Family Online Safety Institute

European Forum 2013; Year of the Digital Citizen: Online Safety, Data Protection and Privacy

May 15th, 2013

Google's EMEA Headquarters

Dublin, Ireland

On May 15th, 2013, the Family Online Safety Institute was delighted to host its annual European Forum at Google’s EU Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. With a focus on online safety, data protection and privacy, this event gave the opportunity for our delegates and attendees to discuss these critical issues and exchange ideas, opinions, strategies and priorities.

The day began with a keynote address by Frances Fitzgerald, the Irish Minister for Children & Youth Affairs. Her insightful and thought provoking address can be found here.

Following Minister Fitzgerald was FOSI’s CEO Stephen Balkam, who introduced FOSI’s newest initiative, A Platform for Good (PfG). It was the first step in a longer-term effort to internationalize PfG and to make it available to parents, teachers and teens throughout the world. Stephen’s presentation can be found here.

To address the three key areas of attention for the forum: online safety, data protection and privacy, FOSI held three separate panels to focus on the issues surrounding each of these topics. The panels were full of meaningful and intense discussion, with speakers from the European Commission, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, representatives from Facebook, Twitter, Google, leading researchers and other panelists. The role of the CEO coalition was discussed, as well as the importance of awareness and education, and the necessity of giving parents tools to make decisions for their own families. All three panels were highly interactive, with a substantial amount of attendee input.

To close the event, UK MP Claire Perry, gave a short keynote address to highlight some of the areas of concern in the UK, and to emphasize particular areas of interest in her new role as Special Advisor to the UK Prime Minister on the sexualization and commercialization of childhood.

Overall, FOSI’s 2013 European Forum was interactive, challenging, and thought-provoking. We thank our keynotes, panelists and audience members for making it such a success.

SEMINAR: Youth, Gender and Online Exposure

March 7, 2013

Embassy of Sweden

Washington, DC

On March 7^th 2013, FOSI and the House of Sweden co-hosted a seminar to discuss how youth and teens engage in social platforms online, and whether or not there is a difference in the way young people are exposed to exploitation online from a gender equality perspective. The seminar also showcased methods on pro-active work to prevent exposure online.

Among the speakers: Stephen Balkam, Chief Executive Officer at Family Online Safety Institute, researchers Janis Wolak from USA and Helmer Larsen from Denmark, Kaja Haegg from Norwegian Save the Children, Maria Nyman from the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs.

Agenda

• 09:30am - Welcome, Introduction to the seminar
  Joakim Stymne, State Secretary at Sweden's Ministry of Culture
  MC: Karin Bengtsson, Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Gender Equality and Lotta Jarvenius Rössner, Nordic Committee for Children and Young People (NORDBUK)
• 09:40am - Digital Citizenship and the Empowering nature of the Internet
  Stephen Balkam, Chief Executive Officer at Family Online Safety Institute
• 09:50am - Online harassment and victimization among Danish adolescents
  Helmer Larsen, associate professor, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen
• 10:00am - Prevent youth exposure online - National results and successful methods in Sweden
  Maria Nyman, Project officer (Youth, Sex, Internet) The Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs
• 10:15am - Norwegian reality - the NGO perspective, working in partnerships, groups at risk
  Kaja Haegg, Save the children - Norway
• 10:30am - Online risks and youth victimization, trends from law enforcement data
  Janis Wolak, Senior Researcher, Crimes against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, USA.
• 10:40am - Panel discussion with audience and speakers
  Moderator: Stephen Balkam, Chief Executive Officer at Family Online Safety Institute
• 11:30am - Closing remarks
   

FOSI COPPA Redux: Implications of the updated Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule

January 10, 2013

The National Press Club, Holeman Lounge

Washington, DC

On January 10th FOSI convened a highly interactive panel at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to discuss the changes to the COPPA Rule. The event bought together key players from industry, the FTC, academics and non-profits to debate the revisions.

Rick Quaresima, of the Federal Trade Commission, outlined the proposals and provided the audience members with insights into the Commission’s thinking as they drafted some of the more controversial provisions. Specifically he spoke about the changes made to the definition of ‘operator’ and ‘personal information.’ He also assured attendees that the FTC will be engaging in an educational campaign to help websites and apps ensure compliance by July 1st 2013.

An hour-long panel discussion followed, moderated by Jennifer Hanley of the Family Online Safety Institute, featuring Dona Fraser of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, Jim Halpert from DLA Piper, Edward Palmieri from Facebook and Tim Sparapani representing the Application Developers Alliance. The panelists started by highlighting the positive changes made to COPPA on December 19th,  before looking in detail at the potential impact on content for kids, the legal issues around the ‘actual knowledge’ standard for third-party plug-ins and ad networks as well as the strict liability standard being applied to first-party websites. Audience members joined in and tried to apply the proposals to real-life situations.

The successful event bought up many issues and questions which will hopefully be resolved in the coming months.

For more information on the COPPA changes see the FOSI Brief: The Implications of the FTC's New COPPA Rule