About the summit
As social media becomes increasingly integral to our daily lives, concerns about its impact, particularly on the mental health and social development of young people, are becoming more pronounced.
In response, a first of its kind Social Media Summit, jointly hosted by the NSW Government and the Government of South Australia, will be held this year.
The NSW Government will host sessions in Sydney on Thursday, October 10 and the Government of South Australia will host sessions in Adelaide on Friday, October 11.
The summit will bring together experts, policymakers, academics, young people, and members of the wider community to discuss the positive and negative impacts of social media on people’s lives, particularly children and young people, and how government can best support digital wellbeing.
The summit will help inform the design and delivery of a range of policies, programs and resources to address the challenges posed by social media.
Key focus areas of the Social Media Summit will be:
- Impacts of social media on children and young people's wellbeing
- Online safety
- Social media's role in disinformation and misinformation
- Addressing online hate and extremism
- How social media is changing the way government delivers services
Keynote speakers (Day one - Sydney)
Dr Jean Twenge is a Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University and the author of more than 190 scientific publications and books including Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future and iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.
Dr Twenge will deliver a keynote address in which she will present evidence on the relationship between the global adolescent mental health crisis and social media usage.
Frances Haugen is a data scientist and social media accountability advocate. A former Facebook product manager, she became a whistleblower in 2021, revealing internal documents that exposed the company’s prioritisation of profits over user safety. She now leads Beyond the Screen, a non-profit promoting accountability in social media.
Ms Haugen will explore how the lack of oversight over social media has harmed children worldwide. Drawing from her experience, she will outline the data she believes platforms must release to help children, parents, and advertisers make informed, responsible decisions.
Panellists and moderators
Day one of the summit will feature dynamic panel discussions and presentations with academics, industry leaders, youth representatives, and mental and physical health experts.
Some of the moderators, panellists and presenters taking part in these sessions are listed below in alphabetical order.
| Dr Paul Byron - Senior Lecturer at University of Technology Sydney |
| Dr Michael Carr-Gregg - Child and adolescent psychologist |
| Dr Kerry Chant – NSW Chief Health Officer |
| Dr Jonathon Hutchinson - Chair of Discipline of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney |
| Julie Inman Grant – eSafety Commissioner |
| Lydia Khalil – Program Director of the Transnational Challenges Program at the Lowy Institute |
| Dr Rachel Kowert - Author and researcher on the uses and effects of digital games |
| Ariana Kurzeme - Director, Policy & Prevention at Alannah & Madeline Foundation |
| Cynthia Miller-Idriss - Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education at the American University |
| Elizabeth Milovidov - Digital parenting expert and author |
| Dr Joanne Orlando - Researcher, author, and expert in digital wellbeing for families and young people |
| Dr Zac Seidler - Global Director of Men's Health Research at Movember |
| Rosie Thomas OAM - Co-Founder and Executive Director of Project Rockit |
| Dr Murray Wright - NSW Chief Psychiatrist |
| Youth representatives from across NSW |
Have Your Say
The NSW Government recently invited community members to share their experiences, concerns, and suggestions regarding social media through the Have Your Say platform.
The feedback gathered from this survey will shape and inform the summit and support the development of practical solutions to address the challenges and opportunities presented by social media.
The results of the survey will be published soon. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this important consultation.
Stay informed
Further details including live streaming information and detailed event schedules will be made available online ahead of the summit.
Updates about day one of the summit in Sydney will be published to this webpage and information about day two in Adelaide is available here.