In this episode, Adolescence writer Jack Thorne joins Liz and Esther to explore how toxic online culture is warping young minds and fueling real-world violence. From knife crime to smartphone addiction, they unpack what’s going wrong—and how parents, schools, and governments must step up. A raw, powerful conversation about protecting kids in a digital world spiraling out of control.

Hosts: Liz Hull and Esther Ghey

Producer: Artemis Irvine

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Executive Producer: Bella Soames

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In this episode, Liz and Esther speak with Clare Fernyhough, founder of Smartphone Free Childhood. Clare shares her thoughts about why smartphones should be banned until the age of 14 and how her campaign has taken off, with parents from all over the country flocking to get onboard.

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In this episode Liz and Esther speak to Esther's late daughter Brianna's best friend Emily Holden. Emily shares her experiences of smartphone and social media addiction and mental health pressures, and why many kids themselves would actually welcome more help and regulation of the space.

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In this episode, Liz and Esther talk to Jamie's Farm co-founder Tish Fielden about the extraordinary work she is doing to get children off their smartphones. 

After suffering a family tragedy herself, Tish and her son set up Jamie's Farm to bring kids from London to their estate, where smartphones and the internet are strictly banned during their stay. Tish shares the incredible impact this has had on the thousands of children who've been to the farm and what more needs to be done to protect their mental health.

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In this episode Liz and Esther talk to Ofcom's policy director for child safety Almudena Lara. Together they unpack the new Online Safety Act, how they hope it will make a material difference to policing big tech content and what more needs to be done to keep our children safe.

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In this episode Liz and Esther talk to Carolyn Bunting, joint CEO of Internet Matters - a not for profit organisation set up by leading internet providers like BT, Sky, Talk Talk and Virgin to better protect children online. Carolyn shares what she believes are the blind spots in the new Online Safety Act, what more needs to be done and why schools are the key battleground.

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In this episode Liz and Esther talk to Ruth Moss, the mother of Sophie Moss who took her own life aged 14 after viewing suicide-related content on social media. Ruth shares her story, what action parents can immediately take to protect their children and what further help is desperately needed.

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In this episode, Esther and Liz chat to Mat Sears, the director of corporate affairs for EE. They discuss what mobile phone companies are doing to provide internet-safe phones for children, how social media forms need to tighten up age verification to stop kids accessing harmful content underage, and what Mat would ask the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to make a priority if he met with hm at Number 10.

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In this episode of Parents vs. The Internet, Esther Ghey and the Mail’s Liz Hull are joined by Jaxon Feeley, an activist, who transitioned in 2021 – while serving as a prison officer. Jaxon has featured on a number of TV programmes, including Channel 4's BAFTA nominated Banged Up, and more recently won the latest season of Hunted. He believes school children should be taught mental resilience and to ignore trolls. 

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