Safe on Social

Walk into any department store this Christmas and you’ll find shelves of smiling toys powered by AI. Teddy bears that “listen with love.” Dolls that promise to “grow with your child.” Robots that say they can help with maths, literacy and loneliness. These aren’t screens, and yet they’re wired just the same with microphones, sensors, data connections, companion apps, and, crucially, an invisible thread to corporate servers far beyond parental reach. Audio becomes text, text b

If you don’t want your emails, chats, and digital habits feeding into Google’s AI systems (yes, even when it doesn’t say “AI” outright) there’s something buried in your settings you need to switch off. Google isn’t going to wave a flag or drop you a notification about it. These so-called smart features ? That’s just AI hiding under another name. Predictive writing. Autocomplete. Auto-summarise. “Help me write.” They’re generative AI tools in everything but name. And they’re h

Meta Is Texting Teens Why Parents and Teachers Must Talk to Them Today They’ve begun sending messages via SMS, email and in-app notifications, warning young users they have just days left on Instagram, Facebook and Threads if they’re under 16. The law banning under-16s from these platforms officially starts on December 10, but Meta is moving early — accounts will begin disappearing from December 4. This is a big, complex shift. But it’s also the perfect opportunity for sca

Six years ago, I was invited to speak at a school where one of the students was already a well-known influencer who was having a profound effect on her peers. She was 11. Her platform? Skincare routines. Today, it’s not just worse. It’s everywhere. “Get Ready With Me” videos are now a daily ritual for primary school girls. Morning routine. After-school routine. Night routine. Cleanser, toner, serum, lip mask, ice roller. Ten steps, tapped out by tiny gel nails on 10-year-old

In less than a month on December 10th the Australian Social Media Minimum Age Law starts being enforced. From 10 December 2025, social media platforms must stop Australians under 16 from having accounts and remove or deactivate existing under‑16 accounts. The legal duty is on the platforms, not on children or parents. Platforms must offer clear information, let users download their data, and provide simple review/appeal options if a mistake is made. They cannot make governmen