Australia’s eSafety Commissioner gives keynote address at G7 Safety Tech Summit
The G7 Safety Tech Summit, which took place on 16 November 2021, saw more than 50 global voices from government, academia, non-profit and tech sectors come together to discuss the potential for Safety Tech to enable safer online environments for all.
Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, set out a powerful manifesto for change in her keynote address, ‘Safety by Design: the Tech Industry’s Seatbelt Moment’ (a summary of themes from the keynote can be found on the eSafety Commissioner’s website).
The opening panel saw a discussion of the value of Safety Tech:
- Professor Mary Aiken
- Ian Stevenson (Chair, Safety Tech Industry Association)
- Sean Litton (Executive Director, Technology Coalition)
- Melina Sánchez Montañés (Alfred Landecker Foundation)
- Sudeshna Mukherjee (Policy researcher).
Themes brought out in this session included the need for a multi-stakeholder, collaborative approach to develop the Safety Tech ecosystem on a global scale, and to strike a balance between the three fundamental pillars of freedom of expression, right to safety and right to privacy.
Two follow-up innovation showcases focused on the opportunities for Safety Tech to tackle hate, radicalisation and disinformation, and to protect children and vulnerable users online. Speakers included:
- Vidhya Ramalingam (Moonshot)
- John-Orr Hanna (Crisp)
- Philipp Amann (European Cybercrime Centre)
- Elena Martellozzo (Middlesex University)
- Seyi Akiwowo, (Glitch)
The online event concluded with an opportunity for representatives from invited countries to share their perspectives on the themes of the discussion sessions, and reflections on the potential for future global collaboration on Safety Tech.
