Speakers: Amanda Goharian, Senior Research Manager and Brooke Istook, VP Youth & Communities from Thorn

This webinar will present research Thorn conducted in 2021 that explored kids’ online connections, including who they are connecting with, why they connect, and how risks of online grooming surface amid their everyday digital interactions. The webinar will include an examination of the demographic and technology correlates of online grooming risk among a nationally representative sample of 1,200 youth between the ages of 9 and 17 recruited in the United States through a marketing research panel. The session will include an exploration of youth attitudes and experiences with friendships and flirting online, how they respond to threats of manipulation, grooming, and abuse online, and recommendations for enhancing child safety in digital spaces.