Social Media and its effects on our teenage population have been the subject of conversations on a federal, state and local level. October will see a joint Social Media Summit between the NSW and South Australian governments. 

Yesterday, it was announced that an esteemed group of internationally renowned and local expert speakers and panellists had been confirmed by the NSW Government to take part in next month’s Social Media Summit.

The first-of-its-kind two-day, two-state summit, jointly hosted with the Government of South Australia, will bring together leading experts, policymakers, young people and community voices to discuss the critical issues surrounding social media use.

The summit will feature insightful presentations from high-profile keynote speakers and dynamic panel discussions with academics, industry leaders, youth representatives, and mental and physical health experts.

Day one of the summit, at ICC Sydney on Thursday, October 10, will include a keynote address by Dr Jean Twenge (USA), with the renowned Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University and author of more than 190 scientific publications and books presenting evidence on the relationship between the global adolescent mental health crisis and social media usage.

Frances Haugen (USA), prominent Meta whistleblower and advocate for transparency, will deliver a keynote exploring 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.

The program also includes digital parenting expert and author Elizabeth Milovidov (USA), who will address the challenges of parenting in the social media age. She will offer practical tips to empower parents and caregivers, helping them guide their children to safely navigate technology and the online world.

The two-day summit will explore themes including:

• Formulating a public health response to social media harm minimisation
• Opportunities to address social media harms within educational settings
• Understanding the role of social media in identity, belonging and worldviews
• Unpacking links between extremism, misogyny and social media
• Reclaiming the digital town square - creating positive digital communities

Some of the panellists taking part in these sessions include:

• Dr Rachel Kowert (Canada) - author and researcher on the uses and effects of digital games
• Ariana Kurzeme - Director, Policy & Prevention at Alannah & Madeline Foundation
• Dr Zac Seidler - Global Director of Men's Health Research at Movember
• Dr Michael Carr-Gregg – Child and adolescent psychologist
• Julie Inman Grant – eSafety Commissioner
• Dr Jonathon Hutchinson - Chair of Discipline of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney
• Dr Cynthia Miller-Idriss - Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education at the American University and founding director of the Polarisation and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab
• Dr Paul Byron - Senior Lecturer at University of Technology Sydney
• Rosie Thomas OAM - Co-Founder and Executive Director of Project Rockit
• Dr Joanne Orlando - Researcher, author, and expert in digital wellbeing for families and young people
• Dr Kerry Chant – NSW Chief Health Officer
• Dr Murray Wright - NSW Chief Psychiatrist
• Lydia Khalil – Program Director of the Transnational Challenges Program at the Lowy Institute will be the NSW Summit’s Rapporteur.

The summit will hear from a range of young voices, including panellists and moderators, who will share their perspectives throughout the day.

The event will conclude with a special address by the Summit Youth Rapporteur, who will provide key insights and reflections to wrap up the proceedings.

Day two of the summit will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Friday, October 11, with speakers and panellists to be announced by the Government of South Australia.

All keynote addresses and major panel discussions will be live streamed via the NSW Government and SA Government websites.

The full line-up of speakers and panellists for the Sydney summit will be published online ahead of the event. For more information and to watch the live stream, please visit: www.nsw.gov.au/socialmediasummit.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said, “We’ve assembled a diverse group of experts, thought leaders and community voices to ensure a robust discussion on the challenges and opportunities posed by social media.

“I’ve said before, social media is this giant global unregulated experiment on children, and we have to change that.

“If there is more we can do as a state government to ensure safe and positive use of social media in our communities – we will do it.

“We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to safeguard young people in the digital space and to equip parents with the knowledge they need.”

Keynote speaker Frances Haugen said, “We have stood by, for more than a decade, as unaccountable American social media companies have experimented on Australian children. The time has come for us to demand more from our online public squares for children and ourselves.

“We can have social media that brings out the best in us - but only if we fight for it.”

Keynote speaker Dr Jean Twenge said, "Teens are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and it's imperative to consider the role social media has played in the unprecedented increase in depression and anxiety among our youth.

“I'm grateful that the NSW Government is sponsoring the Social Media Summit to address these issues and explore the solutions that are so urgently needed."