Behind The Algorithm

This special Best Bits episode of Behind the Algorithm brings together the most powerful moments from across the series. Students from Workington Academy Radio explore how social media is shaping the lives of young people today, featuring highlights from conversations with leading voices including Josh MacAlister , Will Gardner , Adrian Dakers , and Matthew Haywood . Across the episode, we dive in...

In Episode 5 of Behind the Algorithm , students from Workington Academy Radio speak with former student and Matthew Haywood about his journey from school to winning Survivor UK and building a presence on social media. Matthew reflects on how his relationship with social media changed after winning Survivor UK , including the opportunities it has created and the pressures that come with being a pub...

In Episode 4 of Behind the Algorithm, students from Workington Academy Radio speak with Adrian Dakers from Little Blackbird Limited about the growing conversation around social media and its impact on young people’s mental health. During the conversation, Adrian discusses how social media platforms can influence behaviour, attention, wellbeing and mental health, and why the design of modern digita...

In Episode 3 of Behind the Algorithm, we turn the focus back to the voices at the heart of this series, students. Three Year 8 students from Workington Academy share their honest experiences of growing up with social media. From screen time and scrolling habits to pressure, comparison, group chats and online trends, they reflect on how platforms shape their daily lives. How much time do they reall...

In Episode 2 of Behind the Algorithm, students from Workington Academy Radio speak with Will Gardner OBE, CEO of Childnet, one of the UK’s leading organisations dedicated to keeping children and young people safe online. Will explains how social media platforms and algorithms shape what young people see, think, and feel online, and why these systems can have such a powerful influence on behaviour,...

In the first episode of Behind the Algorithm , students from Workington Academy Radio sit down with Josh MacAlister OBE MP , Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington and Minister for Children and Families. Josh explains how social media platforms are designed to capture attention, why algorithms are so powerful, and how this is affecting young people’s mental health, sleep, relationships...