SCREEN Hate campaign offers tools, knowledge, and comprehensive resources for parents and concerned adults to better guide teens and young adults who encounter hateful and violent ideologies online.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University today announced the launch of its new SCREEN Hate initiative, a nationwide campaign aimed at caregivers and concerned adults looking for ways to keep youth safe from online messages that could incite hate-based violence. Supported by the Department of Homeland Security’s Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program, SCREEN Hate provides a hub for education, conversation guides, and a first-of-its-kind directory of comprehensive violence prevention resources.
“As screen time soars among teens and young adults, so does their exposure to hateful activity. Today’s world revolves around online connection, and our teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to content from violent extremists that is designed to look like harmless internet activity on messaging apps, social networking and gaming sites, and video sharing platforms,” said Senior Director of the McCain Institute’s Preventing Targeted Violence Program Brette Steele. “Too frequently, we are seeing the horrific consequences of online rhetoric pushing people to dangerous extremes. SCREEN Hate provides adults with vital tools to help youth identify dangerous content online and to seek help for them when necessary.”
“A primary goal of the SCREEN Hate campaign is to make this critical conversation less scary and daunting for concerned adults. We hope to create an open and safe dialogue for parents, teachers, caregivers, and the young people they care for. We have all seen the urgent need for a resource like this, and I’m proud of our experts at the McCain Institute who created a tool that has the potential to save lives,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas.
Targeted violence and hate crimes, sometimes referred to as domestic terrorism, are among the most persistent and lethal threats to the United States. Acts of hate-based violence have become such a national issue that the White House is hosting the “United We Stand Summit” on September 15 to counter their destructive effects on our democracy. SCREEN Hate is one of many efforts nationwide that aim to address hate and increase public safety in communities across the United States.
SCREEN Hate seeks to increase the online safety of teens and young adults through the following steps:
Start a conversation with teens and young adults in your life.
Create an environment where they feel comfortable sharing.
Remind them that hate-based violence is wrong.
Engage when they talk about games, videos or social media.
Enlist the help of a professional if you think your child is at risk.
Never ignore a threat of violence.
To learn more, visit www.screenhate.org
About the McCain Institute’s Preventing Targeted Violence Program
The McCain Institute’s Preventing Targeted Violence Program empowers communities to stand up to hate-based violence and prevents targeted violence through fostering innovative solutions, connecting practitioners and facilitating knowledge sharing. Led by Senior Director Brette Steele, the program consists of student innovation challenges, creation of a prevention practitioners’ network, the SCREEN Hate campaign, and more. Prior to joining the McCain Institute, Steele served as the Regional Director of Strategic Engagement for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Terrorism Prevention Partnerships. Steele also established and served as Deputy Director of the U.S. Countering Violent Extremism Task Force, which coordinated all federal efforts to prevent violent extremism in the United States.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
Inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s legacy, the McCain Institute at Arizona State University is non-partisan and fights to secure democracy and alliances, defend human rights, protect the vulnerable and advance character-driven leadership in all communities around the world.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
