Washington, DC

FOSI 2024 Annual Conference

Register Now
December 9, 2024
8:00 AM
 - 
8:00 PM
Speakers
Agenda
Media
InterContinental Washington D.C. - The Wharf, 801 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Overview

December 9, 2024
8:00 AM
 - 
8:00 PM
InterContinental Washington D.C. - The Wharf, 801 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024

On December 9th, 2024, FOSI hosted its Annual Conference at the InterContinental on the Wharf in Washington, DC. This year's theme, From Protection to Empowerment, brought together leaders from the public, private, academic, and nonprofit sectors to address the most pressing issues in online safety. The conference explored how protective measures can evolve into tools that empower users to confidently navigate the digital world.

The day began with a Keynote Address from Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, who underscored the importance of collaboration in creating safer online spaces. FOSI’s CEO, Stephen Balkam, welcomed attendees with opening remarks that set the tone for the day's discussions. This was followed by the launch of FOSI's latest research, Promoting Wellbeing in the Digital World, conducted in partnership with Kantar. Researchers presented findings on how teens and parents in the U.S., Germany, and Brazil perceive the role of digital devices in their emotional, physical, and social wellbeing.

A dynamic panel discussion followed the research presentation, featuring experts such as Dr. Amanda Ferguson from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Jennifer Kotler Clarke from Google, and Dr. Emily Weinstein from Harvard’s Center for Digital Thriving. Moderated by Dr. Nicol Turner Lee of the Brookings Institution, the panel unpacked the study's implications for industry and policymakers, offering insights on promoting digital wellbeing.

Throughout the day, attendees engaged in thought-provoking sessions covering a range of critical topics. The Global Online Safety Regulators Network reconvened for a two-year review, with regulators from Australia, France, and the UK discussing cross-border collaboration and regulatory progress. A fireside chat with Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, provided further insights into the evolving landscape of online safety policy.

The conference also featured two sets of breakout sessions that allowed attendees to dive deeper into specific areas, such as AI-driven content moderation, financial sextortion, youth perspectives on digital safety, and children’s rights in the digital age. These panels brought together experts from organizations like Snap, Roblox, LEGO, and Thorn, providing a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges in online safety.

In the afternoon plenary sessions, mother-daughter TikTok creators, Erica Grit and her daughter Kamilah Ramsay, shared their experiences navigating the digital world together. Additional panels focused on gaming safety innovations, digital parenting in a rapidly changing tech landscape, and building enriching online experiences for teens.

The conference concluded with closing remarks from Stephen Balkam, reinforcing the theme of empowering users in the digital age. Attendees left with fresh insights, actionable strategies, and new connections to advance the mission of online safety.

Event Highlights:

  • Keynote Address: Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security
  • Research Launch: Promoting Wellbeing in the Digital World
  • Breakout Panels: Covering topics like AI, financial sextortion, and the rights of children in the digital age
  • Global Perspectives: Insights from international regulators and Gen Z leaders
  • Networking Opportunities: Including a lively evening reception

Full videos of all mainstage sessions are available on FOSI’s YouTube channel.

Photos from the event will be availible soon on our Event Media Gallery.

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Speakers

Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas

Secretary
,
US Department of Homeland Security

Alan Davidson

Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
,
U.S. Department of Commerce

Julie Inman Grant

eSafety Commissioner
,
Australian Government

Benoît Loutrel

Board Member
,
ARCOM

Gill Whitehead

Chairperson
,
Global Online Safety Regulators Network (GOSRN)

Henry Adams

Director of Trust & Safety
,
Resolver

Patricia Cartes Andrés

Head of Trust & Safety
,
Cantina AI

Charlotte Aynsley

Policy Consultant
,
Family Online Safety Institute/Charlotte Aynsley Digital Consultants

Dinu Antonescu

Council for Digital Well-Being
,
Snapchat

Pratishtha Arora

CEO
,
Social Media Matters

Tami Bhaumik

VP, Civility & Partnerships
,
Roblox, FOSI Board Chair*

David Bickham

Research Director
,
Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital

Mx. Ash Brandin

Content Creator
,
@TheGamerEducator

Scott Babwah Brennen

Director
,
Center on Technology Policy at NYU

Stephen Balkam

Founder & CEO
,
Family Online Safety Institute

Chris Carbone

Senior Director
,
Kantar

Linda Charmaraman

Senior Research Scientist
,
Youth, Media, & Wellbeing research lab, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Blair Durkee

Associate Director of Gaming
,
GLAAD

Nikki Burns

Senior Manager, Government & Public Affairs
,
The LEGO Group

Liz Dank

Senior Public Policy Manager, Women's & Personal Safety
,
Uber

Anastasiya Dzyakava

Head of the Board
,
NGO #stop_sexting

Anne Collier

Founder & Executive Director
,
Net Safety Collaborative

Viraj Doshi

Platform Safety Lead
,
Snap Inc.

Eric Ebenstein

Director of Public Policy
,
TikTok*

Vera Eidelman

Staff Attorney, Speech, Privacy & Technology Project
,
ACLU

Amanda Ferguson

Senior Research Associate
,
University of Cambridge

Kerry Gallagher

Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning & Education Director
,
St. John's Prep & ConnectSafely

Audace Garnett

Director of the Safety Net Project
,
National Network to End Domestic Violence

Kamilah Ramsay

,

Amanda Goharian

Senior Research Manager
,
Thorn

Kishonna L Gray

Professor
,
University of Michigan

Laura Higgins

Senior Director of Community Safety and Digital Civility
,
Roblox

Justin Hendrix

CEO and Editor
,
Tech Policy Press

Jessica Janze, PhD

Clinical Psychologist, Anxiety Disorder Center
,
Child Mind Institute

Austin Jenkins

Staff Writer
,
Pluribus News

Vaishnavi J

Founder
,
Vyanams Strategies (VYS)

Pranav Karthikeyan

Youth Advisory Council Member
,
NAMLE

Kate Kennedy

Know2Protect, Campaign Director
,
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Emily Cashman Kirstein

Child Safety Manager
,
Google*

Jennifer Kotler Clarke

Head of Research & Content Strategy for the Kids & Family Team
,
Google

Dr. Nicol Turner Lee

Director, The Center for Technology Innovation (CTI)
,
Brookings Institution

Michelle Lopes Maldonado

Delegate
,
Virginia House of Delegates

Maya A. McKenzie

Senior Counsel, Tech Policy
,
Entertainment Software Association

Lama Mohammed

Tech Policy Fellow
,
New York University's Center for Social Media and Politics

Candela Montero

Vice President of Trust, Safety and Support
,
Epic Games

Dr. Megan Moreno

Co-Medical Director
,
AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health

Kati Morton

Co-Founder and President
,
Happyable, Inc.

Ioanna Noula

Fellow
,
UCD Centre for Digital Policy

Jinan O'Connor

Vice President, Brand Partnerships and Engagement
,
DonorsChoose

Kemi Ojikutu

Youth Advisory Board Member
,
Born This Way Foundation

Mike Pappas

CEO
,
Modulate*

Casey Pick

Director of Law and Policy
,
The Trevor Project

Cinnamon Rogers

VP, Global Public Policy
,
Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation)

Gus Rossi

Director
,
Omidyar Network

Bailey Sanchez

Senior Counsel, U.S. Legislation
,
Future of Privacy Forum

Arana Shapiro

Chief Operating and Programs Officer
,
Games For Change

Kara Sundby

Senior Director
,
Kantar

Cori Stott

Executive Director, Digital Wellness Lab
,
Boston Children's Hospital

Taylor

Consultant
,
NCMEC

Erica Tate

Parent + TikTok creator
,

Catherine Teitelbaum

Head of Family Trust
,
Amazon

Patricia E. Vance

President
,
Entertainment Software Rating Board

Arjun Venkataswamy

Principal Product Manager
,
Amazon

Shannon Vyvijal, MPP

Associate Communications Manager
,
Foundation for Social Connection

Madison Watts

Youth Advisory Panelist
,
American Academy of Pediatrics: Center of Excellence

Emily Weinstein

Co-Founder + Co-Director
,
Center for Digital Thriving, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Shoshana Weissmann

Fellow
,
R Street Institute

Becky White

Senior Policy and Legislative Director
,
New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes

Andrew Zack

Policy Manager
,
Family Online Safety Institute

Agenda

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Agenda

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration, Breakfast & Exhibits | Sponsored by Electronic Arts

9:00 AM - 9:03 AM

Opening Remarks

  • Tami Bhaumik, Roblox, FOSI Chair

9:03 AM - 9:10 AM

Keynote Address

  • Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas, US Secretary, Department of Homeland Security 

9:10 AM - 9:20 AM

Welcome Address

  • Stephen Balkam, FOSI

9:20 AM - 9:40 AM

Research Launch: Promoting Wellbeing in the Digital World 

A presentation of summarized findings from a new FOSI study will explore how teens and their parents navigate wellbeing in our digital world, and how they feel their devices support or hinder their overall wellbeing. The mixed method study takes place  in three countries - US, Germany, and Brazil, and focuses primarily on emotional/mental, physical and social wellbeing. 

  • Chris Carbone, Kantar
  • Kara Sundby, Kantar

9:40 AM - 10:15 AM

Promoting Wellbeing in the Digital World: The Experts React

Discover the key takeaways from FOSI’s 2024 research as a panel of experts breaks down the findings. This session will explore the new study's implications on online safety and the potential next steps for industry and policymakers.

  • Dr. Amanda Ferguson, The Digital Mental Health Group, University of Cambridge
  • Dr. Jennifer Kotler Clarke, Google
  • Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Brookings Institute (moderator)
  • Dr. Emily Weinstein, Project Zero, Harvard University

10:15 AM - 10:40 AM

Networking Break & Exhibits | Sponsored by PrivateID

10:40 AM - 11:20 AM

Global Online Safety Regulators Network: A Two-Year Review 

Two years after the launch of the Global Online Safety Regulators Network, the top regulators from Australia, France, and the UK return to FOSI to discuss their work, recent developments, and the progress they’ve made in cultivating communication between countries in regard to regulatory practices, online safety standards and how/what they have learned from one another. 

  • Stephen Balkam, FOSI (Moderator)
  • Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner, Australia
  • Benoit Loutrel, ARCOM, France
  • Gill Whitehead, Chairperson, Global Online Safety Regulators Network (GOSRN)

11:20 AM - 11:40 AM

Fireside Chat

  • Stephen Balkam, FOSI (Moderator)
  • Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson, NTIA

11:50 AM - 12:40 PM

Morning Breakout Sessions

*Please note morning breakout sessions will not be livestreamed or recorded.

Online to Offline: Empowering Users to Safely Navigate Digital Spaces

As the lines are increasingly blurred between our online and offline worlds, this panel will examine the latest safety innovations that empower users to stay safe online and IRL. Experts will discuss the latest tools, trends, and research, as well as the importance of designing and integrating new technologies with safety in mind.

  • Liz Dank, Uber
  • Viraj Doshi, Snap
  • Audace Garnett, National Network to End Domestic Violence
  • Shannon Vyvijal, Foundation for Social Connection
  • Cori Stott, Digital Wellness Lab (Moderator)

Dark Threats, Bright Solutions: Combating Financial Sextortion and AI-Driven Exploitation

This panel will address the rising threats of financial sextortion, blackmail,  AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and nudification apps. Experts will discuss the latest trends in combating these challenges and the tech solutions shaping the future of online protection. Please be aware that this panel will discuss sensitive topics related to harassment and assault, including crimes against minors.

  • Taylor, NCMEC Consultant
  • Pratishtha Arora, Social & Media Matters
  • Anastasiya Dzyakaya, #stop_sexting
  • Kerry Gallagher, St. John’s Prep (Moderator)
  • Amanda Goharian, Thorn
  • Kate Kennedy, Department of Homeland Security

Debating the Future: What Policies Are Needed to Protect Kids Online?

In this interactive policy debate, leading voices will explore the delicate balance between protecting children online and regulating social media platforms. How should policymakers work to pass effective online safety protections while respecting individual rights?

  • Justin Hendrix, Tech Policy Press (Moderator)
  • Casey Pick, The Trevor Project
  • Gus Rossi, Omidyar Network
  • Shoshana Weissmann, R Street Institute
  • Andrew Zack, FOSI

Game On: Innovations and Safety in the Gaming World 

Explore the latest advancements in gaming technology and how the industry is evolving to enhance both entertainment and safety. This panel will highlight different aspects of gaming, including parental controls, AI integration, and community building.

  • Dr. Kishonna Gray, University of Michigan
  • Laura Higgins, Roblox
  • Mike Pappas, Modulate
  • Cinnamon Rogers, Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation)
  • Arana Shapiro, Games for Change (Moderator)

12:40 PM - 1:25 PM

Networking Luncheon | Sponsored by Pinterest

1:35 PM - 2:25 PM

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

*Please note afternoon breakout sessions will not be livestreamed or recorded.

AI and Accountability: Content Moderation in the Digital Age

As AI transforms the landscape of content moderation, this session will dive into the challenges and opportunities of using artificial intelligence to detect and remove harmful content. Industry leaders will discuss ethical concerns, transparency, and the future of automated moderation.

  • Henry Adams, Resolver
  • Patricia Cartes Andrés, Cantina AI
  • Meg Leta Jones, Georgetown University
  • Vaishnavi J, Vyanams Strategies (Moderator)
  • Lama Mohammed, NYU Center for Social Media and Politics

The State of the States - From Albany to Sacramento

A deep dive into the diverse approaches that U.S. states are taking to regulate online safety and tech policy. From digital privacy laws to online protection measures, this panel will explore what's working, what isn't, and what the future holds.

  • Scott Babwah Brennen, Center on Technology Policy, NYU
  • Vera Eidelman, ACLU
  • Austin Jenkins, Pluribus (Moderator)
  • Bailey Sanchez, Future of Privacy Forum
  • Becky White, Office of State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-NY)

Voices of the Future: Insights from Gen Z

Hear directly from the next generation as young leaders share their perspectives on online safety, digital well-being, and the future of the internet. This engaging panel will highlight the unique experiences and challenges faced by today's digital natives.

  • Dinu Antonescu, Snap Youth Council
  • Pranav Karthikeyan, NAMLE Youth Advisory Council
  • Dr. Megan Moreno, AAP's Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health (Moderator)
  • Kemi Ojikutu, Born This Way Foundation
  • Madison Watts, AAP’s Youth Council

What Rights Do Children Have in the Digital Age?

This panel will discuss what tech companies are doing to keep children safe online, the importance of respecting children’s rights while designing and regulating online experiences, and how to center digital wellbeing as a key online safety consideration.

  • Charlotte Aynsley, FOSI (moderator)
  • Nikki Burns, LEGO
  • Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., Youth, Media, & Wellbeing Research Lab, Wellesley Centers for Women
  • Anne Collier, The Net Safety Collaborative
  • Ioanna Noula, Ph.D., UCD Centre for Digital Policy

2:35 PM - 3:05 PM

Safety By Design: Putting Safety at the Forefront of Video Game Design

As games become more interactive and the creator economy continues to grow, it requires a new approach to safety. This conversation will explore how companies can design games that are both fun and safe for players of all ages and features that empower parents to tailor the experience that's right for their family.

  • Candela Montero, Epic Games
  • Pat Vance, ESRB

3:05 PM - 3:35 PM

Empowering Parents & Kids to Experience the Power of Play

Video games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world today. More than three-quarters of Gen Alpha and Gen Z play video games every week and 83% of parents who play video games play as a family. Join the Entertainment Software Association for a conversation on how the benefits of games go well beyond fun and entertainment, as well as how the video game industry is working with trust and safety professionals and policymakers to provide the tools and resources kids and families need to experience the power of play.

  • Maya McKenzie, ESA (Moderator)
  • Blair Durkee, GLAAD
  • Del Michelle Maldonado, 20th District of the Virginia House of Delegates
  • Pat Vance, ESRB

3:35 PM  - 4:05 PM

Networking Break & Exhibits

4:05 PM - 4:35 PM

Our Digital Journey: How Parents and Teens Can Navigate the Online World, Together

Join TikTok creator Erica (@mrandmrsgrit) and her daughter Kamilah for a conversation about how they navigate the digital world as a family. Erica and Kamilah will share their perspectives balancing creativity with healthy digital boundaries. This parent-teen discussion will offer insights into how families can use safety features and open communication to create positive digital experiences together. 

  • Eric Ebenstein, TikTok (Moderator)
  • Erica Tate, TikTok creator
  • Kamilah Grit, TikTok creator

4:35 PM - 5:05 PM

Parenting in a Dynamic Digital World

We are living in a fast-paced, ever-evolving digital world, and this panel will explore the challenges and opportunities for tech companies, parents, educators, and youth. How do we empower kids to be prepared for a future that we can't even fully envision? How do we equip young people with the tools and knowledge to think critically as they navigate new technology such as AI within this ever-changing digital landscape? Experts will share practical tips, tools and advice.

  • David Bickham, Ph.D, Digital Wellness Lab
  • Mx. Ash Brandin, EdS, @TheGamerEducator
  • Catherine Teitelbaum, Amazon Family Trust (moderator)
  • Arjun Venkataswamy, Alexa Kids

5:05 PM - 5:35 PM

Beyond the Screen: Building Experiences For and With Teens

Key experts in teen content and development will discuss best practices for building safer and more enriching online experiences for teens that reflect their specific developmental stages, their drive to create and participate, and their need to develop essential skills for the future.

  • Tami Bhaumik, Roblox
  • Emily Cashman Kirstein, Google (Moderator)
  • Jessica Janze, Ph.D, Child Mind Institute
  • Jinan O’Connor, DonorsChoose
  • Kati Morton, LMFT & YouTube Creator

5:35 PM - 5:40 PM

Closing Remarks

  • Stephen Balkam, FOSI

5:40 PM - 7:40 PM

Evening Reception

Media

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