By Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety

Every year Facebook convenes a group of leaders in safety and technology for our Global Safety Summit. This year we returned in Washington, DC and were joined by over 100 organizations from 35 countries.

It has never been more important to hear from the people who are at the front lines of keeping communities safe. The organizations represented have a vision about how to make the world a better place in their neighborhoods, towns and cities, both online and off. Their work often inspires the engineers who are building products at Facebook, and their stories enable us to understand how Facebook and our family of apps and services can help.

The event included discussion from experts on a wide range of topics — from issues of safety and technology to how tech is impacting our well-being, and how to keep the most vulnerable people safe when they go online. We also shared examples of how people on Facebook are building community and asked for feedback on how we can best build products for families.

Over the years we’ve learned that people watch out for each other on Facebook. It’s a place to share and connect with the people who matter to you. We’ve often developed products based on how people are already coming to Facebook for help.

Below are some highlights of what was covered.

Welcome

Joel Kaplan — VP, Global Policy, Facebook
Antigone Davis — Director, Global Head of Safety, Facebook

Safety and Technology: Opportunities and Challenges Around the World
Panel featuring ideas to help keep people safe around the world.

Cindy Southworth — National Network to End Domestic Violence
Hema Budaraju — Facebook
James Hairston — Oculus
Alex Holmes — Diana Award
Will Gardner — Childnet
Moderator: Karen Attiah — Global Opinions Editor, Washington Post

Fireside Chat – Connect in Meaningful Ways Online
Discussion about how the research team at Facebook works with our product teams to incorporate well-being principles, and review some of the top scientific research on well-being and social media.

David Ginsberg — Director of Research, Facebook
Moderator: Donna Leinwand-Leger — Managing Editor, USA Today

Building Better Products for Families
Presentation on how Facebook is working with parents and experts as it thinks about products for youth and how that work informed and influenced how we built Messenger Kids.

Gathering Insights from Families

Antigone Davis — Director, Global Head of Safety, Facebook
Dr. Sean Arthurs — National PTA

Messenger Kids: Building Better Products for Families

Tarunya Govindarajan — Product Manager, Messenger Kids

Teens and Technology: Changing the World
Panel featuring young leaders using technology to further their mission. This group will talk about a wide variety of topics, from how social media helps their work and how they manage the risks of technology, to resiliency, digital literacy, and youth rights.

Harnidh Kaur — Published Feminist Poet
Camryn Garett — Writer
Evelyn Atieno — Founder of @TheAffinityMag
Amika George — Founder of #FreePeriods
Tábata C. Amaral de Pontes — Founder of Mapa educação
Moderator: Taylor Trudon — Brand Marketing Manager, Reader Engagement— New York Times

Next Gen Safety Tech
Hear from a panel of online safety organizations and experts who are exploring cutting edge technology in the fight against child exploitation, trafficking, sextortion, the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and other abuses.

Fred Langford — Internet Watch Foundation
Julie Cordua — Thorn
Lindsey Olson — National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Danielle Citron — Cyber Civil Rights Initiative
Rachael Tucker — Counselor to the Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice

Keeping People Safe on Facebook: A Fireside Chat
Discussion about how Facebook approaches online safety, including the opportunities and challenges.

Guy Rosen — VP, Product Management, Facebook
Antigone Davis — Director, Global Head of Safety, Facebook
Moderator: Kim Hart — Axios

A Conversation: Young People, Technology and Well Being
This panel of child-development experts will share their perspectives on the most top-of-mind issue.

Dr. Megan Moreno — Director of Social Media Adolescent Health Research Team, University of Wisconsin
Dr. Kevin Clark — Director for Center for Digital Media and Diversity, George Mason University
Dr. Pam Hurst-Della Pietra — Founder and President, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Dr. Anja Dinhopl — Researcher, Facebook
David Kleeman — SVP, Global Trends, Dubit
Moderator: Dr. Michael Rich — Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health