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 (Author of The Dip, the Einstein Report & Co-author of Raising Anxiety) 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.

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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.

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

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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/

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