In this episode educational consultant and the founder of the ‘Sex, Lies and Life Project’ Libby Flenley joins Gordon MacLelland to discuss Sports Parenting in a Digital Age.
During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:
- The impact of digital footprints and how content shared young can resurface years later to affect a sporting career
- The growing threat of deepfakes and AI-generated imagery being used to bully, blackmail or exploit young athletes
- The pros and cons of running social media accounts for young athletes
- The challenges of parental peer pressure around managed-by-parent accounts
- The impact of technology and screen time on athletic performance
- The parental role in supporting a healthy identity beyond sport
- Practical advice for parents navigating this part of their child’s life
Libby has spent around 10 years working in child protection, sexual violence, and criminal exploitation — including international work with exploited young people in Paraguay. She founded the Sex Lies and Love (SLL) Project, which began delivering workshops in schools in line with statutory guidance. In the past 12 months it has rapidly expanded into sports environments including football academies, working with young players, parents, host families, and professionals. The project’s focus has shifted increasingly towards online harms and digital safety, and it is also referred to as the “Safety, Lies and Love” Project when working with under-12s and parents.
