Responsible Tech London: A Better Tech Future for Youth

Written By David Polgar

All Tech is Human is curating 250 people across civil society, government, industry, and academia to come together on June 27 at the Royal Society in London. Sponsored by the LEGO Group and in collaboration with the Royal Society (Data and Digital Technologies policy team, whose work is focused on disinformation, AI, privacy, and inclusive technology), this gathering will explore how industry can enhance digital wellbeing, create healthy online spaces for youth and ensure technologies like AI promote the best interests of the child. It will feature panels, a mixer and ample opportunity to connect and share with experts across all sectors.

The gathering will be from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and will include two panels, networking, and ample time to learn from each other. There will be light food, drink, and more. The two panels are:

Beyond Safety: Fostering Wellbeing, Belonging, and Positive Digital Interactions for Children

The Future of Play: AI, Ethics, and Building a Safe Digital Playground for Children

We are now accepting applications to attend the Responsible Tech London: A Better Tech Future for Youth. Click below to begin the process. This gathering will host a mix of Trust & Safety professionals, researchers, civil society orgs, governmental officials, academics, students, journalists, advocates, and more.

Attendance to Responsible Tech London: A Better Tech Future for Youth is free if you receive an invitation. Invitations are only sent to approved applicants.

Please note: We are unable to invite every applicant to this gathering due to the high volume of applications we receive. We thank you for your interest in attending this gathering.

Some of the companies and orgs that have attended our recent curated gatherings include:

Accountable Tech, Airbnb, Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), Atlantic Council, Berkman Klein Center, Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Democracy & Technology, Center for Humane Technology, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Center for Tech and Civic Life, Children and Screens, Common Sense Media, Council for Responsible Social Media, Crisis Text Line, Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas (DDIA), Discord, Electronic Arts (EA), Encode Justice, Fairplay, FOSI, Future of Privacy Forum, German Marshall Fund, Global Network Initiative, Institute for Security + Technology, Integrity Institute, The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, Match Group, Mental Health America, Meta, Moonshot, Mozilla Foundation, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, National Democratic Institute (NDI), New America, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Pinterest, Reuters, Roblox, Search for Common Ground, Siegel Family Endowment, Stanford Internet Observatory, Tech Coalition, Tech Matters, Tech Policy Press, TechCongress, The Reclaim Coalition, Thorn, TikTok, Trust & Safety Forum, Trust & Safety Professional Association (TSPA), USAID, VSCO, Wikimedia Foundation, X, Yoti, Young People's Alliance, and YouTube.

Some of our previous speakers have included: Frances Haugen, Julia Angwin, Julie Inman Grant, Kashmir Hill, Kate Klonick, Maya Wiley, Rumman Chowdhury, Sherry Turkle, Tim Wu, Tracy Chou, Yael Eisenstat, and Yoel Roth.

Remarks

Baroness Joanna Shields OBE

Baroness Joanna Shields OBE is a tech industry veteran, parliamentarian, and passionate advocate for responsible technology that benefits humanity. With over three decades of experience, she has built companies, products, and platforms that have transformed markets and reshaped industries. She has held executive roles at tech giants Facebook, Google, Aol and RealNetworks, where she scaled operations globally and delivered exponential growth in revenue and users. As a startup CEO, Joanna led Bebo and Veon to successful acquisitions and transformed BenevolentAI into a leader in AI drug discovery. Currently, as the founder of Precognition, she advises government and business leaders on AI solutions for a better future.

Joanna has served in government as the UK Minister for Internet Safety & Security, Digital Economy Adviser to the Prime Minister, UK Ambassador for Digital Industries, and Chair/CEO of TechCityUK. She is a life peer in the House of Lords and a leading global advocate for the protection of children online.  She founded the WeProtect Global Alliance in 2014, which today has over 100 member countries working to combat online sexual abuse and child exploitation.

Baroness Shields has also served on various private, public, and charitable sector boards, including as Chair of the TechCity Investment Corporation and non-executive board member of the London Stock Exchange Group and Save the Children UK.

An influential voice on responsible AI, Joanna serves on the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on AI and the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity and was twice elected Co-Chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). The uniting theme of her work today is advancing safe and responsible AI development for the benefit of all in society.

Anna Rafferty, Senior Vice President, The LEGO Group

Anna Rafferty is a Senior Vice President at The LEGO Group, looking after engagement, fans and direct relationships. She leads global teams responsible for direct-to-consumer digital products, channels and experiences which include apps, websites, fan communities, games, social media engagement, magazines, membership programmes and fan events. She is the business owner for the LEGO Group’s digital child safety and wellbeing standards and represents the company as subject matter expert with partners like Epic Games and UNICEF.

Prior to The LEGO Group, Anna worked as Global Digital Director at BBC Studios; was Director of Product, Content and Creative at Pottermore and MD for the Digital and Audio Divisions of Penguin Books.  

Anna is also the Chair of the Women’s Prize Trust, the 29-year-old charity responsible for the Women’s Prizes for Fiction and Non-Fiction, sits on the Young BAFTA Advisory Committee and is a member of the Advisory Council for Gaming for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.

Areeq Chowdhury, Head of Policy (Data and Digital Technologies), The Royal Society

Areeq Chowdhury is Head of Policy (Data and Digital Technologies) at the Royal Society. His team focuses on how artificial intelligence and other data-driven technologies can, and should, be used to benefit humanity.

Areeq is also a Labour Party Councillor for Canning Town, in East London, and founded the influential technology policy think tank, WebRoots Democracy, which ran between 2014 and 2020. He has authored various reports on digital democracy, social media, and artificial intelligence. Most notably, he led a high profile project on disinformation during the 2019 UK General Election, producing viral deepfakes of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn endorsing each other for Prime Minister.

Areeq holds a BSc in Economics and Political Science from the University of Birmingham. His career history includes working at: the Foreign Office; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; the UK Parliament; London City Hall; and KPMG.

PANEL #1: Beyond Safety: Fostering Wellbeing, Belonging, and Positive Digital Interactions for Children

This panel will feature what happens when platforms intentionally design online spaces to foster combined feelings of wellbeing, belonging, and meaningful relationships. Drawing upon the expertise of industry leaders and professionals in child safety, this discussion aims to delve into innovative strategies, research, collaborative approaches, and emerging challenges in building and developing children's online experiences. From social media platforms to game developers, each industry sector will share insights into their efforts to prioritize child safety, address harmful content, and promote positive digital interactions.

Cath Knibbs, Human Behaviour Technologist and Trauma Therapist

Cath is a Clinical Doctoral Researcher, Online Harms and Cybertrauma Consultant, Public Speaker, Author of 6 books (5 to date with Routledge), an Educator and TEDx Speaker. She is a Child/Adult Trauma Psychotherapist and Supervisor in private practice. She works with global and national organisations regarding child sexual abuse material and how to prevent cybertrauma burnout in those roles. She works with global organisations consulting on Mental health and Immersive Technologies (MHVR) and the harms that can occur in the new digital spaces (XRSI). She writes about and works with Cybertrauma, which is any trauma that occurs through an internet-ready device or medium. She also educates therapists and practitioners via her company name Privacy4 about Data protection/privacy/cybersecurity issues in relation to their practice. She disrupts and advocates for children’s rights, privacy, and online digital explorations. Catherine is also the mental health advisor for Gamers Beat Cancer charity. She uses gaming in therapeutic situations, coaching, trauma psychotherapy and for getting the best from yourself. She has been using biofeedback/tech and gaming for over a decade to elicit post traumatic growth, healing and flow.

Her books include Cybertrauma: the Darker side of the Internet; Children, Technology and Healthy Development, Children and Sexual-Based Online Harms, Cybertrauma and Online Harms, and Data Protection and Cybersecurity for Practitioners and the newest one forms part of the BPS Ask the expert series.

Sonia Livingstone, Professor in the Department of Media and Communications and Director of Digital Futures for Children centre at London School of Economics

Professor Sonia Livingstone DPhil (Oxon), OBE, FBA, FBPS, FAcSS, FRSA, is a full professor in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE. She has published 20 books and advised the UK government, European Commission, European Parliament, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Council of Europe, OECD, ITU and UNICEF on media audiences, children and young people’s risks and opportunities, media literacy and rights in the digital environment. She directs the Digital Futures for Children centre at LSE with the 5Rights Foundation. See www.sonialivingstone.net 

Sonia Livingstone DPhil (Oxon), OBE, FBA, FBPS, FAcSS, FRSA, is a professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Taking a comparative, critical and contextualised approach, her research examines how changing conditions of mediation reshape everyday practices and possibilities for action. She has published 20 books on media audiences, children and young people’s risks and opportunities, media literacy and rights in the digital environment, including “Parenting for a Digital Future: How hopes and fears about technology shape children’s lives” (OUP 2020). Since founding the EC-funded 33 country “EU Kids Online” research network, and Global Kids Online (with UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti), she has advised the Council of Europe, European Commission, European Parliament, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, OECD, ITU and UNICEF. She chaired LSE’s Truth, Trust and Technology Commission and is currently leading the Digital Futures for Children centre at LSE with the 5Rights Foundation. See www.sonialivingstone.net

Maximilian Milovidov, Youth Ambassador to the Children's Commissioner for England

Maximilian Milovidov is a 17-year-old teen online safety advocate. He is an Ambassador to the Children’s Commissioner for England, a former Youth Board Member for Childnet and Deputy Editor-in-Chief (digital trends) at the Lycée International de Londres. Fluent in French, English, Russian, and Spanish, he serves as a Youth Ambassador for the Diana Award and a Youth Advisor for Digitalem. Maximilian has been featured on ITV News, Sky News, and the Wall Street Journal. His interests lie in cyberpsychology, human nature, and technology.

Katy Minshall, Director of Public Policy, PlayStation

Katy is a Director of Public Policy at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), who operate PlayStation. SIE’s mission is to provide people the world over with access to the best and most innovative gaming experience. Prior to PlayStation, Katy was UK Public Policy Director at Twitter, where she managed both government affairs and the company’s work with charities in the UK. She has a background in research, government and Parliament. She is on the board of Anthony Nolan, a charity that saves the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders, and lives in north London with her wife and daughter.

Moderated by: Alex Holmes, Deputy CEO, The Diana Award; Director, BBC Children in Need

Alex is Deputy CEO at non-profit The Diana Award, which is a legacy to Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world, recognising global changemakers and giving them the skills to further their social action. And a Director at BBC Children In Need focusing on their 'We Move' a fund, a programme committed to empowering black led organisations and black children and young people. This is a 10 year, 10-million-pound commitment, where he's working to develop it beyond a fund into a movement.

 He is founder of peer-to-peer support programme Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, a network of trained young people dedicated to preventing peer on peer violence and all types of bullying particularly in schools. This is a programme Alex founded when aged 16, after experiencing bullying himself (racists and homophobic) and witnessing the impact this can have on young minds and their mental health. The programme has trained over 50,000 young people across UK, Ireland, Greece, Miami (United States) empowering young people to keep themselves and their peers safe and happy, online and offline, a programme which is in 5,000 schools. 

 Alex also sits on the global safety advisory boards of several of the major social media companies (Spotify, Meta, TikTok, Twitch, Yubo, Snapchat) advising them on their approach to safety and online harms. He is also a member of Kokoro's advisory board, which runs the 'Future Mental Health Collective', a global network of 100+ funders who include mental health in their investments or philanthropic giving. He’s a regular expert on ITV This Morning, CBBC Newsround and a trusted government advisor. 

PANEL #2: The Future of Play: AI, Ethics, and Building a Safe Digital Playground for Children

This panel will convene experts at the intersection of technology, child psychology, and ethics to explore strategies for harnessing AI for positive impact while safeguarding children's rights and wellbeing. From educational tools to social media algorithms, AI-powered systems play a significant role in children's online experiences, presenting both opportunities and challenges. This panel will examine ethical considerations, regulatory frameworks, and industry practices aimed at promoting responsible AI use and creating safe and inclusive digital environments for children.

Chanell Daniels, Responsible AI Manager, Digital Catapult

Chanell is a Responsible AI Manager at Digital Catapult, a UK organisation that helps businesses with using advanced digital technology. Prior to this, she led the Community Safety Team at Depop which worked on child online safety, extremism and preparations for online safety regulations, and managed high-risk crisis responses and prevention efforts at Meta. Before joining the tech industry, Chanell worked with the UK Government on consumer protection policy; with the UN on peacekeeping, human rights and governance; and with the EU on environment policy. She is a Visiting Policy Fellow at the University of Oxford Internet Institute, a member of the OpenUK AI Advisory Board, and a member of the UK’s national AI standards committee.

Mhairi Aitken, Ethics Fellow, The Alan Turing Institute

Dr Mhairi Aitken is an Ethics Fellow in the Public Policy Programme at The Alan Turing Institute, a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the Digital Environment Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia. At the Alan Turing Institute Mhairi leads research on AI and children’s rights, as well as working across a range of topics including data justice, ethics of Generative AI and emerging AI policy and regulation. Mhairi was included in the 2023 international list of “100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics” and is a frequent contributor to media discussions around AI and data.

June Brawner, Senior Policy Adviser, The Royal Society 

June is Senior Policy Adviser for Data and Digital Technologies at the Royal Society, where she leads on programmes related to privacy enhancing technologies, inclusive data, AI ethics, assistive technologies and sustainability. As an anthropologist by background, she has spent the last 15 years considering the social life of data and its implications for marginalised groups and decision-making. She is a Fellow at Cambridge University’s Centre for Science and Policy, and has previously completed research fellowships with Columbia University’s Council for European Studies and the Fulbright Foundation.

Moderated by: Pearlé Nwaezeigwe, Affiliate of All Tech Is Human

Pearle is a Nigerian legal professional with a rich background in trust and safety, accumulating 5+ years of valuable experience. A graduate of both the University of Lagos and UC Berkeley, Pearle has been an instrumental advocate for notable companies such as TikTok Twitter, Oversight Board. Her collaborative efforts extend to working closely with policymakers and private sector partners to address matters concerning tech-related public policy.

📸 Scenes from Responsible Tech London. December 2023.

🎙️ View a panel from Responsible Tech London. December 2023.

About All Tech Is Human

Together, we work to solve tech and society’s thorniest issues.

Our organization is collectively working to solve complex tech and society issues by both understanding the community and influencing it. By uniting key stakeholders in the community, we understand values, best practices, and tradeoffs. Our strength lies in moving at the speed of tech, leveraging collective intelligence, and diversifying the pipeline.

A more cohesive movement allows for a holistic approach to complex tech and society issues, alters the DNA of tech development, and helps society catch up to the speed of innovation.

Our work is made possible with the support of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Oak Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and the Siegel Family Endowment. To learn about supporting All Tech Is Human, please reach out to David Polgar (Founder & President).

David Polgar
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