Mike Bennett

Catch Mike Bennett on Do Radio: Tomorrow's Word with Jon Kaye 4th - 10th May 2026.

Mike Bennett is on a mission to redraw the digital boundaries of childhood.

As Co-Founder and CEO of Sway.ly (http://Sway.ly), and a father of three, Mike is tackling a problem most parents feel but struggle to name: the slow, cumulative toll of social media on young minds. Not just the headline horrors. Not just the obvious red flags. But the constant drip of content that quietly shapes how children see themselves and the world.

Sway.ly (http://Sway.ly) was built to confront what the team calls “longitudinal overexposure.” The algorithmic drip-feed of fake news, hate, body image pressure, over-sexualised content and warped narratives that chip away over time. Research commissioned by Sway.ly (http://Sway.ly) reveals the scale: 77% of children say social media negatively affects their physical or emotional health. Nearly three-quarters report seeing upsetting content in the past month alone.

But Mike’s approach is not fear-driven censorship.

Instead of bans and blunt firewalls, Sway.ly (http://Sway.ly) uses AI to flag problematic posts across platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, explain why they may be harmful, and guide families toward healthier digital habits. It offers trust scores. It suggests who to follow or unfollow. Most importantly, it encourages conversation.

On Tomorrow’s World, we explore how technology can help people thrive. With Mike, the question becomes: can AI protect childhood without policing it?