NSW and SA Governments to Jointly Host Social Media Summit

In a pioneering initiative, the NSW Government and the South Australian Government are collaborating to host the inaugural two-day, two-state Social Media Summit in October this year.

The summit addresses increasing concerns from experts and the community about the harmful effects of social media on children. Issues include exposure to inappropriate, illegal, and restricted content, cyberbullying, and negative impacts on children’s mental health and development.

The frst day of the summit, hosted by the NSW Government, will take place at the ICC

Sydney on Thursday, October 10. The South Australian Government will host the second day in Adelaide on Friday, October 11.

This event will gather a diverse array of experts, policymakers, academics, young people, and community members to discuss critical topics such as the impacts of social media on children and young people, online safety, the role of social media in spreading disinformation and misinformation, addressing online hate and extremism, and how social media is reshaping government service delivery.

Key themes to be explored include:

• Formulating a public health response to minimize social media harm

• Addressing social media harms within educational settings

• Understanding social media’s infuence on identity, belonging, and worldviews

• Examining the links between extremism, misogyny, and social media

• Creating positive digital communities to reclaim the digital town square

The summit aims to inform the development and implementation of policies, programs, and resources to tackle the challenges posed by social media.

Details on keynote speakers, panellists, and the detailed event schedule will be released later in the year.

NSW Premier Chris Minns stated: “The parents I speak to, along with international evidence, show that we’re causing signifcant harm to young people through social media. It seems like a giant, unregulated global experiment on children, and we need to change that. This summit is a chance for the NSW and SA Governments to lead the country, hear from experts globally, and engage with young people and the community about the impact of social media on our kids.”

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas added: “We know social media harms our children, and we’re committed to making a difference. At my request, former Chief Justice of the High Court Robert French is examining the legal implications of banning social media accounts for children under 14 and requiring parental consent for 14 and 15-year-olds. This summit will provide parents with scientifc evidence underpinning our decisions and share ideas on improving our children’s wellbeing.”