Helen Rumbelow, a Times Feature Writer and Columnist, dives into the impact of smartphone addiction on today's youth. She uncovers alarming statistics linking screen time to mental health issues, as parents struggle to keep up. Rumbelow shares innovative school strategies like smartphone bans and high-tech pouches that have improved student interactions, despite some pushback. The conversation emphasizes the need for collective action and policy changes to help rewild the smartphone generation, fostering healthier social environments.

Mark Sellman, a technology correspondent at The Times, and Helen Rumbelow, a features writer focusing on social media's impact on children, delve into Australia's groundbreaking ban on under-16s accessing social media. They discuss the potential of AI-driven age verification technology like Yoti, examining its accuracy and possible failures. The conversation raises critical questions about the effectiveness of such bans, ethical concerns, and whether similar legislation could be implemented in the UK, while capturing teens' candid reactions to the proposed restrictions.