2023 European Forum

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. In these digital spaces, they can often find the acceptance and affirmation that’s lacking in other areas of their social experience. Join us on Thursday, June 15th, for 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. Panelists will discuss ways in which parents, educators, and family members can protect and support LGBTQ+ youth both online and offline, and the many resources that are available for youth to access positive and uplifting communities and live as their authentic selves.

Online safety policy has been one of the most bipartisan areas of collaboration recently and jurisdictions are racing to create new regulations that protect their citizens. States across the U.S. are no exception, as the past few years have seen dozens of bills advance through legislatures including the establishment of data privacy rights, new requirements for online content moderation, age restrictions for accessing social media, and age-appropriate design codes. Maryland is one such state, as the 2023 legislative session included the introduction and advancement of the Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (also known as the Kids Code) and the Social Media Regulation and Safety for Children. The Kids Code, modeled after California’s act that became law last year and the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code, passed the House of Delegates but did not advance out of the Senate. The Social Media Regulation would require platforms to delete all data on children under 13 or face a fine, and also did not advance this past session.