[Governance] Child protection versus Internet freedom: Gilian Tenbergen takes leadership

[Jeremy Malcolm via Governance]

Dear all,

It won't be a controversial observation on this list that many of the most
pressing challenges to human rights online are presented by governments as
essential either to curb terrorism, or to protect children from sexual
exploitation. Current examples of the latter include the UK's Online Safety
Bill, the European proposal that activists are calling "Chat Control 2.0",
and the U.S. EARN IT Act, all of which if passed in their current forms
would extend mass government surveillance of private
communications, possibly also limiting the use of end-to-end encryption.

As a long-time IGC member and latter-day lurker, some of you may remember
that five years ago, I established an organization, Prostasia Foundation,
that endeavoured to call out such violations of human rights proposed in
the name of child safety, while also promoting evidence-based solutions to
prevent child sexual abuse while upholding the human rights of all. In a blog
post that I published today
<https://jere.my/child-protection-and-civil-liberties-in-the-balance/> (also
summarized in a Twitter thread
<https://twitter.com/qirtaiba/status/1661749211245735936?s=20>), I reveal
that it was actually at the IGF itself that the genesis of this
organization came about. Old-timers may find it interesting.

The post's big reveal, however, is that Dr Gilian Tenbergen takes over as
Executive Director of Prostasia today. The formal announcement is made in a
press release <https://prostasia.org/?na=archive&email_id=128#> that I also
link to in my blog post. Dr Tenbergen comes from the State University of
New York at Oswego where she was Assistant Professor of Psychology, and she
also serves on the Board of Directors of the New York State Association for
the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse and the New York State
Alliance for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse.

If you can make it, I'd like you to consider joining us at an event
titled Prevention
Today for a Safer Tomorrow <https://prostasia.org/event/prevention-today/> on
June 8, at which Dr Tenbergen will introduce herself and outline her vision
to restore Prostasia Foundation to its place as an influential voice for
prevention, social justice, and consent culture. The event will also
include two panel presentations and a screening of the short documentary
film *The Recall: Reframed* with its Director/Producer Rebecca Richman
Cohen.

We are still putting the panels together, so if you are interested in
participating in either, we would warmly welcome your involvement. In
particular, you may have an interest in participating in "How our response
to child abuse can work better for survivors and minorities", which will
explore how marginalized communities can be better served by an approach to
child protection that is informed by public health principles that upholds
the rights and dignity of all. Please be in touch if so!

Unfortunately I have to close this message on a sour note. Although
Prostasia achieved much, it was also heavily victimized by trolls who
misrepresented its mission. I have to say with regret that it was an active
member of this list who was among the worst of them. This individual went
so far as to slander Dr Tenbergen to her entire department, in a failed
effort to undermine her work. This was a repetition of the same pattern of
behavior by which the same individual had previously victimized
other members of this list, before ultimately being banned from the ICANN
community. I make this point only to foreshadow that, should further
attacks against Dr Tenbergen be forthcoming, you should ignore them and
refuse to engage with this individual.

--
Jeremy Malcolm
https://jere.my
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