As the public has rushed online to connect and build communities over the last twenty plus years of the digital age, so have young people. One such group has been lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, who have sought refuge on the internet to explore their identities and come out. The internet has helped them access information about sexual orientation and gender identity, connect with other young people at various stages in the process of developing their own identities, and maintain a certain degree of anonymity when starting the process of coming out online. 

At the same time, we are seeing U.S. state legislatures considering hundreds of bills detrimental to LGBTQ individuals. In 2023, a record number of 510 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced. 

In many of these same states with anti-LGBTQ legislation, we are also seeing increased online surveillance and content filtering that can put LGBTQ students at risk of being outed and restrict access to LGBTQ information.

This Pride Month, join New America’s Open Technology Institute for a virtual panel on how the emerging tech policy landscape impacts the experiences of LGBTQ youth online, the challenges LGBTQ youth face in the context of this landscape, and the emerging legislative and technological approaches to keeping LGBTQ kids safe online.

Keynote Address: 

Evan Greer, Director, Fight for the Future

Moderator:
Christopher Kane, White House Correspondent, Washington Blade

Fireside Chat Guest:
Jasmine Heyward, Communications and Research Associate, New America's Better Life Lab

Panelists:

Shae Gardner, Policy Director, LGBT Tech

Elizabeth Laird, Director, Equity in Civic Technology, Center for Democracy & Technology

Jess Miers, Senior Counsel, Chamber of Progress