Understanding the online experience
Look beyond hours and app names to what happened, when, why, with whom and what it displaced.
For parents and carers · Ireland
Parent social media and internet safety talks.
Clear, practical guidance for parents who want to understand their child’s online life, set workable boundaries and respond calmly when something worrying happens.
Talk content / 01
You do not need to know every app to help your child.
Parents often feel permanently behind. Waypoint focuses on the questions and responses that remain useful even when platforms, trends and technology change.
Starting better conversations
Questions that invite honesty—and reactions that make a young person more likely to speak again.
Boundaries that can work
Sleep, notifications, privacy, devices and family agreements that rely on more than willpower.
Social pressure and harmful content
Comparison, bullying, sexualised content, dangerous trends, self-harm material and warning signs.
AI and chatbots
Schoolwork, false answers, privacy, deepfakes and when a chatbot begins to feel like a trusted person.
When something goes wrong
Preserving evidence, reporting, involving the school, safeguarding and knowing when urgent help is needed.
Outcomes / 02
Leave with a plan—not a longer list of things to fear.
- Ask questions that help uncover the experience behind the screen-time number.
- Agree realistic boundaries around sleep, access, privacy and schoolwork.
- Recognise changes in mood, relationships, behaviour or control that deserve attention.
- Respond to disclosures without blame, panic or immediately removing every source of connection.
- Know the practical steps to take when bullying, harmful content, contact or immediate risk is involved.
Led by Darren Bracken: former Global Head of Policy Enforcement at TikTok, former integrity operations manager at Meta—and a parent himself.
Formats / 03
Built for the questions parents are actually asking.
Every setting is different. Talks can give a broad foundation or focus on a challenge currently affecting the school or community.
Parent evening
A clear overview with practical guidance, examples and time for questions.
Focused session
A deeper talk on AI, bullying, sexualised content, online pressure or another priority.
Whole-school visit
A parent talk aligned with student sessions and staff guidance so everyone shares consistent language.
Questions / 04
What parents and schools ask.
Will parents receive a list of apps to ban?
No. App lists date quickly and rarely explain the full situation. Parents learn a framework for judging content, contact, timing, purpose, displacement and control.
Is this only for parents of teenagers?
No. Sessions can be adapted for primary or secondary school communities. The examples and level of detail change with the age group.
Do you recommend a fixed daily screen-time limit?
Not as a universal answer. Time matters, but so do sleep, content, relationships, purpose and whether a child can stop. The talk helps parents set boundaries around the actual impact.
Can parents ask questions anonymously?
Yes. The format can include anonymous questions so parents can raise sensitive or specific concerns comfortably.
Can the talk be tailored to our school?
Yes. Waypoint can discuss the school’s concerns in advance and adapt the examples, emphasis and practical guidance accordingly.
Next step / 05
Give parents clarity they can use that evening.
Tell us about your school or organisation and the online issues families are asking about.
Book a parent talk