Tech Mirror

With countries and tech stakeholders rapidly moving to claim AI in their interest, such as the US government’s move to restrict non-citizens' access to platforms like Claude, what does it mean for Australians to have control over their technological future? AI is becoming closely linked to Australia’s economy, security, and everyday life. It’s time to discuss what having AI Agency looks like now a...

The nature of work and jobs is being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Is it the building block to a worker utopia, or a more bleak, disruptive reality? In this episode of Tech Mirror, host Johanna Weaver sits down with Joseph Mitchell from the Australian Council of Trade Unions to unpack the opportunities, risks, and power dynamics brought on by the rollout of AI in workplaces around Australia...

Prepare to meet some amazing individuals who are using technology for social justice. This episode was recorded live at the Technology for Social Justice conference - Australia’s premier not-for-profit technology capability building, upskilling, networking and awards event, celebrating and exploring how technology can enable leaders to amplify impact.  Johanna sat down to chat with CEO of Infoexch...

This episode marks the launch of TIPD's new research around AI, trust and regulation on 5 May in Parramatta. It begins with Johanna speaking with the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Dr Andrew Charlton, followed by his keynote where he sets out the Government’s plan when it comes to AI and how to get the Australian public to trust and invest in AI. Next up TPDi C...

Johanna discusses Australia’s draft Children’s Online Privacy Code with Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind and Director of the Code Taskforce Kate Bower. They discuss how the proposed privacy code will work and how it will shape and benefit young people’s privacy in the future, with the potential for positive spillover for all users regardless of age. Carly and Kate also answer questions sent in by T...

Johanna looks at whether the past can give us clues about the future with Carl Benedikt Frey, Dieter Schwarz Associate Professor of AI & Work at the Oxford Internet Institute and writer of How Progress Ends: Technology, Innovation, and the Fate of Nations. They talk about whether progress will end in the context of technology, innovation and (of course) artificial intelligence. They also discu...

In the next deep dive into tech and geopolitics, Johanna Weaver sits down with Tim Coghlan, an Australia global tech and China economy analyst living in Beijing. They talk about geostrategic competition, from the perspective of China. Tim talks about how China has embraced AI, even down to the neighbourhood running track. From China’s strengths, to its vulnerabilities, Tim and Johanna discuss how...

In the first episode in a deep dive into tech and geopolitics, Johanna Weaver sits down with Martijn Rasser, Vice-President of Technology Leadership at the US Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). The pair talk about strategic technology competition between the US & China, and what this means for middle power countries like Australia. They also discuss SCSP’s new ‘Tech Scorecards’, the P...

In this episode Johanna Weaver catches up with Jess Wilson, CEO of Good Things; David Masters, Head of Global Public Policy at Atlassian; Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch;  Nick Davis, Co-Director at the UTS Human Technology Institute; and  Meredith Hodgman, Head of Strategy from the Tech Policy Design Institute.  Each of them attended the  recent AI Action Summit in Delhi, a conferenc...

To start off our new season of Tech Mirror, Johanna Weaver is join by her co-founder at the Tech Policy Design Institute, Zoe Hawkins, and the pair look forward into 2026 and take a punt on predicting the hot tech policy topics for the year. Will Australia use its position as a middle power leader to shape technology, rather than just react to it? What domestic tech policy issues will take flight...

This is the final episode of TPDi’s 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment.   In this episode, we turn our attention to the future, looking at policy priorities for the Government going forward, including privacy law reform, a prohibition on unfair trading practices, competition codes, and the introduction of a digital duty of car...

This is episode 4 of TPDi’s 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment.   In this episode, we do a deep dive into the practicalities of implementing the Social Media Minimum Age legislation. What is likely to happen on 10th December when the law comes into effect? We answer some of the main questions that Australian young people and t...

This is episode 3 of a 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment. In this episode, we make sense of the Social Media Minimum Age legislation, explaining the limits of the law and what it actually requires of social media companies, young people, parents, and the community. We also unpack how this new law interrelates with other exist...

This is episode 2 of a special 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment.   In this episode, we discuss how the issue of social media harms and the idea of a minimum age restriction became such a political hot topic in the lead up to the 2024 Federal election. We explore the political, social and media forces that lead to the law pas...

In this 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media, we’re exploring Australia's world first online safety experiment. Across five episodes, we’ll unpack the new social media minimum age restriction law, examine the harms it seeks to prevent, consider the controversy surrounding its passage through parliament in November 2024, and try to demystify what will happen on 10th December wh...

When Australia passed its world-first law setting a minimum age for social media, the headlines were global - but the experts were divided. In this Tech Mirror mini-series, we unpack the harms the law seeks to prevent, trace how young people’s use of social media became a flashpoint in the lead-up to the 2025 Federal Election, and explain what the legislation actually requires of social media plat...

Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the Center for Humane Technology, Casey Mock joins Johanna for a discussion on incentives for building safer and more humane technology. Casey and Johanna discuss designing platforms for people and not just profit, how to realign incentives in tech using the well-established concept of legal liability, what to expect from a Trump administration in regards...

Angie Abdilla, Professor and the ANU School of Cybernetics, founder of Old Ways, New, and co-author of the Indigenous Protocols for Artificial Intelligence, joins Johanna for an exploration of Indigenous Knowledge and the lessons we can all draw from it. Angie and Johanna talk about the value of viewing technology, science, and engineering through a non-western worldview, Indigenous Knowledge syst...

Taiwan’s inaugural Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, and author and founder of RadicalxChange Glen Weyl, join Johanna for an in-depth conversation on utilising technology to reduce division,improve governance, and regulate and the speed of innovation Audrey and Glen share their inspiring stories of grass-roots political action turned tech revolution and speak about Australia’s unique democratic inven...

Brendan Dowling Australia's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology is Johanna's guest for this episode of Tech Mirror. Join them as they unravel the complexities of cyber diplomacy and Australia’s role in shaping tech policy on the global stage.   The pair explore the intricacies of international tech alliances, the challenges, and motivations of attributing cyber threats—including A...

Carly Kind assumed her role as Privacy Commissioner in February this year. In this episode of Tech Mirror, Commissioner Kind and Johanna traverse:   what motivated Carly to accept the role (hint: it’s an exciting time in privacy in Australia) how the reinstated role of Privacy Commissioner works within the broader Office of Australia Information Commissioner (OAIC) Carly’s hopes for the privacy re...

Frances Haugen came to the world’s attention in 2021 as a whistle-blower, after filing a series of complaints about Facebook (now Meta) with the U.S. Federal Government about the harms caused by their business practices. She now works to champion accountability, transparency, and driving social media for the common good. In this new episode of Tech Mirror, TPDC Director Professor Johanna Weaver an...

We’re excited to announce that the Tech Mirror Podcast will be returning to its regular scheduling very soon - we’re cooking up a great season with an all-star line-up of guests, so stay tuned! In the interim, here’s a quick update on what TPDC has been doing for the past few months. In particular, we’re especially excited to tell you about our brand new education program aimed at upskilling exist...

This is a special episode of Tech Mirror on the imperative to protect civilians from digital threats during war. Johanna is in conversation with Dr. Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer and Head of the legal division of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Dr. Tilman Rodenhäuser, Thematic Legal Adviser at the ICRC.   The trio discuss the work of a high-level ICRC Advisory Board,...

Curious about the future of privacy in Australia? Join us as we delve into the world of privacy regulation in Australia. Our expert panel shares their thoughts on the Government’s response to the Privacy Act Review Report.  It’s a follow-up to episode #22 ‘Privacy is Not Dead’. Returning guest Anna Johnston, founder and Principal of Salinger Privacy, is joined by Ryan Black, Head of Policy for the...