Tech policy from ground zero to today

Tech policy from ground zero to today: a regulator’s view from the frontlines to the future of online safety. The OII is delighted to welcome Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner. This session is hosted by the Director of the OII, Professor Victoria Nash. The world’s first dedicated online safety regulator, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, shares her vision for a safer internet for citizens across the globe. In leading this pioneering agency and its work to prevent online harms, Commissioner Inman Grant has drawn on her two decades of experience in the technology industry to help eSafety write the rule book from scratch. From her early days as one of Microsoft’s first DC lobbyists in DC to her experiences and insights from Twitter, Adobe and beyond, her presentation will chart the evolution of online safety policy and flag the lessons to be learned from the birth of Big Tech to help design a safer online world for the future. Bio Julie has extensive experience in the non-profit and government sectors and spent two decades working in senior public policy and safety roles in the tech industry at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe. The Commissioner’s career began in Washington DC, working in the US Congress and the non-profit sector before taking on a role at Microsoft. Julie’s experience at Microsoft spanned 17 years, serving as one of the company’s first and longest-standing government relations professionals, ultimately in the role of Global Director for Safety & Privacy Policy and Outreach. At Twitter, she set up and drove the company’s policy, safety & philanthropy programs across Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia. As Commissioner, Julie plays an important global role as Chair of the Child Dignity Alliance’s Technical Working Group and as a Board Member of the WePROTECT Global Alliance. She 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.  In 2020, the World Economic Forum and Apolitical appointed the Commissioner as one of the #Agile50, the world’s most influential leaders revolutionising government. In 2021, Julie oversaw significant increases in the eSafety office’s budget, increased staffing levels and launched the global Safety by Design initiative. As Commissioner, she has led work to stand up novel and world-first regulatory regimes under the new Online Safety Act 2021, with implementation of a sweeping new set of reforms beginning on 23 January 2022. Commissioner Inman Grant was reappointed for a further 5-year term by the Australian Government in January 2022. More information can be found at www.esafety.gov.au.