In Episode 3 of Behind the Algorithm, we turn the focus back to the voices at the heart of this series, students.

Three Year 8 students from Workington Academy share their honest experiences of growing up with social media. From screen time and scrolling habits to pressure, comparison, group chats and online trends, they reflect on how platforms shape their daily lives.

Following conversations with national figures in Episodes 1 and 2, this episode grounds the debate in real student experience. No headlines, no policy language, just honest discussion about what it’s actually like to grow up online in 2026.

Behind the Algorithm is a student-led podcast from Workington Academy Radio exploring the impact of social media, algorithms and digital life on young people.

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In Episode 2 of Behind the Algorithm, students from Workington Academy Radio speak with Will Gardner OBE, CEO of Childnet, one of the UK’s leading organisations dedicated to keeping children and young people safe online.

Will explains how social media platforms and algorithms shape what young people see, think, and feel online, and why these systems can have such a powerful influence on behaviour, mental health, and wellbeing. Students explore how algorithms amplify content, the risks of harmful or misleading material, and why online safety is about far more than screen time alone.

The conversation looks at responsibility, where it should sit between young people, parents, schools, technology companies, and government, and why education, design choices, and regulation must work together. Will also discusses the role of digital literacy, how young people can be supported to navigate online spaces more safely, and what realistic protection looks like in a fast-moving digital world.

Recorded at Workington Academy Radio, this episode places student voices at the centre of an important national conversation about social media, algorithms, and growing up online.

Behind the Algorithm is a student-led podcast series investigating life online, featuring voices from education, politics, and child online safety.

The post Behind the Algorithm: Episode 2 – Will Gardner OBE on Social Media and Algorithms appeared first on Workington Academy.

In the first episode of Behind the Algorithm, students from Workington Academy Radio sit down with Josh MacAlister OBE MP, Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington and Minister for Children and Families.

Josh explains how social media platforms are designed to capture attention, why algorithms are so powerful, and how this is affecting young people’s mental health, sleep, relationships, and time spent in the real world. Students question whether education alone can solve these problems and explore why social media, rather than phones themselves, has become the focus of current government discussions.

The episode also looks at the responsibility of technology companies, the impact of constant comparison and misinformation, and the wider implications for democracy and how young people access news. Josh shares his own experiences of managing screen time and offers practical advice for developing healthier digital habits.

Recorded at Workington Academy Radio, this student-led conversation places young voices at the heart of a national debate about social media, regulation, and growing up online.

The post Behind the Algorithm: Episode 1 – Josh MacAlister OBE MP on Social Media and Safer Phones appeared first on Workington Academy.