Tech Mirror

• Part 1: The Harms

  In this 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media, we’re exploring Australia's world first online safety experiment. Across five episodes, we’ll unpack the new social media minimum age restriction law, examine the harms it seeks to prevent, consider the controversy surrounding its passage through parliament in November 2024, and try to demystify what will happen on 10th December when it comes into effect. In this first episode, we’re going to go back to the beginning and dig into the research – and different perspectives - on the harms caused to young people by their use of social media platforms. Why are the experts divided? And does the evidence back-up the concerns of parents and young people? The series is narrated by Tech Policy Design Institute Executive Director, Johanna Weaver. This episode features expert interviews with Professor Jonathan Haidt (social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation), clinical psychologist Dr Danielle Einstein, Professor Amanda Third (co-director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University), Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and Minh Hoang, member of the eSafety Youth Council. Links: Tech Policy Design Institute https://techpolicy.au Jonathan Haidt https://jonathanhaidt.com/ The Anxious Generation https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-anxious-generation-9781802063271 Danielle Einstein https://www.danielleeinstein.com/ Amanda Third https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/young-and-resilient/people/directors/amanda_third Julie Inman Grant https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/about-the-commissioner ABC News Breakfast (29 November 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niaeYxdlvkw 'For the good of...' Australian Government Social media minimum age TV advertisement https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/campaign Australian Child Rights Taskforce open letter (October 2024) https://au.reset.tech/news/open-letter-about-social-media-bans/ Office of the eSafety Commissioner’s research findings summary: Social Media Minimum Age campaign (September 2025) https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/campaign#research-findings-summary--social-media-minimum-age-campaign YouGov poll (November 2024) Support for under-16 social media ban soars to 77% among Australians https://au.yougov.com/politics/articles/51000-support-for-under-16-social-media-ban-soars-to-77-among-australians Credits Written and narrated by Johanna Weaver, Executive Director, Tech Policy Design Institute. Produced by Olivia O’Flynn & Kate Montague, Audiocraft. Research by Amy Denmede. Original music by Thalia Skopellos. Created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri people and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Special thanks to all the team at the Tech Policy Design Institute, without whom the pod would not be possible, especially Zoe Hawkins, Meredith Hodgman, and Dorina Wittmann. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Australia vs Social Media

  When Australia passed its world-first law setting a minimum age for social media, the headlines were global - but the experts were divided. In this Tech Mirror mini-series, we unpack the harms the law seeks to prevent, trace how young people’s use of social media became a flashpoint in the lead-up to the 2025 Federal Election, and explain what the legislation actually requires of social media platforms. We demystify what will happen when the law comes into force on 10 December, and explore what needs to happen next - as Australian (rightly) start to demand more from tech companies and from our politicians. Across five episodes, Tech Policy Design Institute Executive Director Johanna Weaver speaks with the people directly involved in Australia’s world first online safety experiment - from psychologists and policymakers to reporters and regulators - including Julie Inman Grant, Professor Jonathan Haidt, Dr Danielle Einstein, Professor Amanda Third, Carly Kind, Cam Wilson, Minh Hoang, Lizzie O’Shea, Andrew Hammond, and Gina Cass-Gottlieb. Listen to the trailer now and subscribe for the full series wherever you get your podcasts. Credits Written and narrated by Johanna Weaver, Executive Director, Tech Policy Design Institute.Produced by Olivia O’Flynn & Kate Montague, Audiocraft.Research by Amy Denmede.Original music by Thalia Skopellos.Created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri people and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Special thanks to all the team at the Tech Policy Design Institute, without whom the pod would not be possible, especially Zoe Hawkins, Meredith Hodgman, and Dorina Whittmann. Links Tech Policy Design Institute: https://techpolicy.au/podcast Follow us on LinkedIn: Tech Policy Design Institute See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Liability Is Not A Dirty Word, with Casey Mock from the Centre for Human Technology

  Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the Center for Humane Technology, Casey Mock joins Johanna for a discussion on incentives for building safer and more humane technology. Casey and Johanna discuss designing platforms for people and not just profit, how to realign incentives in tech using the well-established concept of legal liability, what to expect from a Trump administration in regards to tech policy, creative ways to overcome legal logjams, and how – contrary to popular belief – clear liability legislation empowers innovation. They also explore Australia’s under 16 social media ban, different approaches globally to tackle similar issues, and Australia’s reputation internationally on tech legislation. Key Links: Check out the Centre for Humane Technology’s ‘Framework for Incentivizing Responsible Artificial Intelligence Development and Use’ here: https://www.humanetech.com/insights/framework-for-incentivizing-responsible-artificial-intelligence Connect with Casey Mock on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseymock/ Keep up to date with the Tech Policy Design Centre:https://techpolicydesign.au/news-and-events df38c0e88ec90c97b48702fba836c2d8350d141eSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Country, Kin and Technology

  Angie Abdilla, Professor and the ANU School of Cybernetics, founder of Old Ways, New, and co-author of the Indigenous Protocols for Artificial Intelligence, joins Johanna for an exploration of Indigenous Knowledge and the lessons we can all draw from it. Angie and Johanna talk about the value of viewing technology, science, and engineering through a non-western worldview, Indigenous Knowledge systems and Deep Time technologies, Country Centred Design Practices, the Closing the Gap reforms and how they relate to Indigenous data sovereignty, and some of Angie’s recent projects around AI They explore the similarities between well managed AI and Indigenous Knowledge systems with their shared focus on trust, transparency, responsibility, and best practices. Read Out of the Black Box: Indigenous Protocols for AI: https://www.anat.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Out-of-the-Black-Box_Indigenous-protocols-for-AI.pdf Find your nearest display of Meditation on Country: https://isea2024.isea-international.org/meditation-on-country/ Old Ways, New: https://www.oldwaysnew.com/ Tech Policy Design Centre: https://techpolicydesign.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Plurality: A Vision of the Future of Democracy and Society

  Taiwan’s inaugural Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, and author and founder of RadicalxChange Glen Weyl, join Johanna for an in-depth conversation on utilising technology to reduce division,improve governance, and regulate and the speed of innovation Audrey and Glen share their inspiring stories of grass-roots political action turned tech revolution and speak about Australia’s unique democratic inventiveness, their experiences unifying groups of people through new types of social media, opposing foreign state actors, prebunking misinformation, building bridges between diverse political positions, and making democracy quicker and more representative - all while keeping pace with rapid technological development. They share their thoughts on the future of AI, open source vs closed source, accountability, steerability, and explainability, and the value of developing technology as public infrastructure. Read Plurality: The Future of Collaborative Technology and Democracy here: https://www.plurality.net/ Connect with RadicalxChange: https://www.radicalxchange.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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