Too young to scroll? Policy, practice and the bigger picture
WHEN
11 September 2025
Thursday
6.00pm - 7.30pm Australia/Sydney
WHERE
City campus
UTS Great Hall
Building 1, Level 5
15 Broadway, Ultimo
and livestreamed via Zoom.
COST
Free admission
RSVP
This episode will explore the Australian Government’s legislation to raise the minimum age for social media age to 16-a major policy shift aimed at protecting young people online. This legislation is set to be implemented later this year.
As the Australian Government moves to raise the minimum age for social media to 16, this episode of Global Game Changers, will explore what the legislation could mean for young people, families, educators and the platforms themselves.
We’ll explore how this policy is expected to be implemented, what age verification might look like in practice, and the challenges it raises around privacy, rights and enforcement.
Bringing together insights from leading UTS academics, frontline youth advocates and policy makers, the discussion will examine the broader social, ethical and digital implications, from mental health and online identity to inclusion and digital literacy.
This timely conversation asks: how do we create a safer online world, without losing what makes it empowering?
Our host: Kumi Taguchi
Kumi Taguchi is the host of SBS’s Insight and a seasoned broadcaster known for her warm, thoughtful storytelling. With over 25 years in media, she brings curiosity, compassion, and a deep respect for lived experience to every conversation.
Speaker: Julie Inman Grant
As Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant is leading global efforts to make the internet safer for all. With deep tech-industry experience and a powerful international voice, she brings insight, leadership and action to the digital safety conversation.
Speaker: Rana Ebrahimi
Say hello to Rana Ebrahimi, National Manager at MYAN and fierce advocate for refugee and migrant youth, with a powerful record of shaping national policy and championing social inclusion.
Speaker: Rosie Thomas
Bringing unstoppable energy and two decades of youth advocacy, Rosie Thomas sparks bold conversations about bullying, inclusion and purpose. Through PROJECT ROCKIT, she’s helped shape a safer, kinder digital world — and she's just getting started.
Speaker: Dr Marian-Andrei Riziou
Meet Associate Professor Marian-Andrei Riziou, head of UTS’s Behavioural Data Science Lab, exploring how we pay attention online and how influence and opinion spread across the digital world.
Speaker: Amelia Johns
Join Associate Professor Amelia Johns as she unpacks how young people tackle racism, misinformation, and digital safety across social platforms, from Facebook to WhatsApp and beyond.