March 5, 2024

See How We're Working to make the Internet Safer for Children and Families!

Special Announcement:

Donna's 2-part media interview, titled "Enough Is Enough^®: Making the Internet Safer" on Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, will be re-airing on Tuesday, March 5, and Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

The programs can be heard through multiple media outlets, including the Family Talk App, popular podcast platforms, or a terrestrial station. A list of radio stations that air Family Talk can be found here.

Dr. James Dobson, host of "Family Talk".

Enough Is Enough^® (EIE) is maximizing its public education and advocacy efforts to protect children and families on the internet. Here are just a few of EIE's recent highlights!

Public Awareness & Education

"Protecting Kids Online Town Hall" in Partnership with the Office of the Virginia Attorney General

(February 27, 2024)

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, along with members of law enforcement and members of the community came together to discuss key dangers faced by children online and preventative steps that can be taken to protect children. EIE's Donna Rice Hughes moderated the event that was held in Richmond, VA, and shared EIE's strategic programs, initiatives and resources with members of the audience.

Panel members included a parent, Peter Ryan (left), VA AG Jason Miyares, and S.A. Courtney Goode. Not pictured, Agent Jeff Norman

EIE's VP Jack Hughes interacted with attendees

EIE President Donna Rice Hughes moderated the event

EIE's Dir. of Communications Kathy Hatem, VA AG Miyares, Donna and Jack Hughes

KIRO-7 News Seattle

(February 1, 2024)

Mount Vernon teen missing for weeks found in Michigan with 30-year-old man - Donna talks to KIRO-7 news in Seattle after a 14-year-old teen was found 2,000 miles away from home with a man she reportedly met on the video chat app Omegle. Watch here.

UPDATE: Omegle announced in Nov. 2023 that it was shutting down after 14 years.

America's Hope

(January 31, 2024)

"Fight for Child Safety" - Donna joined Kelly Wright on the nationally televised program America's Hope to discuss the importance of the January 31 Senate Judiciary Hearing and offer staggering statistics regarding online child exploitation.

"Protecting Children in the Ever-Evolving Digital World"

Dr. Jill Manning joined EIE's Donna Rice Hughes in a webinar to discuss health impacts of social media, the harms of internet pornography on the adolescent brain, gaming addiction and disorders (reality vs. fantasy) and how children are vulnerable to internet predators.

Watch the webinar here.

Communications Campaign Themes

February highlights included Safer Internet Day and a special focus on Random Posts of Kindness conveying the creation of an online culture of kindness and dignity to counter cyberbullying.

"Random Posts of Kindness"

"Sweet Tweets" (Valentine's Day)

Safer Internet Day

Treat Big Tech like Big Tobacco!

EIE continued to feature its media campaign “REIN IN BIG TECH”, calling on Congress to hold Big Tech companies responsible and accountable for prioritizing kids’ online safety and privacy and to “TREAT BIG TECH LIKE BIG TOBACCO” in response to the Surgeon General’s advisory that social media is harming children’s health.

The campaign was shared in various public and private meetings with elected officials and during media interviews.

ADVOCATING FOR GREATER CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

For years, EIE has been asking the Department of Justice to hold Pornhub accountable through petition campaigns (19.3K signors), policy meetings and media campaigns for violating U.S. laws of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), Trafficking & Obscenity. To date, we have seen the dismantling of Pornhub through layoffs & resignations of top executives at former parent company MindGeek and through key corporations pulling away.

In February, a Wired Magazine article, "Pornhub Chatbot Stopped Millions from Searching Child Abuse Videos," shared that Pornhub has been deploying a warning message blocking searches for CSAM, stating the content is illegal. A chatbot also points people to where they can seek help.

This is part of a trial program conducted with two UK-based child protection organizations: Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a nonprofit which removes CSAM from the web, and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity focused on preventing child sexual abuse.

Despite these trial efforts, Aylo (current parent company) continues to downplay and deny its role in the epidemic of online child exploitation and abuse. The untold damage their multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise has on the lives of youth, adults, families and the culture is abhorrent. DOJ has yet to prosecute Pornhub for the violations of CSAM and obscenity.

UPDATE: Big Day this Wednesday on the Hill! Senator Graham (R-SC) plans to make a live unanimous consent request on a package of child protection bills to include the EARN It Act! This is a moment for less talk and more action -- and to get the attention back on the legislation in the Senate! Be sure to follow us on "X" @EIETweets and on Facebook @EnoughIsEnough101 for hearing links Wednesday so you can watch live!

Advancing Public Policy

"Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis"

January 31, 2024 - EIE was present for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing calling on the CEOs of Meta, X (formerly Twitter), Snap, Discord, and TikTok to testify regarding their platforms' failures to protect children and teens from online abuse and exploitation.

It was evident from the hearing, as well as decades of industry's failure to self-regulate, that legislation is needed!

#ReinInBigTech

Pictured: Donna Rice Hughes and Kathy Hatem following the Senate Hearing

Gallery visitors during the meeting wearing "I'm worth more than $270" shirts. Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn confronted Zuckerberg on internal Meta documents suggesting that the company estimates the lifetime value of a teen user at $270.

Kids Online Safety Act

EIE continued advocacy efforts calling on Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, (R-TN), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), without delay. This bipartisan child protection bill, which has 62 co-sponsors, will create accountability for the multi-billion-dollar technology platforms by establishing a “duty of care” to keep children safe online and put safety over corporate profits. The measure would also provide parents with the tools, safeguards and transparency they need to protect their children from online harm.

See EIE Press Statement

See END OSEAC Coalition Press Statement (EIE is Coalition Member)

UPDATE: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced his support of the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill with strong bipartisan support that would regulate how social media platforms operate for young users. His support inches the bill closer to passing.

South Carolina Statewide Initiative

Donna and Jack Hughes had an opportunity to share about EIE's "Protect Kids Online" initiative to prioritize the prevention of online exploitation of youth with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and the Lt. Governor Pamela Evette.

The initiative will include a series of town hall events, marketing and advertising campaigns aimed at protecting kids online, as well as the distribution of EIE's Internet Safety 101^® Academy.

Engaging the Faith Community

Engaging the Faith Community to Protect Children Online

Donna met with Father Hans Zollner, a member of the Vatican's Commission for the Protection of Minors, to discuss the role of the Catholic church in preventing and combatting child sexual abuse.

Donna also joined members of Congress, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and former Rep. Michele Bachmann, along with international government officials and faith-based leaders at the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance on Jan. 31, in Washington, D.C.