FOSI Briefs the States: Changemakers in California
2025-05-20 15:00 - 18:00 UTC | Citizen Hotel, 926 J St, Sacramento, California, 926 J St, Sacramento, CA, 95841, United States
We welcome you to join FOSI for our kids’ online safety roundtable and reception in Sacramento, California.
As the battle between regulation and litigation over kids’ online safety continues, California proves to be a state taking the lead. Despite the seemingly inevitable legal challenges, California has been a catalyst for trends in digital safety legislation as other states look to them when drafting iterations of their bills.
During this event we will convene policymakers, tech industry leaders, and online safety experts to discuss a path forward towards a safer internet for kids. What do policymakers need to know? How can industry better support parents and families? Join FOSI’s invite-only roundtable as we dive into these questions and more.
Topics will include: Age Appropriate Design Codes, Age Assurance, Addictive Feeds Laws, AI Companion Chatbots, and more.
Register Here.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Marissa Edmund medmund@fosi.org.
This event is exclusively for policymakers, online safety professionals, and tech industry members.

FOSI 2025 European Forum
2025-06-11 09:30 - 17:30 UTC | Netflix EMEA Headquarters, Karperstraat 8, Amsterdam, Karperstraat 8, Amsterdam, 1075 KZ, Netherlands
The Philosophy, Policy, and Practice of Online Safety
On June 11th, 2025, FOSI hosted its European Forum at Netflix’s EMEA Headquarters in Amsterdam, convening leaders from government, academia, industry, and civil society to examine the evolving landscape of online safety across the globe. With the theme The Philosophy, Policy, and Practice of Online Safety, the forum explored how research, regulation, and innovation intersect to create a safer and more empowering digital world.
The day began with welcome remarks from Tami Bhaumik, FOSI Chair and VP at Roblox, followed by opening remarks from Rob Zimmerman of Netflix. A powerful fireside chat kicked off the program, featuring Stephen Balkam (FOSI), Arda Gerkens (Netherlands), Oliver Griffiths (UK Ofcom), and Niamh Hodnett (Ireland), who reflected on their respective regulatory approaches to protecting children online.
FOSI then debuted a panel of leading academics—Sandra Cortesi (Berkman Klein Center), Julia Davidson (University of East London), Pete Etchells (Bath Spa University), and Jessica Piotrowski (University of Amsterdam)—to examine the current state of online safety research, moderated by Stephen Balkam. The conversation touched on themes of digital empowerment, evidence-based policymaking, and the nuanced challenges families face across digital platforms.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in timely conversations on regulation, innovation, and youth engagement. Highlights included:

A panel on European regulation, with experts from 5Rights Foundation, k-ID, Online Safety Act Network, and the European Commission, unpacking the DSA, GDPR, AI Act, and more.

A fireside chat with Candela Montero (Epic Games) and Michael Murray (UK ICO) on youth-focused safety design.

A deep dive into tech innovation featuring voices from TikTok, YouTube, Telia Company, GSMA, Resolver, and Roblox, exploring how technology can better support families.

In the afternoon, attendees viewed a short clip from Netflix’s “Adolescence,” which uniquely featured high school students sharing their perspectives on the clip and online safety. This session, led by Stephen Balkam and Madeleine de Cock Buning (Netflix), provided a rare opportunity for young voices to contribute to the dialogue around digital citizenship and safety. Their insights seamlessly set the stage for a dynamic panel on preparing kids for digital adulthood. Speakers from Amazon, Tencent, Childnet, and educational and nonprofit groups weighed in on real-world parenting, digital education, and kids’ lived online experiences.
The day concluded with a final fireside chat between Stephen Balkam and Ruben van der Dussen (Apple), followed by closing remarks and a lively networking reception.
Event Highlights:

Fireside Chats with senior leaders from Apple, Netflix, Epic Games, and European regulators

Panels on cutting-edge research, EU regulation, AI safety, and digital parenting

Student voices and educator perspectives in response to Netflix’s Adolescence

Networking reception hosted at Netflix’s Amsterdam HQ

Photos and the full event livestream will be available soon. Stay tuned!

FOSI Briefs the Hill Roundtable, Data and Dialogue: Bridging Online Safety Research and Policy
2025-07-17 09:30 - 13:00 UTC | Convene, 600 14th Street NW, Washington, 20005, United States
As online safety stories continue to garner headlines and influence policymakers, the need for substantive research and data has become paramount. FOSI believes that the best public policies are grounded in evidence, even if compelling anecdotes and narratives help build momentum for a specific bill. With that in mind, we convened a group of online safety researchers and policy professionals for an in-person roundtable to discuss the latest data in this space and how it can inform and improve domestic policies.
The event featured two research presentations focused on teens’ and parents’ online safety habits and perspectives, followed by a collaborative discussion on the findings and additional relevant research. The conversation also explored ways to make online safety data more actionable for policymakers and more easily understood and considered by the general public.
The roundtable offered a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between research, policy, and public understanding in today’s digital landscape.

Cellphones, Chatbots, and Classrooms: Navigating Tech Together
2025-09-09 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | MD
From cellphone bans to chatbots writing essays, teachers and students headed back to the classroom this year with uncertainty about the role technology should play in learning and instruction. Was ChatGPT an appropriate tool or plagiarism? Who was meant to teach young people the difference?
In response to these concerns, many states introduced legislation directing school districts to develop not only cellphone policies but also guidance on how AI and other technologies should be used in schools.
As policymakers began regulating this space, it was imperative that students, teachers, parents, and families were all involved in the process. Earlier this month, FOSI hosted a back-to-school webinar to help families navigate the role of technology in today’s classrooms.
You can watch the full recording here.

FOSI Briefs the States: Battle of the Beltway
2025-09-17 15:00 - 18:00 UTC | 1201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22209, 1201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, 22209, United States
As states continue to pass a variety of online safety and privacy measures, the impacts of this patchwork may finally come to a head. Both Virginia and Maryland have taken different approaches to kids’ online safety. From a default 1-hour time limit for social media in Virginia to an updated Age Appropriate Design Code in Maryland, a child could have different safety measures in a quick commute along the beltway.
Are these real concerns to contend with or are the impacts overstated? What do these different laws in neighboring states mean for families’ online experiences, and how do these changes impact industry compliance?
Join FOSI on September 17, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. for an in-person roundtable discussion on how legislators, industry, and advocates are grappling with these questions.
This event is for legislators, industry, and online safety advocates. If you have questions about attending, please email events@fosi.org.
Register Here.

Webinar: Family Support for LGBTQ + Young People
2025-10-15 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | MD
Hosted by FOSI and Born This Way Foundation, this session explored how parents and caregivers can create affirming spaces, better understand the role of online communities in young people’s lives, and strengthen connections at home. Born This Way Foundation shared key insights from research conducted alongside LGBTQ+ young people, offering actionable strategies families can use to show support, navigate mistakes with care, and access resources for ongoing learning. Together, we highlighted how fostering inclusion both online and in person contribute to safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ young people. The presentation concluded with a panel discussion featuring perspectives from a Born This Way Foundation researcher, a youth advisor, and a parent advocate of a LGBTQ+ young person.

FOSI 2025 Annual Conference
2025-11-10 08:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf, 801 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC, MD, 20024, United States
On November 10th, 2025, the Family Online Safety Institute hosted its Annual Conference, Online Safety in Tumultuous Times, at the InterContinental on the Wharf in Washington, DC. The event brought together leaders from government, industry, academia, and the nonprofit sector to address the rapidly evolving challenges and opportunities in digital safety.
The day began with opening remarks from Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Civility & Partnerships at Roblox and Chair of FOSI’s Board of Directors, followed by a welcome from Stephen Balkam, FOSI’s Founder and CEO.
FOSI then launched its latest research, Generative AI in Uncertain Times: How Teens are Navigating a New Digital Frontier, which explored how young people are using, thinking about, and feeling toward generative AI. The session featured Gina Bell (InTandem) and Alanna Powers-O’Brien (FOSI), along with a youth speaker who participated in the study. An Experts React panel, moderated by Amanda Lenhart (Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop), expanded on the findings with insights from Dr. Sunny Xun Liu (Stanford Social Media Lab), Anne-Sophie Seret (everyone.ai), and Alanna Powers-O’Brien (FOSI).
The morning plenary continued with a conversation on the FTC’s role in online safety, featuring Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Cecilia Kang of The New York Times. This was followed by Education, Empowerment, and Enforcement: Thoughtful Online Safety Approaches, which brought together representatives from Snap, Thorn, and the DHS Cyber Crimes Center to discuss a whole-of-society approach to child protection.
Breakout sessions throughout the day tackled key topics including gaming safety, digital parenting, gender and online harm, chatbots and childhood, and state-level policy innovation. Experts from across the tech, research, and advocacy sectors shared data, best practices, and real-world insights to help families thrive online.
Entertainment Software Association kicked off the afternoon with a session on safety by design in the gaming industry, followed by Apple’s discussion on new and long-standing safety tools that empower parents while protecting children’s privacy.
A highlight of the day was the release of FOSI’s brand-new explainer video, “What’s the Deal with Age Assurance?”, which introduced a series of panels focused on the future of age assurance and its impact on children, families, and industry. Kate Charlet (Google) opened the segment with a dive into the challenges and opportunities of developing effective, privacy-minded age assurance solutions, followed by a broader discussion with experts from Ofcom, Future of Privacy Forum, and New America on the state of age assurance policy and practice in 2025.
The final sessions featured TikTok’s Corey Ponder in conversation with members of the TikTok Global Youth Counciland Praesidio Safeguarding on co-designing digital safety with youth, followed by Catherine Teitelbaum (Amazon) moderating Partnerships with Purpose, a discussion highlighting how collaboration across sectors can strengthen online safety and support families in the digital world.
Stephen Balkam closed the event with final remarks, thanking attendees, speakers, and sponsors for their participation and support throughout the day. He concluded by announcing that FOSI’s 20th Annual Conference will take place in 2026, marking a major milestone in the organization’s mission to make the online world safer for children and families.

Event Highlights:

Research Launch: Generative AI in Uncertain Times: How Teens are Navigating a New Digital Frontier

Explainer Release: What’s the Deal with Age Assurance?

High-Level Conversations: Featuring FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Apple, TikTok, Google, Snap, and more

Breakout Sessions: Covering AI, digital parenting, gender and online harm, and state-level policy

Youth Engagement: A full youth-led breakout panel and participation from teen speakers and members of TikTok’s Global Youth Council

Full videos of all mainstage sessions are available on FOSI’s YouTube channel.
Stay tuned — we will be sharing photos from the event in the coming days. Thank you again for being part of this important conversation.

FOSI Briefs the Hill Webinar: Online Safety Policy Developments from 2025
2025-12-16 07:00 - 08:00 (America/New_York) | MD
As 2025 comes to an end, join FOSI staff’s briefing to reflect on all of the online safety policy developments from this year. What bills passed into law, what laws survived legal challenges, what laws came into effect this year? How can we learn from what worked and what didn’t, and how does that change policymaker’s approach to online safety regulation moving forward? The event will focus on action at the federal level, but we’ll also look to the states and abroad for additional ideas to replicate (and avoid).
Join this briefing for policy staff to discuss all the highlights from 2025 including: age assurance, AI chatbots, deepfakes, addictive algorithms, social media bans, and more. And we’ll even get into a preview of what to expect in 2026. Click here to register.

FOSI Briefs the States: Online Safety in Florida
2026-02-04 05:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York) | Governors Club, 202 S Adams St, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, United States
We welcome you to join FOSI for our kids’ online safety presentation and discussion in Tallahassee, Florida.
In 2024, Florida passed HB 3 which included a first-in-the-nation measure that barred under 14 year olds from social media, and required parental consent for 14 and 15 year olds to create accounts. Florida has remained a state to watch in the kids’ online safety debate since, as it has subsequently banned cellphone use in schools, released early data on the impacts of these measures, and newly released AI Bill of Rights introduces new measures to regulate AI and address kids’ online safety.
Join FOSI on February 4 for a presentation and roundtable discussion on the state of kids’ online safety in Florida. Attendees are welcome to drop in anytime between 10 AM and 1 PM. We are happy to collaborate with the James Madison Institute for this event. Click here to register.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Marissa Edmund medmund@fosi.org.

Connected Worlds: How Youth Navigate Technology at Home and in the Classroom
2026-02-10 07:00 - 08:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Webinar
Young people move between home and school every day, carrying their digital lives with them. Yet the expectations, rules, and responses they encounter in each space are often misaligned. This Safer Internet Day webinar brings together youth panelists and experts from FOSI, NoFiltr, and Discovery Education for a conversation on how young people experience technology in their daily lives, and how adult responses shape trust, communication, and confidence.
Grounded in youth perspectives, the session examines where adult assumptions may fall short, how differing approaches across home and school affect young people, and what realistic, supportive adult engagement looks like in practice. Rather than focusing on tools or restrictions, the discussion centers on relationships, communication, and consistency. Click here here to register.

FOSI Briefs the Hill Roundtable, Online Safety Research and Policy: New Data, New Bills, Same Stagnation?
2026-06-02 06:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York) | 1101 17th St NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20006, 1101 17th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20006, United States
Online safety remains a paramount issue for families around the world as technologies, laws, and research all continue to focus on young people’s digital lives. FOSI believes that the best public policies are grounded in evidence, even if compelling anecdotes and narratives help build momentum for a specific bill. Our latest FOSI Briefs the Hill will convene key researchers and policy stakeholders to present and discuss the latest data in this space, to improve and inform domestic policies.
This in-person event will open with two research presentations focused on teens’ and parents’ online safety habits and perspectives. Alanna Powers-O’Brien will begin with takeaways from FOSI’s recurring Online Safety Survey, and Jeffery Gottfried will emphasize the top highlights from Pew Research Center’s youth internet and technology studies. The discussion will then move into how to use these findings in policy discussions, focusing on what laws Congress should prioritize to improve online safety.
Coffee and lunch will be provided. Please reach out to events@fosi.org if you have any questions or are interested in participating.

FOSI 2026 European Forum
2026-06-09 | Google Headquarters in Brussels, Chau. d'Etterbeek 180, Brussels, 1040, Belgium
Finding Common Ground
On June 9th, 2026, the Family Online Safety Institute hosted its European Forum at Google’s Brussels office, bringing together leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to explore one of the most important questions in online safety today: how do we protect children online while preserving the opportunities and benefits that technology provides?
Under the theme Finding Common Ground, the Forum focused on where policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, educators, and young people can work together to create safer online experiences. Discussions throughout the day examined evolving regulation, emerging research, youth perspectives, parental support, and safety by design.
The morning sessions explored how online safety policy is taking shape across Europe, with regulators discussing the Digital Services Act, AI Act, age assurance efforts, and broader debates around children’s online experiences. Attendees also heard from OpenAI and Apple, bringing industry perspectives to the conversation around family safety and digital wellbeing.
One of the most memorable moments of the day came from the youth representatives of Belgium’s Child Focus organization. Speaking candidly about problematic content, identity exploration, and the realities of growing up online, they reminded attendees why young people must be included in conversations that directly impact their digital lives.
The morning concluded with a powerful fireside conversation between Stephen Balkam and Ian Russell, Chair of the Molly Rose Foundation. Reflecting on the loss of his daughter Molly and his ongoing advocacy efforts, Ian challenged attendees to consider whether progress is happening quickly enough to address the risks facing young people online.
The afternoon focused on solutions. Following an update from the United Kingdom’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and a conversation with TikTok Global Youth Council member Tende Amery, experts examined the latest research on children’s digital wellbeing and the impact of technology policy on children’s rights.
During the Forum, Sarah Bean unveiled FOSI’s latest research, Australian Children’s and Parents’ Perceptions of the Recent Social Media Ban, which explored how attitudes toward Australia’s social media restrictions have evolved since implementation.
A recurring theme throughout the day was the importance of balancing protection with participation. Discussions on safety by design, parental support, and video game safety highlighted how thoughtful product design, age-appropriate safeguards, and collaboration across sectors can help create safer online experiences without excluding young people from the digital world.
Stephen Balkam closed the event by thanking speakers, attendees, and partners for their contributions to a day centered on collaboration, evidence, and shared responsibility. While perspectives differed, a common message emerged: protecting children online requires governments, industry, researchers, parents, and young people themselves to work together toward solutions that are both effective and empowering.
Event Highlights

Discussions on the future of online safety policy across Europe, including the DSA, AI Act, and age assurance initiatives
Youth perspectives from Child Focus and TikTok’s Global Youth Council
Fireside conversations with OpenAI, Apple, Ian Russell, Epic Games, and PEGI
Research launch: Australian Children’s and Parents’ Perceptions of the Recent Social Media Ban
Sessions on children’s rights, digital wellbeing, safety by design, and parental support

FOSI 2026 Annual Conference
2026-11-19 | Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, D.C.1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C., MD, 20004, United States
Click Here to Get Tickets
Join us for the FOSI 2026 Annual Conference: 20 Year Anniversary, a milestone event celebrating two decades of leadership in online safety under the theme, The Past, Present, and Future of Online Safety. The conference will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to reflect on two decades of progress and discuss what’s next for online safety.
This year’s agenda will explore a range of topics shaping the landscape including AI, age assurance, youth well-being, new research, legislation, and the partnerships that continue to drive progress across the field. Together, these conversations will examine how we can better support children and families in today’s evolving digital world.

Don’t miss this gathering dedicated to shaping the next chapter of online safety—register now at the Early Bird discounted rate.
For attendees interested in booking accommodations, FOSI has secured a room block at the JW Marriott. Hotel reservations can be made here:
https://book.passkey.com/event/51257794/owner/559/home

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