was the dad of three kids at the time I wrote it and it was so obvious to me that they were being checked and here's one thing my partners in founding Common Sense and to this day are successful media people who went to the nonprofit mostly women who went to the nonprofit world because they'd been successful the founder of women com the former head of Addison Wesley and Arbor Collins and so we're not anti media we've always our motto was always sanity not censorship."

Jim Steyer explains the origin and philosophy behind his book "The Other Parent," which frames media and technology as a parental influence. Steyer clarifies that Common Sense Media is not anti-media or anti-tech, but rather advocates for "sanity, not censorship." This highlights their balanced approach, aiming to integrate technology responsibly rather than reject it entirely.

"San Francisco is a fantastic city and I would urge everybody to go there whenever they can and I think it's a total comeback place... but the leadership of the AI industry is based in San Francisco which is different than the rest of Silicon Valley right so it's going to be very important as AI evolves."

Jim Steyer expresses a strong positive

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Other Parent: An Inside Story of the Media's Effect on Your Children" by Jim Styer - Mentioned as the book that motivated the founding of Common Sense Media.

Articles & Papers

"Talking Back to Facebook" by Jim Styer - Mentioned as a popular book that Facebook attempted to block publication of.

People

Jim Styer - Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, professor at Stanford, and author.
Tom Styer - Brother of Jim Styer, hedge fund investor, and gubernatorial candidate.
Bob Iger - Mentioned in relation to early discussions about rating movies and TV shows.
Terry Semel - Mentioned in relation to early discussions about rating movies and TV shows.
Bob Gayley - Mentioned in relation to early discussions about rating movies and TV shows.
Jeff Shell - Mentioned in relation to early discussions about rating movies and TV shows.
Steve Jobs - Mentioned for unveiling the iPhone, which shifted the media landscape.
Mark Zuckerberg - Founder of Facebook (Meta), mentioned in relation to the rise of social media.
Chris DeWolfe - Mentioned in relation to MySpace.
Rupert Murdoch - Mentioned in relation to MySpace.
James Murdoch - Mentioned in relation to MySpace.
Chad Hurley - Co-founder of YouTube.
Steve Chen - Co-founder of YouTube.
Sundar Pichai - CEO of Google, mentioned as a thoughtful and caring leader.
Ruth Porat - CFO of Alphabet and Google, mentioned as a thoughtful and caring leader.
Lorraine Twohill - CMO of Google, mentioned as a caring individual.
Dario Amodei - Founder and CEO of Anthropic, mentioned as a good person who cares about AI safety.
Sam Altman - CEO of OpenAI, mentioned in relation to AI and its development.
Chris Lahey - Mentioned as a political player in the AI world.
Susan Wojcicki - Former CEO of YouTube, mentioned for improving the platform.
Neal Mohan - Current CEO of YouTube, mentioned as a thoughtful person.
Esther Wojcicki - Mother of Susan Wojcicki, mentioned as a journalism teacher.
Shou Zi Chew - CEO of TikTok, described as a frontman for Beijing.
Elon Musk - CEO of X (formerly Twitter), mentioned as being in his own category regarding AI and children's safety.
Mark Benioff - CEO of Salesforce, mentioned as a friend of Elon Musk and a supporter of privacy laws.
Enrique Lores - CEO of HP, mentioned as a supporter of privacy laws.
Dr. Vivek Murthy - Two-time Surgeon General of the United States, mentioned as a board member of Common Sense Media and a spokesperson for youth mental health.
Gavin Newsom - Governor of California, mentioned in relation to vetoing legislation.
Jared Kushner - Mentioned in relation to dealing with Vladimir Putin.
Steve Whitcoff - Mentioned in relation to dealing with Vladimir Putin.
John Kelly - Co-founder of Puck, mentioned as a colleague.
Bill Cohan - Journalist at Puck, mentioned as a colleague.
Sal Khan - Founder of Khan Academy, mentioned for turning Khan Academy into an AI tutoring company.
Mike McFaul - Ambassador to Russia, mentioned as a speaker in Jim Styer's Stanford class.
Susan Rice - National Security Advisor, mentioned as a speaker in Jim Styer's Stanford class.
Margrethe Vestager - EU official, mentioned for regulating tech companies and fining major tech firms.
London Breed - Former Mayor of San Francisco, mentioned positively by Jim Styer.
Daniel Lurie - Mentioned as a smart and solid individual involved with Tipping Point.
Larry Ellison - Founder of Oracle, mentioned in relation to his house in San Francisco and supporting privacy laws.
Johnny Ive - Designer, mentioned in relation to AI and San Francisco.

Organizations & Institutions

Starbucks - Presented as a sponsor of The Grill Room podcast.
Mint Mobile - Mentioned for offering discounted wireless service.
Common Sense Media - Nonprofit organization focused on media and technology's impact on children.
Stanford University - Institution where Jim Styer is a professor.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund - Civil rights firm where Jim Styer worked.
AARP - Organization representing senior citizens.
Sierra Club - Environmental organization.
MySpace - Social media platform, mentioned in the context of early social media.
Facebook (Meta) - Social media platform, discussed extensively regarding its impact and leadership.
YouTube - Video-sharing platform, discussed regarding its content and leadership.
Google - Technology company, discussed regarding its leadership and AI development.
Instagram - Social media platform, mentioned as a significant shift in media.
TikTok - Social media platform, discussed regarding its origin and content.
X (formerly Twitter) - Social media platform, mentioned in relation to Elon Musk.
Apple - Technology company, mentioned in relation to privacy and supporting privacy laws.
Microsoft - Technology company, mentioned in relation to supporting privacy laws.
HP (Hewlett-Packard) - Company, mentioned in relation to supporting privacy laws.
Anthropic - AI company, mentioned for its founder's focus on AI safety.
OpenAI - AI research company, mentioned in relation to its CEO and AI development.
Nvidia - Technology company, mentioned in relation to AI.
Airbnb - Company, mentioned as a neighbor to Common Sense Media's offices.
Zinga - Gaming company, mentioned as a former neighbor to Common Sense Media's offices.
Scale AI - AI company, mentioned as a neighbor to Common Sense Media's offices.
EU (European Union) - Mentioned in relation to regulating tech companies.
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) - Mentioned in relation to media regulation.
The Grill Room - Podcast where the conversation takes place.
Puck - Media company, mentioned as a publication and partner.
CNN - News organization, mentioned in relation to Dylan Byers's past work.
NBC - News organization, mentioned in relation to Dylan Byers's past work.
Fox News - News organization, mentioned for its portrayal of San Francisco.
The Moral Majority - Mentioned in relation to early movie rating efforts.
MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) - Mentioned in relation to movie ratings.
Tipping Point - Organization founded by Daniel Lurie.
Robin Hood (New York) - Organization that inspired Tipping Point.
NextGen - Organization co-founded by Jim and Tom Styer focused on youth voting and climate change.
Odyssey - Partner in The Grill Room podcast.

Websites & Online Resources

mintmobile.com - Website for Mint Mobile.
lgusa.com/iheart - Website for LG Gram laptops.

Other Resources

Windows 10 - Operating system for which Microsoft has ended support.
Windows 11 - Operating system for LG Gram laptops.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) - Discussed as a significant and evolving technology with profound implications.
AI Companions - Mentioned in relation to mental health crises and regulation.
Chatbots - Discussed as a component of AI requiring regulation.
ChatGPT - AI chatbot platform.
Gemini - AI chatbot platform.
Privacy Laws - Discussed in the context of California's legislation and its impact.
Nutritional Labeling for Media and Technology - Analogy used to describe Common Sense Media's rating system.
The Other Parent - Concept referring to screens and media in children's lives.
The Rule of Law in America - Theme of Jim Styer's new podcast.
Youth Mental Health Crisis - Discussed as a significant issue in the United States.
Silicon Valley Ethos ("Move Fast, Break Things") - Discussed as a driving principle in technology development.
Arms Race (AI) - Analogy used to describe the competitive development of AI.
San Francisco - City discussed in terms of its recovery and its role as a center for technology and innovation.
Hollywood - Mentioned in relation to legacy media and its evolution.
Legacy Media - Discussed in contrast to new media and technology platforms.
Capitalist Project - Concept mentioned in relation to American economics.
Wealth Inequality Gap - Discussed as a significant societal issue.
Environmental Advocacy - Mentioned as a focus for Tom Styer.
Youth Voting - Mentioned as a focus for NextGen.
Climate Change - Mentioned as a focus for NextGen.
San Francisco Homeless Crisis - Mentioned as an issue facing the city.
Street Crime/Drug Use in San Francisco - Mentioned as issues facing the city.