📰 More Than Robots #97 January 2026

"We all have ability. The difference is how we use it." Stevie Wonder

It may be a new year, but there's already a lot going on. So, to prep for what comes next or to forge a different path, here's a look back in wonder and plenty of signs of the future.

📖 Research

Frontiers in Digital Child Safety

Young people favor a holistic approach to online safety in which families, educators, and policymakers work together to support their well-being and equip them with the tools to protect themselves Also: Research Repository

PoP: Protection Through Online Participation

A global, multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to ensure children can safely access protection and support through digital platforms, when at risk of experiencing any form of harm, both in person and online.

Frontier AI Trends Report

AI models can now complete apprentice-level tasks 50% of the time on average, compared to just over 10% of the time in early 2024. Also: Guidance on AI and children v3

‘I just go headbutt a tree or something’: Children’s contextualised digital play drivers and subjective well-being

Education policymakers might use the idea of contextualised play drivers to shape digital literacy and well-being frameworks that move beyond simplistic distinctions between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ games

Prevalence and Characteristics of Manipulative Design in Mobile Applications Used by Children

Design features that encourage monetization of children’s digital experiences were common in this sample and disproportionately occurred in apps used by children with lower SES.

Early childhood screen use and sleep

The evaluation of screen exposure as a (causal) disruptive factor for early sleep health has far-reaching practical implications. However, current evidence on causal links between media exposure and sleep outcomes in children aged 0–5 remains insufficient.

Social media positive feedback and its impact on adolescents’ health risk behaviors

The same feedback mechanisms that support social development can also reinforce maladaptive behavior patterns. The effects of use of screens and social media on young people

Mothers’ decision-making and management of children’s smartphones in the United States

Parents inclined to postpone smartphone ownership may find organized, collective efforts to be helpful. However, what seems most important are thoughtful mediation practices and ongoing dialogue, both before and after a child receives a device.

Surveillance Capitalism, Deceptive Designs, and Epistemic Rights

Deceptive designs not only produce economic harms, [they] actively undercut individuals’ ability to think, to protect their mental privacy, or shape their own personalities

🧰 Resources

Real Chat

A platform that helps young people explore AI, and understand how to use it critically and safely. Also: The Human Guide to Detecting AI Imagery

Connected Learning

News, trends, insights, guidance and resources to help teachers and school leaders navigate the digital landscape.

Report Fraud

Report Fraud is the place to tell the police about cyber crime and fraud.

Child Development and Media Use

Summarised insights to help parents and caregivers of children in middle childhood Also: Before Their First Device: A Digital Citizenship Rehearsal for Kids and A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives

Optimising For AI Search: The Definitive Guide For Charities

Optimising your website to appear in AI powered search platforms and LLMs will be the crucial next step

Denmark Shifter

A national campaign where thousands of Danes are taking back control of their digital lives – by changing focus, habits and platform.

Media Universe Maps

Who controls attention in media, tech, and entertainment

💡Inspiration and opinion

Young People Are Helicopter-Parenting Themselves and Each Other

Too often we worry that our children won’t have the kinds of experiences we had as kids — the looseness, the boredom — while actively limiting their access to those very experiences.

Social thinning in a digital age

The problem is not digital life in isolation, nor a sudden deterioration in adolescent resilience. Rather, it is the hollowing out of the real-world spaces and meaningful relationships with peers and adults that once supported healthy development. Also: More than playgrounds and sports pitches and Youth Matters and Arts Council England - an independent review

The Human Agency Problem

In the Attachment Economy, companies compete for market share of human affection. It's no longer enough for us to love our tech, now we need to be in love with it.

Your mental models are out of date

I don't think it's appropriate to give a long shrug and accept that young people should gamble on sports betting or crypto. Instead, I think we need to acknowledge that default advice is broken, and start building better options.

…and finally

Time is money - or is it?