Baroness Shields Talk
Goverment Service

“I entered public service to enact meaningful change and promote safe, responsible innovation in an era of rapid technological growth. I used the experience I had cultivated at some of the world’s largest tech companies to lead the growth of Britain’s tech industry, as CEO of TechCityUK, Special Advisor on the Digital Economy in 20149 and as UK Ambassador for Digital Industries.
In addition to shaping digital economy policies, I was the UK Government’s champion of online safety in my role as Minister of Internet Safety & Security and later the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Internet Harms and Crimes. I represented Britain on the world stage negotiating with the owners of major digital platforms, ensuring they took action to protect the safety of their users and especially children and young people. I also led cross-government efforts to develop pioneering AI and ML tools to counter extremism on public social media platforms.
Throughout my time in government, I made it my mission to ensure that technology serves the public good and addresses the nuanced challenges of our digital age. Government service, to me, is about making a difference at the highest level, influencing policies that shape the future of our society and the world."

GOVERNMENT WORK

Baroness Joanna Shields has served in Government in the following positions.

Minister for Internet Safety & Security and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Prime Minister's Special Representative on Internet Safety

Prime MInister's Advisor on the Digital Economy and also UK Ambassador for Digital Industries

Member, Child Protection Implementation Taskforce

Member, Tackling Extremism in Communities Implementation Taskforce

Founder and Management Board Member of the WeProtect Global Alliance www.weprotect.org

Interest as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Member, Inter-Ministerial Group on Child Sexual Abuse

Member, Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women and Girls

UK Government representative and co-chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI @ OECD)

News

VIDEOS

Baroness Shields address to the Paris Peace Forum

Global Summit to Tackle Online Child Sexual Exploitation - African Union

Beyond Business: The Responsibility of Global Players, DLD

NEWS & EVENTS

Securing Children’s Safety in a Digital World

How to Improve Public Policies to Prevent Online Child Abuse

UN - The State of the Digital World Today

House of lords
In 2014, Joanna was appointed OBE for services to digital industries and voluntary service to young people and made a Life Peer of the House of Lords.

She is currently an active member of the House.
Gov Announcements
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joanna shields baroness
house of parlament

Other affiliations and memberships

Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity

Member

The Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity will seek to fill a critical gap by fostering a more transatlantic and collective approach to prevent the next wave of election interference. It will raise awareness of public and governments on what foreign powers, especially Russia, are doing to undermine liberal democracies. The Commission will recommend concrete actions to governments, traditional and new media actors, private sector and non-governmental organizations. Transatlantic and bipartisan in nature, the Commission will seek to share lessons learned between decision-makers and institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Council on Foreign Relations

member
VISIT WEBSITE
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The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.
Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy. CFR carries out its mission by maintaining a diverse membership, including special programs to promote interest and develop expertise in the next generation of foreign policy leaders and publishing Foreign Affairs, the preeminent journal of international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.