Might social media actually be better for us than we think? Are we actually addicted to our phones, or are there behaviours we can spot and change? Joining Interface this time is Pete Etchells, psychologist, digital tech researcher, science writer and author of 'Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time'.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Interface is delivered by SWGfL, a leading online safety charity. If you have enjoyed listening to any episode of Interface and would like to support the ongoing work of SWGfL, please visit their website: swgfl.org.uk/donate

Mentioned in this episode:

Links:

Dr Mark McGlashan from Birmingham City University joins the Interface team to discuss issues to do with online harm, safety and safeguarding in schools.

SWGfL provide the Test Filtering service to help ensure filtering systems are blocking harmful online content. http://testfiltering.com/

Teachers and school staff can improve approach to online safety, with a variety of essential training services from SWGfL. https://swgfl.org.uk/training/

SWGfL’s anonymous reporting tool makes it easier for students to talk to a trusted adult about incidents, and worries. Discover Whisper, to support safeguarding concerns. https://swgfl.org.uk/products/whisper/

The Assisted Monitoring Service supports schools with their approach to online harm, by monitoring school devices and flagging harmful content when viewed or used by students. https://swgfl.org.uk/services/assisted-monitoring/

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode:

Links:

Lee Parkinson is one half of the '2 Mr Ps in a podcast' team alongside his brother Adam. He's a Manchester primary school teacher, a classroom technology trainer, and a social media content creator. He's a big advocate of the power of AI to save teachers time and energy and explores this in our latest episode.

For further support, guidance, and considerations around AI technology, visit the SWGfL AI Hub.

Stay informed about latest trends, key issues, online safety considerations and essential services, with SWGfL’s expert training.

Alongside ProjectEVOLVE, ProjectEVOLVE EDU from SWGfL is here to help teachers improve their understanding of digital literacy and online safety, meeting essential online safety training needs.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode:

Links:

Safer Internet Day takes place on the first Tuesday of every February. It's the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety - and brings together schools, businesses and thousand of organisations to promote safe and positive use of technology for children and young people. This episode - recorded in the wake of Safer Internet Day 2024 - is a chat about the day with Childnet CEO Will Gardner.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode:

Links:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already changing the fundamentals of how we live, work and teach - and its influence will only grow. It can be daunting to understand its strengths, and how best to engage with it - but it could be a huge benefit to teachers and educators. In this episode of Interface, online safety consultant Jess McBeath and co-host Ailish Hunter speak with SWGfL's deputy CEO and online safety director Ken Corish.

Links and resources:

SWGfL's AI resources hub

Free AI lesson plans from SWGfL

UK Safer Internet Centre blog: "Children must understand risks" of AI-generated sexual imagery

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode:

Links:

What do you need to think about in order to manage your professional reputation online?

For the last of our '12 Festive Tips', Jess and Gareth are joined by the one-and-only Bobby Seagull - celebrity maths teacher, with brilliant advice on how he navigates being both a professional educator and a social media personality.

Listen to the full episode with Bobby here.

SWGfL's Professionals Online Safety Helpline can advise on issues relating to online reputation concerns. You can reach them on 0344 381 4772.

Thanks for being with the SWGfL Interface podcast this year - we'll see you in January. Happy Christmas!

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Parents and carers have a massive part to play, when it comes to both keeping young people safe online, AND helping them explore, grow and learn.   

That’s why - for this festive tip - we're hearing again from Traci Good, who we spoke to about Digital Leaders back in October.

Traci has lots of great tips for getting parents involved and empowered to support their children online. 

Listen to the full episode here.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Every classroom has at least one student that dreams of being a YouTube or social media star. 

It’s a tough area for teachers and educators to navigate: you want to encourage passions, and particularly creativity and learning new digital skills - but you also want to keep students safe online, and to help them understand they aren't - overnight - going to become the next Jake Paul or Mr Beast.

Today's festive tip is from an Interface episode back in May, chatting with YouTuber Eman Kellam. He's had viral success and big audiences, but he's also honest about the potential pitfalls and difficulties.

Go back and listen to the full Interface episode with YouTuber Eman Kellam - it really brings these issues to life.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

Vicki Green of the Marie Collins Foundation and Carmel Glassbrook from SWGfL are real experts at understanding and tackling harmful sexual behaviour.

This mini-episode highlights their work, and the resources that are available to support teachers and educators.

Hear their episode of Interface in full here.

In 2022, SWGfL ran a Harmful Sexual Behaviour support service. Although the service is no longer live, there are still a wealth of useful resources on the SWGfL website.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing

One of our first ever episodes of Interface was with Alexandra Evans - the (now former) Director of Safety Public Policy at TikTok Europe.

TikTok is driven by a powerful algorithm, to push users to content it thinks they want to see, based on their past online activity.

It can be fun and exploratory - but it can also lead to concerns, especially if it's not properly understood.

Listen to the full episode with Alexandra here.

SWGFLs Report Harmful Content service offers information and advice on different types of harmful online content, and the steps that can be taken to report and remove it.

Discover more about various aspects of digital wellbeing, through the Digital Wellbeing Hub from SWGfL. Access guidance and resources to support the young people in your care: https://swgfl.org.uk/topics/digital-wellbeing