Navigating the digital world
Schools
Experts from around the nation spoke at a special school event dedicated to arming parents with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the digital world.
Becoming more ‘tech smart’ was the focus of an impactful parent symposium at Saint Ignatius’ College in April.
The Tech Smart event was designed to help families guide young people in navigating the digital world safely and responsibly.
Keynote speakers were SmackTalk founder Wayne Holdsworth and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
There was barely a dry eye in the theatre when Mr Holdsworth addressed the event’s 270-strong crowd. His 17-year-old son Mac was duped in a cruel sextortion con on Instagram, in which a scammer threatened to distribute a nude photo of the teen. Following the scam, Mac tragically died by suicide at his Melbourne home in 2023. Mr Holdsworth made the discovery when he went to wake Mac that morning.
“I’ve done some hard things in my life and had some challenges like we all have, and I’m sure in the future I’ll do some hard things,” Mr Holdsworth told the audience. “But I’ll never, ever, ever do something as hard as I did that morning…to walk out into the kitchen and to tell (Mac’s) 14-year-old sister that he had passed away.”
Desperate for his son’s death not to be in vain, the grieving father started non-profit organisation SmackTalk in 2024, in an aim to raise awareness about online threats and to promote mental fitness.
During the Tech Smart event, the Premier spoke about Australia’s strict new laws, which will see the nation become the first jurisdiction globally to ban social media for children aged under 16.
“There is now an extraordinary body of peer-reviewed research that makes it abundantly clear that social media is actively doing young people harm in terms of their mental health,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“But more than that is the fact that these social media companies are actively industrialising addiction.”
Tech Smart also included two panel discussions with experts, facilitated by Nova 919 breakfast show co-host Jodie Oddy.
Among the panellists were clinical psychologist Dr Simon Wilksch who spoke about technology’s impact on youth eating disorders, and Macquarie University adjunct fellow Dr Danielle Einstein who shared her research into anxiety and adolescent social media use.
Other panellists included Dany Elachi, co-founder of the Heads Up Alliance – a grassroots movement of Australian parents committed to delaying smartphones and social media for children; and Madhavi Nawana Parker, director of Positive Minds Australia which helps young people to acquire life skills for healthy social emotional wellbeing.
The second panel discussion involved members of the Ignatius Alliance, a steering committee of parents at Saint Ignatius’ College who are focused on developing strategies and initiatives that complement the social media reforms.
Speakers included media and communications expert Dr Kim Burley and Cardoner Network SA program manager Jane McCaffrey. SA Police detective sergeant David Townsend also spoke about his work investigating online child sexual offences and the online radicalisation of children.
In line with the Tech Smart event, Saint Ignatius’ College takes a bold approach in helping its students develop healthy and balanced digital habits via Tech Smart Tuesdays.
The initiative encourages students and staff to prioritise human connection and engage in more face-to-face interactions every Tuesday. Traditional learning methods, such as handwriting, discussions, and using physical books, are promoted over technology.
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. The service is available 24/7.
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