Keynotes/Conferences

NEW: Synthetic Friendships – When AI Becomes the Wrong Shoulder to Lean On

Young people are building emotional bonds with chatbots - some supportive, others deeply unsafe.

This brand-new module breaks down:

  • When AI simulates empathy, intimacy, or advice
  • How emotional manipulation is engineered into some platforms
  • The risks of AI-powered “friendships”

About Speaker

Melinda Tankard Reist

Melinda is an author, speaker, media commentator, and advocate for young people. She is best known for her work addressing sexualisation, objectification, harms of pornography, sexual exploitation, trafficking and violence against women.

Young people are building emotional bonds with chatbots – some supportive, others deeply unsafe.