Engaging Panels and Interactive Stall Dive into Online Safety, Cinema, and Children’s Digital Lives
For the third consecutive year, the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) will once again be featured in the 2024 Woodford Folk Festival, delivering thought-provoking discussions and an interactive experience that explores critical digital media issues shaping our world. This year, the DMRC will host three panels addressing online safety, the future of moviegoing, and fears surrounding the digital lives of children.
The 5W’s of Online Safety
On Sunday, 29 December from 6:15 pm – 7:15 pm at The Arbour, DMRC researchers Lucinda Nelson,Benson Rajan, Dr. Ehsan Dehghan, and Professor Daniel Angus will present The 5W’s of Online Safety. This session will unpack assumptions underlying current discussions about online safety, exploring who is responsible, what dangers exist, and why online safety matters in today’s interconnected world.
Living Cinema – What We Really Mean When We Talk About the (Latest) Death of Moviegoing
On Tuesday, 31 December from 8:00 am – 8:45 am at The Arbour, DMRC’s Dr. Ruari Elkington and QUT’s Dr. Mark Piccini will delve into the “death of moviegoing”. This session will explore Australia’s most beloved cultural pastime, its decline, and the challenges and opportunities that face the cinema industry in an increasingly digital entertainment landscape.
The Kids Are Alright – Unpacking Some Fears About the Digital Lives of Children
The final DMRC panel, The Kids Are Alright, will take place on Wednesday, 1 January from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm at The Arbour. Featuring DMRC’s Dr. Aleesha Rodriguez, Professor Daniel Angus, and Philippa Amery from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, this discussion will explore the fears surrounding children’s growing online presence, debunk common myths, and discuss how to ensure kids lead healthy, connected, and informed digital lives.
Data Donation Stall – Unveiling the Digital Self
For the first time, DMRC will also host an interactive stall focusing on “Data Donation”. This immersive experience will offer festival-goers the chance to uncover their own digital footprints. Trained “algorithm whisperers” will interpret participants’ digital data, such as Facebook ad preferences or Spotify playlists, and create personalised readings of their digital self. In collaboration with the Australian Internet Observatory research initiative, this experience will deepen participants’ understanding of the accessibility and transparency of their data. This initiative contributes to a collective understanding of our shared online culture, with a public display of this data growing over the course of the festival, through the Tree of Data, illustrating how individual digital choices shape our broader digital landscape.
Join QUT’s DMRC at the 2024 Woodford Folk Festival for a deeper understanding of the intersection between digital media, society, and the pressing issues of our time.
For more details on these sessions and timings, visit the Woodford Folk Festival website.