New eras in online safety: building healthy societies for future generations
The online world presents both opportunities and dangers for children and young people. With 1.8 billion adolescents aged 10-24 globally, and 4.6 million in Australia, ensuring online spaces are safe is paramount. To date, powerful technology corporations have been able to introduce new products with few guardrails and limited oversight. Online platforms have enabled new forms of violence including gendered and sexual violence, extortion, and bullying, as well as risks of dependence and anxiety. Such violence poses unique threats for young people. The dawn of this era has been rapid and poses critical new challenges for public health and safety nationally and internationally. Australia is leading the way in research, innovation and regulation.
About the event
The forum will explore:
- new research identifying the scale of violence experienced by young people and which types are most harmful
- innovative education programs that build young people's knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to navigate the online world and develop healthy, respectful relationships
- world-first regulatory reforms, including social media minimum age restrictions and safety-by-design measures, that provide a global model for building healthier digital societies
- the implications of emerging technologies, including AI, which demands sustained vigilance and proactive public policy to protect online safety and public health.
Join leading figures, Distinguished Professor Ben Mathews, Chanel Contos, Founder and Executive Director of Teach us Consent, and Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner to discuss landmark developments. Consider the next dimensions in optimal public policy at QUT Bold, moderated by Australia’s National Commissioner for Children, Deb Tsorbaris, and hosted by QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil AO.
Meet Ben Mathews
Distinguished Professor, QUT School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law
Ben is world-renowned researcher in child abuse, violence against children, and public health. For 25 years he has conducted innovative research into violence against children, and his work has influenced major socio-legal reforms in Australia and overseas. He led the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, which was the first study to identify the prevalence, nature and health outcomes of all forms of child abuse. Recently he completed the first Australian study to identify the national prevalence, characteristics and health outcomes of online sexual violence against children. He is an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, was named in The Australian's Top 250 Researchers in 2025 and has twice been nominated for Australian of the Year awards.
Meet Chanel Contos
Founder and Executive Director, Teach Us Consent
Chanel was the driving force behind national reforms introducing enhanced sexuality, consent and relationships education in Australia. These reforms represent a tectonic change in social policy to better educate children and youth about healthy and safe relationships. Now, Teach Us Consent's 'Promoting Consent Initiative' designs and delivers social media resources aiming to reduce all forms of sexual violence and promote healthy intimacy. Chanel holds master degrees in education, gender and international development from University College London and in public policy from the University of Oxford. She chairs the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership’s Youth Advisory Committee, and is the author of 'Consent Laid Bare: sex, entitlement, and the distortion of desire'. A leading innovator in prevention of gendered violence and promotion of healthy relationships, Chanel was awarded the Australian Human Rights Commission Young People’s Medal in 2021, was named one of the BBC’s 100 inspiring and influential women worldwide, and was NSW Young Woman of the Year in 2023.
Meet Julie Inman Grant
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner
Julie leads eSafety, the world’s first government regulatory agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online. Julie has extensive experience in the non-profit and government sectors and spent two decades in senior public policy and safety roles in the tech industry at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe. As commissioner, she has led the introduction of world-first regulatory regimes under the Online Safety Act 2021, including the landmark social media minimum age restrictions which commenced in December 2025. In 2020, Julie was appointed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Apolitical as one of the #Agile50, the world’s most influential leaders revolutionising government. Julie was recently named one of Australia’s most influential women by the Australian Financial Review, and a leading Australian in Foreign Affairs by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Moderated by Deb Tsorbaris
National Children’s Commissioner
Deb is a leading advocate for children, young people and families with more than 30 years of experience in executive roles in the not for profit and public sectors. As National Children's Commissioner, Ms Tsorbaris promotes and protects children's human rights. An essential part of her job is listening to Australia's children and young people about their needs and experiences, so she can inform decision-makers and hold them accountable for policies and services. Before commencing as National Children’s Commissioner, Ms Tsorbaris was the CEO of the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Victoria’s peak body for child and family services. She has also held several key advisory roles, including as a member of the Victorian Children’s Council and the Victorian Women’s Ministerial Correctional Services Committee, and as Co-Chair of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse Advisory Group. She provides policy leadership to governments across Australia and has been instrumental in advancing the rights of vulnerable and marginalised children. In recognition of her outstanding work with children, Ms Tsorbaris was honoured with the prestigious Robin Clark Leadership Award in 2022.
About the series
QUT is an exciting place, where ideas are generated, questioned, and challenged.
Introducing our free public speaker series - 'QUT Bold', inspiring curiosity, exploring public debate, and connecting you with the world’s great thinkers.
This is your opportunity to debate big ideas, spark your imagination, and ask questions about the most pressing challenges facing us today.
Each forum features influential thought leaders that span disciplinary, cultural, and global boundaries. With knowledge we can help shape our world and better understand our place within it.
'It is only through interrogating known facts that new discoveries can occur.'
Professor Margaret Sheil AO
QUT Vice Chancellor and President
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Sixteen years ago, the dream was 'a robot in every home'. Today, with remarkable advances in artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, and autonomous vehicles, that vision feels closer than ever. Robots now sense, understand, and reason about their surroundings better than ever before. In the USA, robot cars complete hundreds of thousands of rides for paying customers every week. Humanoid robots can jump, flip, and even (slowly) attempt the dishes. But what does it take to integrate robots into society in ways that truly help rather than hinder? What pitfalls must we avoid? And what might a world with billions of robots in homes and workplaces actually look like?
Listen to Dr Sue Keay and Professor Michael Milford for a deep dive into this fascinating field as they explore the future of robotics and tackle your burning questions. Hear the latest expert insights on autonomous vehicle systems, AI, and robotics.
Dr Meganne Christian, Reserve Astronaut with Rebecca Levingston, ABC journalist
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She has undertaken two missions, including a winter-over, to Concordia Station in Antarctica where she was a research scientist in charge of atmospheric physics and meteorology.
Meganne in conversation explores the future of human impact in space as well as stories from her extraordinary career. This event was a World Science Festival Brisbane debut.
Professor Brian Schmidt AC with Bernie Hobbs, QUT alumnus
Professor Brian Schmidt AC is a scientist working in astronomy and astrophysics during a time of immense change in which researchers have uncovered most of the key elements illuminating our place in the universe.
Brian describes his journey as an astronomer, reflects on what he has learnt along the way, and shares his thoughts on how this connects with our broader place in the universe. Exciting progress in astronomy and astrophysics is shared, as well as what we can expect in the future.
Brian is one of Australia's most eminent scientists, winning the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics, alongside many other academic awards and distinctions.
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