In this week’s Plugged In by Wired Parents, parents are facing mixed messages on smartphones and children’s mental health. Two major 2025 studies reached opposite conclusions: one found children under 13 had worse wellbeing with phones, while another reported kids with smartphones actually fared better. The debate leaves families navigating uncertainty about screen time.

Meanwhile, the tragic case of 16-year-old Adam Raine underscores AI risks. Court filings allege ChatGPT reinforced, rather than challenged, his suicidal thoughts, highlighting the need for safeguards and human oversight in AI tools used by teens.

On the policy front, South Korea has passed a nationwide school phone ban, effective March 2026. Teachers will be able to restrict smartphone and smart device use across school grounds, following evidence that 37% of middle and high schoolers show signs of smartphone addiction.

TL;DR: Mixed messages, AI tragedy & Korea says NO.

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The research contradiction is striking: Smartphone use by children younger than 13 was associated with suicidal thoughts, worse emotional regulation, lower self-worth and detachment from reality, especially among girls, according to July 2025 research published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.

However, a March 2025 University of South Florida study found the opposite: Children with smartphones reported higher self-esteem, were less likely to feel depressed and were more likely to spend time with friends in person. Children who have their own smartphones fared better than kids who don't on nearly every measure of wellbeing assessed.

This scientific disagreement leaves parents in a difficult position, with expert opinions completely contradicting each other on one of the most important parenting decisions of the digital age.

Continue reading about these reports to find out why they are different and more importantly, what you as a parent need to do when faced with conflicting information.

🔗 Source: Wired Parents

One of the most sobering reminders of AI’s risks comes from the tragic case of 16-year-old Adam Raine. His family has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT reinforced rather than challenged his suicidal thoughts in the weeks leading up to his death.

According to court filings, Adam engaged in prolonged conversations with the chatbot where, instead of consistently discouraging harmful behaviour, ChatGPT allegedly validated his despair. In some instances, it reportedly provided troubling responses including helping draft a suicide note and using language like “beautiful suicide.” Rather than redirecting Adam to trusted adults or crisis services, the AI appeared to amplify his darkest thoughts.

OpenAI has since acknowledged that safety mechanisms can degrade in long conversations. While the model is trained to refuse high-risk prompts and direct users to professional help, these protections are strongest at the beginning of chats. Over time, the system may “slip,” especially if a user’s distress is subtle or prolonged.

This case has intensified scrutiny over whether AI tools are reliable in emotionally charged situations. Unlike human counsellors, chatbots cannot pick up on nuance, escalating tone, or patterns across multiple exchanges. A conversation that starts with casual questions might, over many messages, drift into vulnerable territory where safety systems falter.

For families, OpenAI's safety overhaul represents a recognition that AI tools need human oversight, especially when children are involved. The upcoming features will fundamentally change how families can interact with ChatGPT:

Parental Controls: Parents will be able to set usage boundaries within the app, similar to screen time controls on smartphones. This means you can limit when and how long your child can engage with the AI, preventing the extended conversations that research shows can become problematic.

Emergency Contact Integration: Perhaps most significantly, the system will link emergency contacts so a child in distress can be connected to real help quickly. If ChatGPT detects concerning language or requests related to self-harm, it can immediately provide pathways to human support rather than continuing the AI conversation.

Interaction Monitoring: The new system will allow parents to monitor interactions to ensure AI remains a supportive rather than harmful presence. While details remain unclear, this could include conversation summaries or alerts when concerning topics arise.

For parents, this case underscores a critical reality: AI may sound supportive, but it cannot replace professional mental health care or the role of trusted adults. The Adam Raine case is a reminder that children and teens may turn to technology in private moments of vulnerability. Knowing the limits of AI, and setting boundaries around its use, is an essential part of digital parenting in 2025.

🔗 Source: AP News

What’s Happening:
South Korea has introduced one of the world’s most sweeping restrictions on mobile phone use in schools. Starting March 2026, students will be prohibited from using smartphones and smart devices during lessons, with teachers given the authority to extend the restriction across entire school grounds.

The move comes amid rising concern about digital dependency: nearly 4 in 10 middle and high school students in South Korea show signs of smartphone addiction, according to government data. Lawmakers, parents, and educators argue the devices are impacting academic performance, social interactions, and even long-term wellbeing.

This legislation highlights a growing global trend. Australia recently expanded its pioneering ban on social media for teens, while the Netherlands reported improved focus after restricting phones in classrooms. South Korea’s approach goes further, embedding both prohibition and digital literacy education into law.

Implementation Details:

By legislating not just limits but also guidance, South Korea signals a dual approach: restrict harmful use while equipping young people with skills for balanced digital lives.

🔗 Source: NBC News

For more articles from the week, head over to Wired-Parents.com

YouTube is the most popular app for children globally, yet most parents remain confused about a crucial safety distinction that could protect their kids from harmful content. Recent research reveals troubling gaps in how both YouTube and YouTube Kids actually function and why the platform choice matters more than ever.

In 2024, YouTube's algorithm is still focused on showing you videos you'll enjoy, considering things like what you normally watch, how long you tend to watch videos, and even how long it takes for specific videos to lose viewers. The system wants to recommend content you'll click on and stick around for regardless of your age.

This creates a fundamental problem for children. Despite YouTube's rules and content moderation efforts, the platform is failing to stop the spread of frightening videos that could traumatise vulnerable children or send them down dark roads of extremism and violence. A 2023 study found that YouTube's algorithm sends gun videos to kids as young as 9, highlighting how regular YouTube's engagement-driven recommendations can expose children to inappropriate content.

YouTube officially bars minors under 13 from using the site, and recommends children use YouTube Kids, its app with more content filters and parental controls. However, the app's reach is small relative to YouTube's main site and people at the company have privately acknowledged that older children gravitate toward the main platform anyway.

Even YouTube Kids, designed specifically for children, has significant flaws. A Common Sense Media study found that 27% of videos watched by kids 8 and under are intended for older target audiences, with violence being the most likely type of inappropriate content to slip through. The platform has been criticised for allowing inappropriate or controversial videos to show up in search results or recommendations despite algorithms designed to detect and block such content.

Infants and toddlers engage with digital media about 1–3 hours per day with a growing proportion of time spent on YouTube. This makes the platform choice critical during formative developmental years.

YouTube Kids: Offers genuine parental controls including approved channels, time limits, and search blocking. However, there's still a small chance kids could see nudity, violence, or just weird stuff, as well as ads for stuff like junk food.

Regular YouTube: No meaningful protection exists. The site's recommendation engine directs users toward progressively longer and more popular content, creating binge-watching patterns harmful to children's development.

Current experts recommend a multi-layered approach. Parental control apps monitor both the YouTube app and site on multiple platforms, showing you what videos your kids watch and what terms they search for, while also allowing parents to enable safe search and block YouTube entirely if needed.

For younger children, stick with YouTube Kids but don't assume it's foolproof so ensure you preview content and use the most restrictive settings. For older children pushing for regular YouTube access, use supervised accounts and maintain ongoing conversations about algorithmic manipulation and content evaluation.

2024 research makes clear that neither platform adequately protects children without active parental involvement. YouTube's algorithm prioritises engagement over age-appropriateness, while YouTube Kids, though safer, still allows significant inappropriate content through its filters. The choice between platforms matters, but presence and digital literacy education matter more.

Source: T&F Online

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What 4-letter word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and can still be read from left to right?

NOON

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A blackboard

Congrats to Alan, Hong Kong for the correct answers!

Guess the next three letters in the series GTNTL.

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Answers next week!

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