Left To Their Own Devices
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S1 In conversation with Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation
The last few months have been a turning point. In late March, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez won his case against Meta, with a jury finding that Facebook and Instagram's parent company had…
Bonus panel discussion: A conversation on building healthy digital habits for youth
Today's technology has redefined childhood and adolescence. In a virtual conversation on Thursday, January 22 editor Ceri Marsh was joined by Ava Smithing, host of this podcast Left to Their Own…
S1E10 Left to Our Own Devices
On December 10, 2025, Australia will be the first country in the world to ban social media for kids. It's a radical step, and lawmakers around the world are taking notice. In the U.S., eight states…
S1E9 The Worst Sex Ed Class Ever
The numbers are staggering. In the US, 71% of teenagers say they've watched porn in the last week. In Canada, 88% of boys have seen it by the age of fourteen. And in the UK, one in four kids have…
S1E8 Under the Influence
When Ghyslain Raza – aka the "Star Wars Kid" – became the internet's first viral sensation, it nearly destroyed him. More than twenty years later, many young people today are desperate for that kind…
S1E7 See You in Court
In the absence of meaningful regulation, thousands of young people are now looking to the justice system to hold Big Tech accountable. In this episode, we go inside three landmark lawsuits that could…
S1E6 Yahoo Boys
The West African cybercriminals who call themselves the Yahoo Boys have perfected dozens of cons – including the infamous Nigerian Prince email scam. But recently, they've discovered something far…
S1E5 Blackmailed
Like a lot of lonely teenagers, Sarah found refuge on social media. In her lowest moments, she'd reach for her phone, connecting with strangers on Snapchat and Wizz – an app that's been called…
S1E4 Brain Rot
Are screens rewiring kids' brains and creating a generation of depressed teens? After Jonathan Haidt published his mega-bestseller The Anxious Generation, a lot of parents became convinced that they…
S1E3 Big Tech's Origin Story
You'd be hard-pressed to find a young person who uses Facebook regularly. But to understand why social media has had such a profound, and sometimes devastating, effect on kids, you need to understand…
S1E2 A Tale of Two Algorithms
Algorithms are the invisible engines that drive every scroll, swipe or click. And, in the last few years, it's become clear that they can devastate young lives. But Ava discovers they might also be…
S1E1 Internet Addicts Anonymous
When she was 12 years old, Ava Smithing spiralled down a social media rabbit hole that nearly cost her life. A decade later, she discovered she wasn't alone: Big Tech had hijacked childhood and…
S1 Introducing Left to Their Own Devices
We handed kids the most powerful technology in history. Then we walked away. This is what happened next. When she was 12 years old, Ava Smithing spiraled down a social media rabbit hole that nearly…
Frequently Asked Questions
Left To Their Own Devices has published 13 episodes since September 2025, covering topics in Documentary, Society & Culture.
Left To Their Own Devices is currently sporadic with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 31m.
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