We would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Policy & Internet conference at The University of Sydney. Focusing on the contested nature of ‘good’ Internet policy, we were joined by a range of outstanding scholars from institutions from around the world, including Nanyang Technological University; University of Tehran; Yale University; University of Technology Sydney; University of Queensland’s Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Academy of Research; University of Canberra; University of Milan; University of California; University of Edinburgh; Beijing Language and Culture University; King’s College London; Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; and Universidad Catolica Del Uruguay. Over three days, scholars and students presented research and engaged in discussion on a broad range of Internet policy issues, everything from news media, politics, fashion and entertainment content regulations, misinformation, artificial intelligence, the digital platform political economy, digital content labour, online harms, security, sovereignty and data ethics. Associate Professor Julia Powles gave a highly provocative keynote presentation, challenging the dominant rhetoric in AI policy. In her talk titled The irresponsibility of responsible AI she reminded us that AI harm is a systemic issue that can not be meaningfully addressed through individual responsibility. On day two, Cheryl Langdon-Orr hosted a lively discussion exploring cutting-edge research into ‘everyday Internet and policy issues, covering online gambling, recommendation algorithms, online pornography, the consumption of news content on social media and the monetisation of children online. Another highlight of day two was the panel presented by the Charles Perkins Centre Truth Decay Node which provided the latest interdisciplinary research on how online arguments, images and narratives shape beliefs, and guidelines for countering the spread of dangerous belief systems. On day three we were joined by Andrew Francis from Australia’s competition authority, the ACCC, who has recently lead a multi-year inquiry into the digital platform economy, and Sophie Murray-Farell from the NSW Government Premier’s Department who are currently developing groundbreaking policy initiatives aimed a addressing…
Joanne Gray
The Policy & Internet conference will bring together a range of international voices to demonstrate how varying approaches towards internet policy are established, embodied and engaged with by a variety of stakeholders. Together, scholars and policymakers will discuss current practices, alternative designs and the ‘unknowns’ that are required for inclusive internet governance.
Location:R.D. Watt BuildingCamperdown, NSW 2050, Australia Dates and time:2-4 October, 20248:30am – 5:30pm The Policy & Internet conference will bring together a range of international voices to demonstrate how varying approaches towards internet policy are established, embodied and engaged with by a variety of stakeholders. Together, scholars and policymakers will discuss current practices, alternative designs and the ‘unknowns’ that are required for inclusive internet governance. Conference program View the conference videos (coming soon) View our Mural View the conference photos (coming soon) Conference Organizers Day One: 2 October 2024 Keynote Speaker Associate Professor Julia PowlesDirector of the UWA Tech & Policy Lab Julia Powles is the Director of the UWA Tech & Policy Lab and Associate Professor of Law and Technology at the University of Western Australia. She is an international research leader in privacy, intellectual property, internet governance, and the law and politics of data, automation, and artificial intelligence. Her current research interests include Big Tech culpability, tech crimes, and data governance in health and performance contexts. Julia serves on Australian federal and state committees on generative AI in education, AI and copyright, privacy and responsible information sharing, responsible AI, and robotics. Prior to joining UWA, she worked at Cornell Tech, NYU, Cambridge, The Guardian, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Julia studied genetics, biophysics, and law at ANU and UWA, and received her master’s from Oxford and PhD from Cambridge. Doctoral Paper Presentations Day Two: 3 October 2024 Paper presentations Everyday Internet & Policy Charles Perkins Centre Truth Decay Node PresentsThe psychology of online arguments and narratives Conference Conclusion Chair: Dr Jonathon Hutchinson Chair of Discipline of Media and Communication at the University of Sydney He is a Chief Investigator on the Australian Research Council LIEF project ‘The International Digital Policy Observatory,’ and is also a Chief Investigator on the eSafety Commission Research project ‘Emerging online safety issues: co-creating social media education with young people.’ For 2023 and…
Join us in shaping Internet policy discourses at a conference designed to challenge, inspire and innovate
Location:R.D. Watt Building & onlineCamperdown, NSW 2050, Australia Dates and time:2-4 October, 20248:30am – 5:30pm The Policy & Internet conference will bring together a range of international voices to demonstrate how varying approaches towards internet policy are established, embodied and engaged with by a variety of stakeholders. Together, scholars and policymakers will discuss current practices, alternative designs and the ‘unknowns’ that are required for inclusive internet governance. Conference Organizers Local Transport Getting to/from the airport You can access taxis and rideshare services when you arrive. The Sydney CBD is a short, 20 minute ride away and will cost about 45-55 AUD one way. You’ll find taxi ranks at the front of all terminals – simply follow the signs to the nearest ranks. For rideshare services, please arrange with your driver to meet you at the priority pick-up area. Sydney Airport is located just 13 minutes by train from the city. Airport Link offers a fast and convenient way to reach the city and suburbs, with trains running approximately every 10 minutes. To use this service, you can either purchase an Opal Card from the station or WH Smith, or tap on with your Amex, Visa or Mastercard. The train costs up to 38 AUD one way. Public transport You can pay with contactless-enabled American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit cards or a linked device, by tapping on and tapping off at Opal readers. Contactless payments are available on all public transport in the Opal network and you will receive the same travel benefits of an Adult Opal card. Alternatively, the Opal card is an easy, convenient way of paying for your travel on public transport in Sydney. It can be used on all public transport, including trains, ferries, buses and light rail. There are daily and weekly caps on the Opal network, meaning you can travel as much as you like within the Opal network and you never…
Join us in shaping Internet policy discourses at a conference designed to challenge, inspire and innovate.
Location:RD Watt Seminar Room, University of Sydney, Australia, and online Dates and time:2 – 4 October 2024 As our digital society advances, an increasingly diverse array of stakeholders are seeking to have a greater say in its governance (Calandro, 2015, Aguerre, 2020, Tjahja et al, 2022), making the challenge of policymaking for the Internet more complex and contested (Kettemann, 2020, Belli et al, 2023). The 2024 Policy & Internet conference, hosted by the University of Sydney, invites scholars, policymakers, civic interest groups, platform providers and regulatory bodies to participate in a dialogue about the nature of ‘good Internet policy’. Set against the backdrop of significant global events like NetMundial+10 and the United Nations Global Digital Compact, the conference seeks to unravel the complexities of Internet governance and policymaking and to explore diverse pathways towards a ‘good’ future for the Internet for all. This conference aims to explore foundational questions and new frontiers in Internet policy and invites contributions that address but are not necessarily limited to the following topics: Defining Good Policy: What constitutes good Internet policy? Which norms and values are pivotal in shaping these policies? Policy Innovation and Ecosystems: What current innovations are shaping policy landscapes? Are these ecosystems effective, and how might they be reimagined? Norm Entrepreneurship: How are different stakeholders championing innovative norms to address the myriad challenges in Internet policy? Processes and Mechanisms: What are the key processes and mechanisms in crafting effective Internet policies? Policy Spaces: Where is Internet policy formulated? Which forums or platforms are or should be central to these discussions? Inclusivity in Policymaking: Who currently influences Internet policy, and who should be involved in these discussions? Impact of Emerging Technologies: How do emerging technologies reshape the frameworks and priorities of Internet policy? Regulatory Expertise: What expertise is necessary to navigate and enhance the efficacy of Internet policy-making? We invite submissions that address the above themes, but also encourage papers that propose…
The OpenAI employees had faith in Altman. They believed in his vision and they did not like that the board could dismiss him so easily. Is their upset justified? Did the board overstep its bounds? Or did it exercise a necessary check on power?
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The sudden removal of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Friday was met with shock and disapproval by the company’s employees. More than 90% signed a letter threatening to leave OpenAI if the board didn’t resign and reinstate Altman. The OpenAI employees had faith in Altman. They believed in his vision and they did not like that the board could dismiss him so easily. Is their upset justified? Did the board overstep its bounds? Or did it exercise a necessary check on power? https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1726509045803336122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726509045803336122%7Ctwgr%5E53a5ba6d82ed8a383027570f3ecdffc60d632db6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fopenais-board-is-facing-backlash-for-firing-ceo-sam-altman-but-its-good-it-had-the-power-to-218154 Silicon Valley’s ‘genius founder’ mythology The idea of a “genius founder” lies at the heart of Silicon Valley culture. Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin and Larry Page are not known as privileged men who managed to build successful businesses through a combination of hard work, smart decision-making and luck. Rather, they are celebrated as geniuses, wunderkinds, perhaps even maniacs – but always brilliant. Men who accomplished feats no one else could, because of their innate genius. A captivating founder narrative has become almost a prerequisite for any tech startup in Silicon Valley. It makes a company easier to sell and also structures power within the organisation. Throughout human history, founder mythologies have been used to explain, justify and sustain hierarchies of power. From heroes to deities to founding fathers, the founder myth provides a way to understand the current distribution of power and to unite around a figurehead. What happened this week at OpenAI was a challenge to the natural order of things in Silicon Valley. What happened to Sam? It’s quite remarkable a superstar “genius founder” such as Sam Altman wasn’t safeguarded by a company structure that could prevent his ousting. Tech company founders often create intricate structures to entrench themselves in their companies. For instance, when Google restructured into Alphabet, it created three share classes: one with standard voting rights, another with ten times the voting rights for the founders, and a third class without voting rights, mainly…
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