One Young Mind

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...

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.

Th...

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...

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 th...

“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 ho...

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...

“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...

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.

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 cyb...

Parents, kids, and tech companies all have a role to play in keeping young people safe online. But what happens when the safety features designed to protect them fail exactly when they’re needed most? In this Spotlight Moment from episode 4 with Arturo Beja, we dig into the reality behind the promises of ‘safe enough’ from big tech, exploring how even the most advanced tools can leave kids exposed to harm.

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 tim...

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, former Meta engineer and whistleblower Arturo Béjar shares what he saw while working at Meta and the hidden dangers social media poses for teens. Arturo witnessed firsthand how algorithms amplify harmful content, contributing to eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety and even exploitation.

He shares chilling real-world examples of viral chall...

In this Spotlight Moment from One Young Mind, we hear a powerful reflection from Arden Morunga on how Māori and Pasifika young people are shaped by the stereotypes and expectations they see online. Constant exposure to narrow portrayals can make them question their identity and self-worth. This moment is a reminder that we are more than the labels placed on us, and that true strength comes from understanding our value beyond what society tells us to be.

This is an important, eye-opening conversation about the very real risks of social media, and the changes we can a...

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 dive into the experiences of young people navigating the ever-changing landscape of social media. Arden Morunga and Olivia Lakeman, both 17, share their personal stories, exploring the pressures to fit in, the emotional and mental toll of online life, and the blurred lines between genuine connection and exp...

In this Spotlight Moment from Episode 2 with Dr Samantha Marsh, we hear how today’s young people are the loneliest generation, despite being more connected than ever. This snippet explores why social media isn’t creating real connection and what true friendship looks like in the digital age.

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) (availa...

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 dig into what’s actually happening inside the developing teen brain when young people scroll, swipe, tap and refresh. Dr Samantha Marsh joins us to break down the neuroscience behind social media use and why adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the design of these platforms.

We explore how dopam...

In this Spotlight Moment from Episode 1 with Rachael Wilson, we learn that TikTok can predict an eating disorder with shocking accuracy and once it does, it amplifies harmful content. This snippet shows how algorithms put young people at risk with no regulation in place.

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 se...

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 first episode of One Young Mind, we go straight to the frontline of youth wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand. We hear from Steve McCracken, Principal of Whangaparāoa College, who has witnessed first-hand how social media is affecting young people’s learning, relationships, and mental health. From the classroom to the playground, he shar...