Algorithm & Blues

Growing Up Observed: Girls, Pressure & Safety Online

In this episode of Algorithm & Blues, host Keith sits down with Ciara and Tom to look past standard talk about screen-time limits and dive into the real emotional reality for girls online. From the pressure of non-stop visibility to the way algorithms quietly shape self-worth, this episode offers a calm, non-hysterical, and deeply practical guide for parents navigating the modern digital landscape.

VPNs, Workarounds… and Why Blocking Doesn’t Work

If you’ve ever set up parental controls and thought, “Job done,” this episode is a must-listen. This week on Algorithm & Blues, Keith, Tom, and Ciara look at the hidden side of kids' online lives: VPNs and workarounds. Far from being "hacker-level" tech, bypassing digital restrictions has become a normal, everyday problem-solving exercise for teenagers. * The VPN Basics: What they actually are, how kids download them in minutes, and why they render standard parental filters useless. * The Psychology of the Block: Why restriction creates a "forbidden fruit" effect and how over-policing drives kids to hide their behavior. * The Real Danger: It’s not just what they are seeing; it's that you no longer know that they are seeing it. * Moving Beyond Blocking: Practical, real-world strategies you can start tonight to build digital trust instead of digital walls.

Should Under-16s Be Banned from Social Media?

The UK government has made it official: the era of "anything goes" for teens online is ending. But as age limits, feature restrictions, and digital curfews loom on the horizon, we have to ask, is this a genuine safety net for parents, or a policy that doesn't understand how kids actually live? In our premiere episode, host and media veteran Keith Walsh is joined by childcare entrepreneur Ciara Keane and social media tech expert Tom Young to pull back the curtain on the looming crackdown. Together, brush past the headlines to explore whether you can actually "ban" a generation from the digital world without driving them into darker, less regulated corners.