Cyber Synapse Podcast

This weeks episode features a fabulous guest Rebecca Avery, it is a stunningly jam packed conversation encompassing many of the latest trends and e-safety buzzwords that turn many people off. No fear though as we don't actually name any of them,. What we do cover is; The Online Harms white paper (very briefly), Meme's (Article 13 and whether copyright will remove these), "that" viral trend of rece...

When will the internet become regulated to a degree that you will no longer have free will? This weeks episode takes a look into authoritarianism and how this transitions into the digital world. Are you seeing all you can see? Will we become a state where free speech, free searches and access are no longer a thing? Will our choices be determined like a Truman show? This episode looks at choices ma...

This episode I'm joined by Dr Rachel Kowert and this is the last of the trio of gaming related specials. Fear not though as this conversation is a super duper chat about Rachels book which is an easy to read guide with evidence based facts delivered in an easy to read format, taking away the academic 'wordery' that can so often discourage parents from reading large 'clunky' books. Rachel writes a...

This extra and special episode comes to you courtesy of the book edited by Dr Anthony Bean, which is called The Psychology of Zelda, Linking our world to the legend of Zelda series. We talk about the books chapters written by some fantastic contributors and bringing topics such as existentialism, projection, grief, feminism and more! This book is now my top ranking therapeutic book based on the co...

Today I'm joined by Dr Jamie Madigan who is the host of a podcast called The Psychology of GAMES (not gaming as I called it in the chat #fail). He and his podcast will be such a great addition to your podcast library and knowledge bank - all of the questions you have about gaming have likely been answered on his podcast/site or in his book! See below for all links Jamie speaks about his website wh...

Today im joined by Amy Orben DPhil candidate at Oxford University and is a guest I have been waiting to interview for some time and Im so happy to bring this episode to you about her research! You have likely heard me discussing this research in many previous episodes and how I lean on the 'actual' data that is out there, with the focus on what the data really means and how the media and some rese...

This week Im joined by Lael Stone. All the way from Sunny Australia. She is a Mum, education specialist around birth, sexuality and parenting and creates wellness in families through connection, communication and education. On this episode we talk about talking to your children about Sex and Pornography in a compassionate, open and empathic way, with lots of humour. We focus on age appropriate con...

Today I'm joined by Aylssa Cowell who is working in Brunei in an International school and works with young people as a school counsellor. Aylssa was also previously a Youth worker here in the U.K and we met through the topic of teaching Sex -education for young people. We talk Young people and sexuality, young people and peer pressure and Instagram stories, identity and how young people are seemin...

This video sits just before the New year so you have time to tune in and listen to the perspective of two young ladies; Molly and Bella who take you through some of their experiences and views about cyberspace and how they use Snapchat. If you want to know what happens for young people this is the podcast episode for you as they articulate their use and opinions on the platform. This is a great ep...

The first of two festive treats from season 2 and once again I'm back with Alan to discuss the latest trends that he's hearing about in the classrooms. This episode we dare to talk about a normal child behaviours but one that may well be a cautionary tale about knowing what your children are up to. We discuss trends, YouTube and dares or challenges and Alan discusses a great example of needing to...

Season 2 kicks off with a bang and the topic this time is Loot Boxes. Is it gambling? Can we extapolate from adult research to children? Can we as researchers talk about legal issues where we find correlational behaviours that look like those legally defined terms? Moreover what is a loot box and how does it differ from a card pack? Are they the same and what about non monetary gains within games?...

Okay so I am beginning to bring a little more of my personal interests inot the podcast based on feedback about the biohacking episode with my friend Pete. This time I bring you Paula Eggers who is a great friend, Yoga teacher and also a fellow biohacker and today she tells her story of (in her words) going from the scrapheap to health and using the internet, technology and the Superbetter game- y...

This week I'm joined by Adam Lobel PhD, a games user researcher at Ubisoft. Adam describes what user experience is as games user researcher is possibly just as confusing for those not in the industry. Even I introduced him incorrectly as I was too keen to get started on the discussion. We discuss emotional regulation and how games can be good for children. Yes this is another episode where I have...

When gaming becomes a distraction of life in order to manage illness or distress this might be seen as a helpful way for games to be present in hospitals, hospices and homes. Todays guest is Jonny Miree whose son tragically died earlier this year from an inoperable brain tumour. Jonny explains how the ability to engage in playing games is the distraction his son Reece needed and how the family man...

Adoptive children and the impact of social media contact: Today I’m joined by Trainer, Coach, Author, Adoptive parent and personal friend Helen Oakwater. We discuss Helens book from 2012 called Bubble Wrapped Children; which is as relevant now if not more so in 2018 than ever before with many more ways for families to connect unexpectedly. This episode is jam packed and will be a great addition to...

This week I'm joined by a clinician and author Dr Anthony Bean. This episode is such a good one in terms of deconstructing games and their use, their benefits and the big WHY people use computer games. We look at Anthony's book "Working with video gamers and games in therapy; a clinicians guide" and look at some of the chapters that I am endlessly telling people about.  This episode is awesome in...

Today I'm joined by freelance journalist, gamer and Dad Andy Roberston. He's helping parents understand why their children play games and what is really going on and how parents can become involved with their children and have conversations.

Todays episode is one where Jocelyn Brewer is my guest and we discuss what healthy habits really mean when it comes to digital devices and children, however there is a slight twist as this episode covers some handy information for parents too. Really want to know whats in your food; you look at the label so what if we could do this with apps and devices? How can we help parents in the 24/7 demands...

Today I'm joined by Dr Chris Fullwood who is a cyber psychology academic an the University of Wolverhampton. In this packed episode we begin to explore online presentations and the why's and how's of this phenomena and behaviours online. We look at the forms of self, the proteus effect and avatar embodiment. want to know more then you'll have to listen to entire episode and wait for the second as...

Today Im joined by Joanna Fortune who is an attachment specialist and Psychotherapist. Joanna and I discuss one of our favourite subjects attachment and early development. We delve into the intricacies of how we connect with our children through conversation and play and how this can often be disrupted by our own distractions of technology and not the way that is currently portrayed in the media o...

Todays episode is brought to you by the inspiration of recently meeting Jim Kwik. #fangirling a little today in terms of being inspired by a person and story that mirrors my why of wanting to change the world for children to become superheroes in their own healing and growth.

After what would have been a very short episode I was contacted by Jan at the weekend about Doki-Doki. We had a conversation about this over messenger and decided to use this for todays episode to talk about sex and death, Mind wealth and how children and young people need us to be responsible in our conversations with them and to talk about 'stuff' before social media does.

Today I’m joined by Laura Higgins, Operations manager of the revenge porn helpline.   Laura discusses what revenge porn is and isn’t and why this is such a difficult topic to operationalise. (Sorry a slight academic term there which means to be able to state and test robustly a proposition, it’s one of my favourite words so I’m not really that sorry).   We discuss the varying forms this issue take...

Tassos and I discuss Greek mythiogly, poetry and philosophy about data warfare

The topic that can create horror, distain or curiosity. Either way we’re going onto the world of full time buisness people who often work in the realms or depths of a world wide market that many of us do not visit.     Our conversation is fluid, candid and matter of fact as Gary and I are colleagues and friends outside of the podcast world so our conversation borders on chit chat around a difficul...