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X-WR-CALNAME:Family Online Safety Institute
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://fosi.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Family Online Safety Institute
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DTSTART:20220101T000000
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230615T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230615T120000
DTSTAMP:20250401T180040Z
CREATED:20241219T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T180040Z
UID:3680-1686826800-1686830400@fosi.org
SUMMARY:A Connected Community: Empowering LGBTQ+ Teens Online
DESCRIPTION:Growing up in a society where acceptance of one’s identity isn’t guaranteed can have adverse effects on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth. Recent research from The Trevor Project found that negative treatment at home and at school\, as well as legislation targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community\, result in negative impacts on young queer peoples’ mental health. Like most young people\, LGBTQ+ teens are increasingly connecting with their community online. research conducted by Thorn highlighted the significance of online communities to LGBTQ+ youth\, noting that they can often be the places where these young people find the acceptance and affirmation that’s lacking in school and at home. \nOn Thursday\, June 15th\, FOSI hosted a webinar discussion centered on the connection between digital life and mental health within the LGBTQ+ community\, and the organizations harnessing those connections to create safe spaces online to affirm and empower LGBTQ+ young people.  \nPanelists included: \n\nJackson Alder – Senior Digital Strategist\, PFLAG National (They/them)\nDeborah S. Levine – Chief Program Officer\, CenterLink: The Community of LGBTQ Centers (She/her)\nWren Rhodes (moderator) – Executive Director\, Sam & Devorah Foundation for Trans Youth (They/them)\nChristopher Wood – Executive Director & Co-Founder – LGBT Tech (He/him)\n\nOpening remarks were provided by Jonathon Bridgeman – Administrator\, FOSI (He/him) \nPanelists discussed some trusted resources available for LGBTQ+ young people and their families to safely connect with their communities\, Including: \n\nThe PFLAG Connects: Communities program\, which provides parents and family members a safe\, virtual\, moderated space where people with shared experiences can connect each month in affinity groups. \nQ Chat Space\, which provides secure chat-based discussion groups for LGBTQ+ and questioning teens ages 13 to 19. \nimi\, which provides tools for LGBTQ+ teens to explore their identities in ways that support their mental health.\nThe Trans Mentor Project\, a national e-mentoring program that securely pairs trans and nonbinary (TGNB) youth and young adults with TGNB adult mentors.\n\nWhen asked how parents/guardians/family members of LGBTQ+ youth can protect and empower their children online and offline in the current climate\, Jackson Alder encouraged folks to approach the LGBTQ+ young people in their lives with affirmation and support\, giving them ownership of their exploration of the community while learning with and from them. Jackson shared resources including a Guide to Being a Straight Ally for individuals looking to be more active allies to the LGBTQ+ community. \nChris Wood spoke about the ways in which some schools are monitoring the activity of LGBTQ+ students\, teachers\, and their allies. Chris shared that LGBT Tech is urging educational tech companies that create products used in schools to include safeguards for LGBTQ+ students and their privacy\, but suggested caution when using devices and networks provided by schools in places where state and local laws require teachers and administrators to report searching for anything LGBTQ+ related. Chris encouraged folks living in places with such laws to connect with their local PFLAG chapter or LGBTQ+ community center to acquire additional information and resources\, and shared that LGBT Tech offers grants to individuals and community centers through their Power On program to fulfill technology needs. \nWhen asked why safe spaces are so important for the LGBTQ+ community\, Deborah S. Levine pointed to “safety and security” within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Deborah posited that safety is a need for all people\, but that minority stress makes it less likely for LGBTQ+ individuals to find the safety they need in spaces not designed for them. Chris Wood spoke about the importance of reviewing privacy settings and the tools available on social media platforms when determining if they’re a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks and their privacy. \nThe panel then discussed instances of queer joy they’ve experienced working within channels that connect LGBTQ+ young people. Deborah S. Levine talked about the joy she felt seeing young people come into the chat-based discussions on Q Chat Space from less friendly rural areas\, who are learning about queer history for the first time\, and are talking with people like them for the first time. To conclude the discussion\, the panelists each offered advice for parents and caregivers to help the young people in their lives find balance and prioritize their mental health. They emphasized the importance of learning along with their children\, and finding resources when questions arise that they can’t answer on their own. \n  \n 
URL:https://fosi.org/event/a-connected-community-empowering-lgbtq-teens-online/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230627T000000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230627T000000
DTSTAMP:20250912T183855Z
CREATED:20241219T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T183855Z
UID:3676-1687824000-1687824000@fosi.org
SUMMARY:2023 European Forum
DESCRIPTION:Regulating and Innovating Online Safety\nOn June 27th\, FOSI hosted its annual European Forum at the Google Safety Engineering Center in Dublin\, Ireland. This event\, titled “Regulating and Innovating Online Safety\,” featured top representatives across industry\, government\, academia\, and the charity sector as they debated the implications of current and pending global legislation\, best practices surrounding AI\, digital wellbeing\, and more. \nRecordings from the forum are available on the FOSI YouTube Channel. \nThe day began with a welcome address by FOSI’s Board Chair\, and Vice President of Civility & Partnerships at Roblox\, Tami Bhaumik. She then introduced FOSI’s Founder and CEO\, Stephen Balkam\, and Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy\, Markham Erickson\, for a fireside chat on key online safety issues such as the global collaboration between policymakers\, regulators and industry\, and the importance of keeping children safe online while ensuring that parents feel confident about their children’s online experience. \nThe first panel of the day\, From Pixels to Policies: Exploring the Legislative Challenges on Online Safety\, featured two key regulators from Ireland and the UK Gill Whitehead of Ofcom\, and Niamh Hodnett of the Online Safety Commissioner\, Ireland\, and researcher and academic\, Lorna Woods\, OBE of the University of Essex. This panel discussed the details of online safety bills and regulation that they see on a daily basis\, as well as broader policy trends expanding across jurisdictions. Questions included how laws can promote online safety while still being rights respecting and privacy preserving\, what opportunities exist for collaboration between public and private sectors\, and where age assurance fits into these policies. \nThe following panel\, Burnout to Balance: Wellbeing in a New Digital Era\, featured the industry perspective from both Tami Bhaumik of Roblox and Mindy Brooks of Google\, the academic point of view from Andy Przybylski of OII\, and the non-profit perspective from Áine Lynch of Ireland’s National Parents Council. The discussion featured digital wellbeing best practices when thinking about the use of social media\, immersive technologies\, and AI. Panelists also shared their expertise and discussed ways in which both parents and kids can feel more empowered to take control of their relationship with technology in a healthy and balanced way. \nAfter lunch and time for attendees to network and view the exhibit booths\, our third panel of the day\, Promoting Safety and Trust in genAI\, took the stage. AI experts Courtney Gregoire of Microsoft\, Vick Nash of OII\, Henry Platten of GoBubble\, and Matthew Soeth of Spectrum Labs spoke about one of the most hotly debated and discussed technologies of the year\, AI. Panelists discussed the pros and cons of genAI through the lens of online safety\, how various stakeholders can and should approach this technology\, and how we can best prioritize safety for kids in quickly evolving digital experiences. \nThe final panel of the day looked to the future. Titled Emerging Horizons: Navigating the Future of Online Safety\, Julie de Bailliencourt of TikTok\, Iain Drennan of WeProtect\, Alex Holmes of the Diana Award\, and Trisha Prabhu of ReThink reflected on how advancing technologies will impact our everyday lives\, and what this means for the future of online safety. Panelists discussed how all stakeholders\, as well as parents and youth themselves\, can navigate these complex and evolving times. From a variety of different perspectives\, panelists examined the most important facets of online safety as we embark on a new era of digital innovation. \nFOSI Founder and CEO Stephen Balkam wrapped up the day with closing remarks\, thanking event sponsors Google\, TikTok and GoBubble. \nRecordings from our 2023 European Forum are available on the FOSI YouTube Channel. \nPhotos from the event can be found on the Event Media Gallery.
URL:https://fosi.org/event/2023-european-forum/
LOCATION:The Foundry\, Google Ireland\, Gordon House\, Barrow Street\, Dublin 4\, Google Ireland\, Gordon House\, Barrow Street\, Dublin\, 4\, Ireland
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