Netsafe conference

Netsafe and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner proudly co-hosted our trans-Tasman Online Safety Conference on 24 & 25 October 2023, at Te Pae in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Catch the highlights in our image gallery and wrap-up video.

2023 Theme

This year’s conference is titled “Breaking Glass Ceilings and Building Bridges: a trans-Tasman conference exploring the human experience in online spaces and places”.

Now more than ever, online harm and identity are clearly linked and many online spaces feel dangerous – especially for individuals and communities who find themselves most at-risk online. At this year’s conference we will create a safe platform from which the voices we seek to protect and promote, can speak to their experiences, and inform policy, practice and legal principle development.

Speakers

Netsafe are pleased to announce that Jenny May Clarkson will MC our 2023 conference.

jenny-may-clarkson

Jenny-May Clarkson’s journey to her current role as the host of TVNZ Breakfast is nothing short of remarkable. With a diverse background that includes being an elite athlete, police officer, sports journalist, and television host, she has proven to be a true jack of all trades.

As a busy mother of twin boys, she takes pride in speaking Te Reo at home, reflecting her Māori heritage.

Programme

Bringing together 20+ leading online safety experts and practitioners from Aotearoa, Australia, and internationally, to share knowledge and insights, and to participate in discussion and debate, exploring themes including:

  • Legislative and policy responses
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Innovative education
  • Pacific collaboration

The programme is now available here (subject to change)

This conference brings together in person a truly global perspective on online harm, with 14 international speakers spanning the US, UK and Pacific, and 9 New Zealand speakers (including 3 international keynotes Hany Farid – see bio below – plus Vidhya Ramalingam founder of Moonshot, and Standford Lecturer and former US human rights attorney Brittan Heller).

The conference features numerous multi-speaker segments and panels on current themes such as Global Legal Developments featuring Retired Judge David Harvey (NZ), David Wright (Director of UK Safer Internet Centre) and Morag Bond (Head of Industry Regulations eSafety, Australia) together on stage.

Opening Keynote: Hany Farid, Professor, University of California

Hany Farid is a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley with a joint appointment in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences and the School of Information.

His research focuses on digital forensics, forensic science, misinformation, image analysis, and human perception.

Hany is renowned internationally as the creator of PhotoDNA.

Tickets

A limited release of Early Bird tickets have now sold out.

Some standard tickets remain available for registration here!

RegistrationEarly Release tickets SOLD OUTStandard tickets, post-Early Release
(After 15th September)
Netsafe Member$500

$500

Non-member

$600

$700

Day Pass Day 1$310
Day Pass Day 2$310

Full Registration tickets include:

  • Access to conference sessions Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October 2023
  • Access to both Sponsored Functions (Cocktail Hour and Breakfast)
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea each day
  • Name badge and conference materials

Day Pass Tickets:

Tuesday 24 October Day Pass Registration Includes:

  • Access to conference sessions for the day only
  • Access to the Sponsored Function Cocktail Hour only
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
  • Name badge and conference materials

Wednesday 25 October Day Pass Registration Includes:

  • Access to conference sessions for the day only
  • Access to the Sponsored Function Breakfast only
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
  • Name badge and conference materials

Accommodation

Special room rates have been negotiated in nearby hotels. Bookings can be made when you register for the event. See accommodation details.

Cancellations: 

  • Should you need to cancel your registration for any reason, you may reassign your registration to another person. Please notify The Conference Company via email of the replacement delegate’s name and contact details.
  • If you are unable to arrange a replacement, a refund less a cancellation fee of NZD$100 will be made, providing notification is received prior to 11 September 2023. Cancellations made after 11 September 2023 are non-refundable.
  • If, for reasons beyond our control, the conference is cancelled, registration fees will be refunded after the deduction of expenses already incurred.
  • By registering for the conference, you are confirming consent for any video and photographs taken at the conference, which you are in, may be used in promotion of the conference.

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Conference Sponsors

Netsafe extends its thanks to Microsoft, Meta and One NZ- Platinum sponsors – and TikTok Gold sponsors, for supporting some of the most important conversations of our time.

As a New Zealand Not-for-Profit, Netsafe works with, and receives funding from, a number of public and private sector organisations in our mission to achieve a safe, tech-positive online experience for all people of Aotearoa.

Sponsorship of this conference is managed and received by Netsafe only and is independent of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.

Become a sponsor of the conference, where 300 tech industry professionals, online safety experts, education advisors and government representatives from across Australia and New Zealand, will gather to hear inspiring keynote speakers and panellists.

Partnering with Netsafe means supporting a 25-year old Not-for-Profit with an unwavering commitment to online safety, and a reputation for tech-positive and innovative campaigns.

See our conference sponsorship prospectus, or contact: [email protected] to discuss options.

Local Promotional Partner

Our conference partner

The eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) is Australia’s independent regulator for online safety.

esafety-logo-thin

eSafety fosters online safety by exercising powers under legislation, primarily the Online Safety Act 2021, and is fully funded by the Australian Government. As an independent statutory regulator, eSafety makes decisions in accordance with its statutory functions to achieve its mission of helping safeguard Australians at risk from online harms and promoting safer, more positive online experiences. Four interconnected pillars provide a framework within which eSafety’s core regulatory functions are delivered:

  • Prevention – through evidence-based research, education programs and raising awareness
  • Protection – through regulatory schemes and investigations, and offering empathetic and compassionate support
  • Proactive and systemic change – by staying ahead of technology trends, supporting industry to improve user safety standards, and strengthening our impact across borders.
  • Partnerships – to amplify our reach within Australia and around the world.

Conference history

After our successful “Confronting Online Harm Together” conference in Auckland 2016, Netsafe and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner agreed to partner together to bring the online safety industry together each year…

Our first trans-Tasman online safety conference took place in 2017 in Sydney. The conference was full of highlights and included an epic gaming battle between Netsafe and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.

The 2018 trans-Tasman Online Safety Conference was held in Auckland on 10-11 October 2018. The theme of the conference was “The Crossroads: Where online safety, education, entertainment, regulation, enforcement, technology and wellbeing intersect”. There were over 200 delegates at the conference including representatives from online content creators, education, government, law enforcement and industry.

The 2019 “Online Safety on the Edge” trans-Tasman conference was held in Sydney. It became the last in-person conference of this kind before Covid, making 2023 the first time the industry was back together.