Family Online Safety Institute

04 December, 2010

The New York Times

A Range of Options for a Victim's Parents

Coverage of Stephen Balkam's interview with Jan Hoffman of The New York Times where they discuss cyberbullying. Read more here.

04 December, 2010

The New York Times

As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up

Jan Hoffman for The New York Times discusses cyberbullying and the options for parents. FOSI quoted as an online resource. Read more here.

05 October, 2010

The Huffington Post

Sex, Suicides and Videotape

The suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi and the extensive reporting of the circumstances of his death reveal a complex web of issues that challenges us all. Read Stephen Balkam's full article in The Huffington Post.

02 October, 2010

St. Louis Dispatch

How young is too young for Facebook?

Media coverage from Stephen Balkam's recent interview with St. Louis Dispatch. Read more

24 August, 2010

Huffington Post

Facebook's Places and The Private Spaces in Between

Stephen Balkam, as a pragmatic optimist, puts the launch of Facebook Places and privacy in its broader context. To learn more go to

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/facebooks-places-and-the-_b_691096.html

21 August, 2010

Guardian Newspaper, UK

Does technology pose a threat to our private life?

This week Google's Eric Schmidt suggested we may need to invent new identities to escape embarrassing online pasts – while Facebook launched a tool to share users' locations. So does technology pose a threat to private life? Stephen Balkam talks about a "seminal moment" for the the issue of privacy and the article explores the implications of Facebook's newly released Places functionality. To learn more go

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/21/facebook-places-google/print

9 August, 2010

Guardian Newspaper, UK

Online safety: Facebook, the GRID project and the 'panic button' myth

For a while, it seemed as if the ongoing debate about online safety, and all the expertise engaged with that, was obscured by simplified 'panic button' coverage in the spat between Facebook and Ceop, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre.

In the meantime, the Family Online Safety Institute had been collaborating on something far more worthwhile - an international directory of online safety initiatives. GRID features profiles, an outline of projects and initiatives and details of research and legislation in 150 countries. To learn more go to

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/pda/2010/aug/09/fosi-grid-facebook-ceop

10 July, 2010

MYFOXNY.COM, Street Talk

Good Day Street Talk takes a look at the impact of social media! A panel of experts including Adrienne Scordato of T3, Stephen Balkam of the Family Online Safety Institute, psychotherapist and school counselor Dr. Tom Kersting, and Peter Shankman of the Geek Factory discuss the many issues when it comes to Twitter, Facebook and otheron-line forms of networking – from what it could mean at your job, to how it can impact kids at school.

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/about_us/street_talk/street-talk-july-10-2010

29 June, 2010

Australia Seeks FOSI Input into Cyber-Safety Review

In June 2010 FOSI submitted comments to Australia's Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety, the Committee is conducting an inquiry into Australian children's online behavior. In their comments FOSI sought to highlight the benefits to children of Internet use, the potential risks to children, such as cyberbullying and sexting, and the excellent work that is being done by industry around the world. Throughout the submission FOSI emphasized the importance of digital citizenship and the online culture of responsibility, requiring all interested parties to work together, in order to keep children safe in a Web 2.0 world.

Download Australia Seeks FOSI Input into Cyber-Safety Review PDF

15 June, 2010

Dave Miles, FOSI's Director for Europe Middle East and Africa has been appointed to Norton's Online Family Advisory Council Members. To see more details from the press go to:

http://it.einnews.com/article.php?nid=267404

27 May, 2010

FOSI's 2nd Annual European Conference was held in Madrid and hosted by Telefonica. This one day conference attracted over 250 attendees and an impressive selection of speakers. Here is a selection of the extensive press coverage:

http://noticias.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/litigios-y-reglamentaciones/rsc-canalda-afirma-que-la-autorregulacion-en-internet-es-complementaria-a-la-regulacion_8YASaEGwGgGFEPnHr1D364/

http://www.diarioresponsable.com/component/idoblog/11180-?task=viewpost

http://www.adslnet.es/index.php/2010/05/27/rsc-canalda-afirma-que-la-autorregulacion-en-internet-es-complemetaria-a-la-regulacion/

19 May, 2010

ABC News

'Facebook' for Kids Keeps Parents in the Loop

Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Washington DC-based noprofit Family Online Safety Institute, said he hopes Togetherville will get parents to remove their young children from Facebook. Read the full article here.

26-28, April 2010

FOSI's first Gulf region conference co-hosted with the Telecommmunications Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain led to widespread media and press coverage. These included http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=276747 and http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?srch=1&storyid=276836

The Independent

David Miles, FOSI's EMEA Director commends Tibboh on its new ISP package for children: http://lifeandstyle.independentminds.livejournal.com/1507538.html

22 April 2009

The Telegraph

FOSI comments on a new UK ISP using BBFC Rating as part its parental control suite: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7618267/New-ISP-with-age-ratings-for-websites-launched.html

13 April, 2010

The Sun

Facebook steps up security

More press coverage of Facebooks efforts to step up security. Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2930309/Facebook-steps-up-security.html

13 April, 2010

Daily Mail

Facebook announces 24-hour 'police hotline.'

Facebook introduces a number of important online safety measures. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265610/Facebook-announces-24-hour-police-hotline-critics-slam-site-protecting-children.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0kyeV4mjS

12 April, 2010

Huffington Post

Why the iPad is the Future of Education (and Porn)

So what does the iPad say about the future of education and indeed porn! An article that will get you thinking.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/why-the-ipad-is-the-futur_b_532869.html

17 February, 2010

Huffington Post

Miracles and Wonders of the Mobile World Congress

Another insightful article in a series by Stephen Balkam (FOSI), this time about the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/miracles-and-wonders-of-t_b_466411.html

Recent articles from Stephen Balkam are permanently listed in an author archive:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/

15th February, 2010

Holyrood Magazine

Virtual reality.

Knowledge and power in the fight to make the Internet a safer place.

Ahead of a major online safety conference in Scotland, David Miles (FOSI) talks about the challenges facing parents and the need for a better sense of perspective by all stakeholders interested in creating a safer Internet for children. Contributions from Professor Tanya Byron, Richard Allan (Facebook) and Jim Gamble (CEOP) make this a broad and authoritative article.

Click here to view the PDF article

8 February, 2010

Huffington Post

21st Century Citizenship

In her January 21st on Internet Freedom, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke emphatically for the need to ensure that the freedoms of speech, assembly and religion be respected online. In this article, Stephen Balkam (FOSI), articulates the view that it's time to begin building a model of 21st century citizenship and marrying the innovative approach of teaching 21st century skills with the new notions of digital diplomacy and create 21st century citizens.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/21st-century-citizenship_b_453316.html

1 February, 2010

Huffington Post

Are we (Virtually) There Yet?

A review of the upcoming PBS FRONTLINE documentary, “Digital Nation” by Stephen Balkam. Its producer, Rachel Dretzin, cites FOSI as a major reason the documentary was made and conducted a number of the featured interviews at FOSI’s 4th Annual Conference in Washington DC in November 2009.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/are-we-virtually-there-ye_b_443839.html

29 January 2010

The Peninsula Newspaper

Move to filter Net content for kids

Dave Miles (FOSI's EMEA Director) spoke at a two-day conference in Doha, Qatar's capital city, hosted by the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development (DIIFSD)."Exposure of children to offensive material on the Internet is an issue debated all over the world. We support measures to control children's access to such content and are working with FOSI towards achieving this goal," Dr Richard G Wilkins, Managing Director of DIIFSD.