Marc Berkman serves as the CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety (OFSMS) where he has grown OFSMS into a prominent national consumer protection organization that has taught social media safety skills to thousands of students, parents, and educators across the country and developed essential social media safety legislation like Jordan's Law, the nation's first law to deter social media-motivated violence.
Previously, Marc served for over a decade as a senior advisor to members of Congress and the California State Assembly. During his time as a legislative aide, he developed and helped pass into law numerous legislative initiatives to protect vulnerable children and families.
Marc received his JD from Columbia Law School and his BA from UC Berkeley. He lives with his wife and two children in Los Angeles, CA.
Ed Peisner after a long career in business founded the Organization for Social Media Safety in 2016 after his teenage son Jordan was viciously assaulted in West Hills, CA. The attack was filmed and uploaded to social media by an associate of the attacker. The video went viral, viewed by millions, and Jordan was left with serious and life-long injuries from the assault. Ed decided to dedicate himself to the goal of ensuring that no other family had to endure such a terrible ordeal.
Now, Ed travels the country as the National Education Director for the Organization for Social Media Safety teaching thousands of students, parents, and educators how to stay safe on social media.
Social Media Safety - Ed Piesner and Marc Berkman
Ed tells a horrifying story about getting a call that his son "was punched"; he didn't think much of it until he arrived to see a crowd, police cars and an ambulance; Jordan was punched so hard he had a brain bleed and nearly diedThe reason why Jordan was punched is even more horrifying; he was punched on video and the video was immediately uploaded to social media for likes and hits; it also made the evening newsAfter Jordan was out of the hospital and still recovering; Ed called his Assembly person to see what could be done about this attack; Marc was the chief of staff for the Assembly person and had seen the video before he took the callPre-pandemic Ed was talking to kids in schools about the dangers of social media and how to make a plan to stay safe; you really need a checklist; they made oneThe countermeasures include software tools; like bark an app for a phone, settings on Android or Apple phone and also education and knowing abut the dangers are and what to do about themCyber-bullying is the most common danger for kids; about 40% of kids 6th grade and up have been victims and about 80-90% of kids have witnessed cyber-bullingHuman trafficking while less common has much more severe outcome for the victims physical, emotional, and psychological well being
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