The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) believe that the threat of targeted violence in schools will remain as more children return to school full time. Co-hosted with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) School Safety Task Force and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology (OET), the goal of this Digital Forum was to engage with the education sector, school safety stakeholders, civil society, and technology companies to amplify programs and platforms that help reduce risk factors to the radicalization to violence, ensure broad awareness of the threat of targeted violence and terrorism, and share innovative solutions for prevention. Attendees learned about a public health-informed strategy for prevention, multidisciplinary approaches to student and educator well-being, and solutions that support prevention, including how to improve digital literacy and critical thinking skills and cybersecurity resources to build resilience.
Understanding Online Behavioral Trends and Risks
Day 1, Welcome & Workshop 1
This workshop with Safer Schools Together (SST) provides an overview of the digital threat landscape examining Digital Behavioral Baselines monitored before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the importance of the early identification of worrisome digital media content generated from school communities and the use of Digital Threat Assessment® (DTA) to proactively respond to concerning behaviors and trends observed across social media platforms.
Online Safety
Day 1, Panel 1
This panel discusses the risks of harm in the digital space and related trends, including privacy and security risks, cyberbullying, digital drama, and hate speech, and innovative solutions to promote positive, supportive communities that can respond to online hate and violence.
Improving Digital Literacy and Critical Thinking Skills
Day 1, Panel 2
Domestic terrorist actors, such as racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists and anti-government violent extremists, use the online environment to normalize violent hate speech and encourage individuals to support or commit acts of violence, as well as use misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information (MDM). This panel discusses ways schools and educators are building resilience against the consumption and spread of false narratives through digital literacy and critical thinking.
Invent2Prevent
Day 2, Panel 1
This panel explores the innovative methods student groups from the Invent2Prevent program, a program funded by CP3 and implemented by the McCain Institute and EdVenture Partners, have come up with to develop dynamic products, tools, and initiatives to prevent targeted violence and terrorism.
Cybersecurity in Building Resilience
Day 2, Panel 2
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leads the Nation’s strategic and unified work to strengthen the security and resilience to protect services and digital ecosystems. This panel discusses the ways CISA, the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology (OET), the private sector, and civil society are working together to prioritize cybersecurity and technology systems for K–12 schools.
The Missing Link for School Safety Threat Assessment Teams
Day 2, Workshop 1
In this workshop, Safer Schools Together discusses the Digital Behavioral Baselines through a school safety threat assessment lens, understanding trauma-informed responses, and developing and employing timely interventions to respond to threats of cyberbullying, targeted violence, and hate crimes.