In this week’s Plugged In by Wired Parents, Australia’s tech tensions are heating up. The eSafety Commissioner wants YouTube included in the under-16 social media ban—but YouTube is pushing back, arguing it’s “educational,” not social. Meanwhile in the UK, research reveals the games industry’s promises to protect children from loot boxes are going largely unenforced. Across the pond in Maine, a group of parents said “no thanks” to smartphones—and brought back the landline, with surprising success. And in this week’s Wired Extra, we’re decoding caps—not the kind you wear, but the kind your kids are using online. Think you're fluent in teen slang? Think again.

TL;DR: YouTube says it’s “not like the others,” loot boxes still a mess, and landlines are cool again.

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Australia is preparing to include YouTube in its under-16s social media ban, a bold move that reshapes how we define “social” platforms.

This shift follows new research showing nearly half of young teens have encountered harmful content on YouTube, from eating disorder videos to misogynistic clips. Once considered an educational safe zone, YouTube is now in the same regulatory firing line as TikTok and Snapchat.

Is this overreach, or overdue?

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant argues that age-verification and proper safeguards are long overdue. Meanwhile, critics say the platform's educational value outweighs its risks.

What’s clear: Parents can’t rely on platform branding alone. Just because a service looks “passive” doesn’t mean it’s safe.
🔗 Source:SMH

Unsurprisingly, YouTube has issued a firm rebuttal to Australia's online safety watchdog, defending its exemption from the under-16s social media ban.

The platform accuses eSafety of contradicting itself and ignoring the voice of parents, educators, and even prior government commitments. YouTube maintains it’s a content platform, not a “social network” and says its kid-safe products speak for themselves.

The broader question? Are educational platforms truly exempt from the social harms plaguing other apps?

This standoff matters. It could reshape how governments define social platforms — and whether trusted names like YouTube can keep flying under the radar when it comes to children’s safety online.
🔗 Source: The Guardian

The UK’s latest attempt at regulating loot boxes in children’s games has, once again, fallen flat.

Despite promises of transparency and industry accountability, new data reveals a bleak picture: only 1 out of 11 companies surveyed could confirm compliance with the voluntary code. There are no fines. No enforcement. No real change.

This matters. Games with loot boxes are overwhelmingly played by children, yet regulators continue to let the industry police itself, even as concerns about gambling-like mechanics grow louder.
🔗 Source: 5Rights

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

In an age of screen fatigue, one community in Maine is quietly rewriting the script on children’s tech.

Mental health professional Caron Morse gave her 10-year-old daughter a pink, corded landline instead of a smartphone. Her reasons? She was tired of being the communication middlewoman, worried about the effects of social media on young brains, and eager to foster more mindful connection.

But this wasn’t just a quirky one-off. Morse convinced her neighbours to join her and now more than a dozen families in her town have created what she calls a "landline pod." Their kids can call friends, make playdate plans, and build conversation skills, all without disappearing behind apps or screens.

The result? A mini social revolution. Children are learning to take turns speaking, listen carefully without filters or emojis, and focus on a single interaction at a time.

This story isn’t just heartwarming — it’s strategic. These parents aren’t banning tech; they’re replacing it with a viable alternative. And in doing so, they’re building communication habits, delaying social media exposure, and giving kids the one thing we rarely talk about: space to grow into their digital lives gradually.

Not every family can or will go full retro. But this experiment offers a powerful reminder: sometimes the solution isn’t another app — it’s an old-fashioned ring in the kitchen.

📌 Could your family benefit from a landline revival?

Read more on this story: The Atlantic

✅ Word Your Kid Probably Knows: “Cap / No Cap”
“Cap” means a lie, and “No Cap” means no lie or being honest. If your child says “That’s cap,” they’re saying it’s not true.

🔧 Tech Tip for Tired Parents: Set app limits.
Use built-in screen time features on phones to set daily limits on apps. Simple way to keep usage in check without constant nagging.

📴 Offline Challenge of the Week: Offline storytime.
Invent a story together: each person adds one sentence and see where it takes you!

💡 Rebecca Young, a 12-year-old from Glasgow, has shown the world how powerful young minds can be when paired with empathy and innovation. Moved by the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, Rebecca designed a solar-powered heated blanket to help keep them warm during the harsh UK winters.

Her invention, which uses renewable energy to provide portable, sustainable warmth, stood out among more than 70,000 entries in a national UK engineering competition. She was awarded a commendation medal, marking her as one of the most promising young innovators in the country.

Rebecca’s project not only tackles a critical social issue but also highlights the role that STEM education can play in building compassionate problem-solvers. Her story is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to impact and that meaningful change can begin with a spark of curiosity and care.

Know of an amazing child or young adult? We would love to showcase achievements, resilience and integrity, now matter how large or small.

Get in touch and let us know and we’ll mention them in a future edition.

🎡 World’s largest Legoland set to open in China

👶 Does your birth order shape your personality?

🍪 Yes, there is an optimal amount of time to dunk an Oreo

🙋‍♀️ Yesterday was Leon Day. Ever heard of it?

Two quick number brain teasers. Answers next week!

1️⃣ How can 8 + 8 = 4?

2️⃣ The number 8,549,176,320 is a unique number. What is so special about it?

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