Big tech has called child safety reform a “global contagion risk.”
Why? Because when one country stands up, others follow, and that threatens their business model.

In this Spotlight Moment with 36Months founders, Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and Greg Attwells, we unpack the confronting language being used behind closed doors to stop child protection from spreading. As Australia pushes forward, the world is watching, and the stakes could not be higher.

This week alone, 2.6 million teens were freed from an experiment they never chose.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)

• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• Youth services: (06) 3555 906

• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)

• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.

• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
  
  Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special episode of One Young Mind, we speak with Greg Atwells and Michael “Wippa” Wipfli, two of the dads behind 36 Months, the movement that helped Australia introduce a world-first minimum age for social media.

Recorded just after Australia’s under-16 law came into force, this conversation explores how a simple question, “What if no one was on it?”, sparked a national shift, and what New Zealand parents and policymakers can learn from it.

Greg and Wippa share what it took to turn parental concern into political action, how social norms rather than perfect enforcement drive lasting change, and why this moment matters far beyond Australia.

They also speak candidly about parenting through the transition. The grief some young people feel when social media is removed. The relief many parents experience. And the opportunity this creates to reclaim real-world independence, boredom, creativity and connection.

This is a hopeful, practical conversation about courage, leadership and why protecting children online should not rest on parents’ shoulders alone.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How the 36 Months campaign began and why parents felt “damned if they do, damned if they don’t”

• What changed once social media access became a legal issue rather than a parenting battle

• Why age limits are about social norming, not punishment

• How Australia moved quickly and what New Zealand can learn from that

• Why tech companies can enforce age limits despite what they claim

• Supporting children through the transition off social media

• Practical ideas for parents navigating the off-social phase together

This episode is essential listening for parents, educators and anyone interested in how evidence, public will and leadership can come together to protect young minds.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Spotlight Moment, Jo Robertson speaks directly to parents already in the thick of it. She shares insights on what’s really happening for young people online, the pressures they’re under, and the practical steps you can take right now to protect and support your child.

This episode is for the parents whose kids are online, exposed, and trying to make sense of a digital world that’s moving fast. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsure how to set boundaries, or worried about what your child is seeing and experiencing, this moment is for you.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)

• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• Youth services: (06) 3555 906

• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)

• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.

• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
  
  Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keeping kids safe online can feel overwhelming, especially when the digital world shifts faster than most parents can keep up. In this episode, online-safety experts Jo Robertson and Holly Brooker from Make Sense break down what parents really need to know, and how to build digital resilience in everyday family life.

As researchers, advocates and mums themselves, Jo and Holly offer clear, practical guidance on where to start. They explain why online-safety education needs to begin early (long before a child gets a phone), what schools can realistically do, and why many parents overestimate how protected their kids are in classrooms and on ‘kid-safe’ platforms.

They walk through simple conversation starters for tricky topics like porn, grooming and violent content, and introduce Jo’s helpful Heart → Head → Hands framework for supporting a child who has seen something distressing. They also discuss how to stay calm when your child shares something shocking, and why your response determines whether they’ll ever come back to you again.

The episode also explores the limits of filters and parental controls, the importance of parental influence (not just enforcement), and how to support rangatahi who are already on social media, even if it feels “too late.” Throughout, Jo and Holly emphasise the role of identity, connection and family culture in helping young people navigate an online world that wasn’t designed for them.

This warm, honest conversation is full of practical tools for parents, caregivers and teachers - without judgment, jargon or overwhelm.

One Young Mind is proudly supported by 2degrees and iHeartRadio.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Spotlight Moment from Episode 7, economist Shamubeel Eaqub breaks down one of the biggest challenges facing Aotearoa: we are running out of young people. With birth rates falling and huge social and economic pressures ahead, Shamubeel explains why NZ’s youth are now our most precious resource and why protecting them from the harms of the online world is critical to our future. This conversation dives into the urgency, the opportunities, and what is at stake if we fail to act.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)

• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• Youth services: (06) 3555 906

• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)

• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.

• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
  
  Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The most precious resource New Zealand has now is our young people… we want these young people to be as resilient, as capable as possible.”

This podcast is brought to you by the B416 team.

Content Warning: This episode discusses topics including suicide, mental health, eating disorders, and self-harm. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help - you are not alone.

In this episode of One Young Mind, we explore the long-term societal cost of allowing young people to grow up in online environments designed to keep them hooked.

Hosts Matilda Green and Dr Maneesh Deva speak with economist Shamubeel Eaqub, who explains why taking upstream action on social-media harm makes economic sense - and how delaying change could carry a very real cost.

It’s a candid and thought-provoking conversation exploring:

• Why prevention works better than crisis response

• How evidence from phone-free schools offers a blueprint beyond school hours

• Why marginalised children may stand to benefit most from delaying social media access

• Why problematic online use needs to be understood more like an addiction

• The downstream impact of digital childhood on wellbeing and social participation

• Why waiting for perfect data risks slowing responsible policymaking

This episode brings an essential economic lens to the debate - ideal for anyone shaping policy, supporting young people, or working to prevent harm rather than respond to it.

New Zealand Helplines:
• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• The Lowdown: Free text 5626 or visit thelowdown.co.nz
• EDANZ (Eating Disorders Association NZ): Visit ed.org.nz for resources and support
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111

Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Spotlight Moment from episode 5, Jonathan Haidt breaks down what it feels like to grow up in the digital age, not by imagining more, but by imagining less. Less sunlight, less laughter, less movement, less reading, less real childhood. By subtracting the core experiences that once shaped healthy development, he reveals the reality facing Gen Z and why the age we give kids smartphones matters more than most parents realise.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)

• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• Youth services: (06) 3555 906

• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)

• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.

• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
  
  Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We can reclaim childhood and return a healthy human childhood to our children.”

This podcast is brought to you by the B416 team.

Content Warning: This episode discusses topics including suicide, mental health, eating disorders, and self-harm. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help — you are not alone.

In this landmark episode of One Young Mind, Professor Jonathan Haidt - whose work sparked the global movement to protect kids online - sits down with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for an honest and urgent conversation about growing up in the digital age.

They discuss why today’s teens are more anxious than ever, what constant connection is doing to young brains, and why the next year is critical as New Zealand moves toward introducing an age limit for social media.

Haidt shares practical strategies for parents and carers, while the Prime Minister reflects on his own parenting and the lessons from the school phone ban. Together, they explore how families, schools and government can act now to prevent another generation from being lost to online harms – including rising challenges posed by AI.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:
• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• The Lowdown: Free text 5626 or visit thelowdown.co.nz
• EDANZ (Eating Disorders Association NZ): Visit ed.org.nz for resources and support
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111

For more information about Jonathan Haidt click here, and for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon click here. 

Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Spotlight Moment from episode 5 with Jo Robertson and Holly Brooker from Makes Sense, we highlight that New Zealand currently has no national strategy, no commissioner, no regulator, and no comprehensive online safety law. Compared to the UK, Australia, Ireland, Canada, and the EU, which all have strong frameworks, NZ is falling behind. Without a strategic approach, young people remain exposed, and platforms aren’t held accountable.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)

• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)

• Youth services: (06) 3555 906

• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)

• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)

• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.

• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
  
  Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This podcast is brought to you by the B416 team.

Content Warning: This episode discusses topics including suicide, mental health, eating disorders, and self-harm. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help — you are not alone.

In this episode, we take a closer look at what it’s like growing up in New Zealand’s Online Wild West.

Compared to children in countries like the UK, Australia, or Canada, Kiwi kids face far fewer protections online. This leaves them exposed to a range of serious risks, from grooming and cyberbullying to explicit content and addictive platform design, often without any clear safety net.
Jo Robertson, sexual harm prevention expert, and Holly Brooker, policy advocate from Make Sense, join the discussion to share their frontline experiences and insights. They explain why New Zealand’s current systems are struggling to keep up with the rapidly evolving digital world and how this gap puts tamariki at high risk.

The conversation covers the scale of online harm in Aotearoa, the ways tech companies fail to safeguard young users, and what meaningful changes are needed, from stronger policies and regulations to practical steps families and communities can take.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can all make to support one young mind at a time.

New Zealand Helplines:

• Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• What’s Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
• Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 053.
• Helpline: Need to talk? Call or text 1737
• The Lowdown: Free text 5626 or visit thelowdown.co.nz
• EDANZ (Eating Disorders Association NZ): Visit ed.org.nz for resources and support
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111

For more information about Make Sense click here

Follow us @b416.nz or find out more at b416.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.