Spotting Red Flags: Recognizing Online Abuse and Harassment, a Safer Internet Day Event
Overview
On February 12, 2025, FOSI partnered with Thorn for a powerful discussion on online safety in recognition of Safer Internet Day. This webinar explored key risks facing children online, including harassment, abuse, sextortion, and CSAM, while providing caregivers and educators with actionable strategies to protect young users.
The event began with with a brief introduction by Alanna Powers and continued with Marissa Edmund and Melissa Stroebel as they broke down the warning signs of online abuse and provided practical guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators on how to protect children from bad actors.
Following their discussion, Adele Taylor moderated a thought-provoking, pre-recorded youth panel featuring Thorn’s Digital Safety Ambassadors, Joyce Jin and Sabrina Samidon. The panelists shared their experiences growing up in a digital world, offering insights on navigating risks and staying safe online.This engaging and informative session provided essential guidance for families, educators, and advocates committed to fostering a safer internet for all.
Speakers
Marissa Edmund
Marissa Edmund is the Policy Specialist at the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), working with the policy team to monitor emerging issues in tech policy and contribute her policy and research expertise to ensure the online world is safer for children and families. Prior to joining FOSI, Marissa spent two years at the Center for American Progress as the Sr. Policy Analyst for Gun Violence Prevention focusing heavily on gender-based and domestic violence. Before that, Marissa was the Policy Coordinator at the National Network to End Domestic Violence where she was able to actualize her passion for family safety by conducting research, engaging membership, and educating lawmakers on ways to support survivors of domestic violence. Marissa holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).
Joyce Jin
Alanna Powers
Alanna is the Research & Program Specialist for the Family Online Safety Institute. She leads FOSI's Good Digital Parenting programming and research projects, and supports FOSI's communications efforts. Her prior experiences focused on both media and education. Alanna has taught English and communications courses at both the high school and college level, and concentrated on the subject of media literacy education during her master's program. Alanna has a master's degree in media studies from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She also holds undergraduate degrees in both Public Relations and English from Penn State University, and is a Fulbright alumna.
Sabrina Samidon
Melissa Stroebel
Melissa Stroebel is the Vice President of Research & Insights at Thorn, where she serves as a subject matter expert and drives strategic research examining emerging threats and trends in online sexual exploitation. Before joining Thorn in 2017, Melissa worked for nearly a decade with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as a victim identification analyst, product manager, and researcher. Melissa graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in history and from George Washington University with a master's degree in forensic science.