Nov
10
FOSI 2025 Annual Conference
InterContinental Washington D.C. - The Wharf, an IHG Hotel
801 Wharf Street Southwest, Washington, DC 20024
FOSI 2025 Annual Conference
Overview
Tickets for the FOSI 2025 Annual Conference are on sale now. Tickets are available at just $400 for corporate and $200 for nonprofit participants. Don’t miss your chance to secure your spot for this premier event on online safety.
On November 10th, 2025, FOSI will host its Annual Conference at the InterContinental on the Wharf in Washington, DC. This year’s theme, Online Safety in Tumultuous Times, will bring together leaders from various sectors. These include public, private, academic, and nonprofit leaders to address today’s most urgent online safety challenges.
The conference will explore how to safeguard children and families in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. It will focus on balancing the need to manage risks while championing the positive opportunities technology offers.
To make your stay more convenient, a discounted room block is available at the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf, located at 801 Wharf Street SW, Washington, DC. Reservations must be made by October 23th to receive the discounted rate. They can be booked directly using this link.
For government employees, educators, and students interested in attending, please reach out to events@fosi.org for discounted tickets. We can’t wait to see you there!
Speakers
Andrew Ferguson
Chairman, Federal Trade Commission
Cecilia Kang
National Technology Correspondent, The New York Times
Stephen Balkam
Founder & CEO, Family Online Safety Institute
Tami Bhaumik
VP, Civility & Partnerships, Roblox, FOSI Board Chair*
Danielle A. Davis, Esq.
Director of Technology Policy, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Eric Ebenstein
Senior Director of Public Policy, TikTok*
Marissa Edmund
State Policy Lead, Family Online Safety Institute
Ami Kumar
CoFounder, Contrails.ai
Almudena Lara
Online Safety Policy Development Director, Ofcom
Amanda Lenhart
Senior Fellow, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
Dr. Sunny Xun Liu
Director of Research, Stanford Social Media Lab
Jeffrey DeMarco
Senior Technical Advisor - Protecting Children from Digital Harm, Save the Children
Mike McGrath
Special Adviser - Child Safety Online Taskforce, NSPCC
Heather Morton
Director-Financial Services, Technology and Communications Program, National Conference of State Legislatures
Tiffany Munzer
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ambassdor for AAP Center for Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health
Mike Pappas*
CEO, Modulate
Rebecca Parlakian
Senior Director of Programs, Zero to Three
Alanna Powers-O’Brien
Research & Program Specialist, Family Online Safety Institute
David Sasaki
Program Director, American Institute for Boys and Men
Anne-Sophie Seret
Executive Director & Co-Founder, everyone.AI
Liz Thomas
Director of Public Policy, Digital Safety, Microsoft*
George Vlasto
Division Head, Trust & Safety, Resolver
Sara DeWitt
Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS, PBS
Andrew Zack
Senior Policy Manager, Family Online Safety Institute
Agenda
8:00 AM – Registration, Networking Breakfast & Exhibits | Sponsored by EA
9:00 AM – PLENARY SESSION
Welcome Remarks
Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Civility and Partnerships, Roblox
Welcome Address
Stephen Balkman, Founder and CEO, FOSI
Research Launch Presentation
Alanna Powers-O’Brien, Research & Program Specialist, FOSI
Research Reaction Panel
Alanna Powers-O’Brien, FOSI; Anne-Sophie Seret, everyone.ai; Dr. Sunny Xun Liu, Stanford Social Media Lab; Amanda Lenhart, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop (Moderator)
Fireside Chat
Andrew Ferguson, Chairman, Federal Trade Commission; Cecilia Kang, The New York Times
11:30 AM – MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Chatbots and Childhood: Risks and Opportunities
With chatbots rapidly rising in popularity, families, educators, and policymakers face new questions about their impact. This session will examine the opportunities AI-powered chatbots present, as well as the risks they pose to children and families, with a focus on how to create safe and responsible practices for use.
Danielle A. Davis, Esq., Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Stephanie LeBlanc-Godfrey, Mother AI; Mike Pappas, Modulate
Growing Up Online: Gender-Based Risks and Harms
The online world does not impact all young people equally. Boys, girls, and youth of diverse identities face distinct risks and pressures as they navigate digital spaces. This panel will shed light on these gender-based differences, exploring how online harms manifest and what can be done to address them.
Cailin Crockett, Global NCII Clearing Center; Ami Kumar, Contrails.ai; David Sasaki, American Institute for Boys and Men
Author Panel
Erin Walsh, Spark & Stitch Institute; Author of It’s Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence
12:15 PM – Networking Lunch | Sponsored by Netflix
1:15 PM – AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Quality Content for Kids
Sara DeWitt, PBS Kids; Dr. Tiffany Munzer, University of Michigan, Ambassador for Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health; Rebecca Parlakian, Zero to Three
Thought Leader Perspectives
Javier Aguera, Pandora’s Way; Jeffrey Demarco, Save the Children
2:00 PM – PLENARY SESSION
Age Assurance Lessons from 2025
Between new laws that took effect and evolaving industry practices, 2025 became the year of age assurance. This panel will reflect on what worked, what challenges remain, and how stakeholders can move forward. Panelists will provide concrete solutions and recommendations to ensure age assurance measures are effective, practical, and responsive to the needs of children, families, and industry.
State Approaches to Online Safety
State leaders to examine how approaches to children’s online safety vary across the country. Panelists will discuss recent policy developments, highlight the differences between states, and explore how these variations are shaping the experiences of schools and families.
Marissa Edmund, FOSI; Heather Morton, National Conference of State Legislatures
5:30 PM – Evening Reception | Sponsored by Tencent