Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Homeland Security honored ‘Safer Internet Day’, a worldwide event held every February that is aimed at promoting the safe and positive use of digital technology for all users.
Established as a European Union initiative back in 2004, Safer Internet Day has begun to find its message penetrating the infrastructure of organizations across the world, particularly in the United States.
A major advocate of promoting healthy online behavior is the world’s largest international anti-cyberbullying non-profit, The Cybersmile Foundation, based in the U.K. Its U.S. operations are based in Palo Alto, California, led by CEO Scott Freeman and Head of Engagement, Iain Alexander.
The multi-award-winning anti-cyberbullying non-profit provides 24/7 support for victims of cyberbullying and online hate crimes—delivering advice and educational programs to those affected and their families.
Just a few weeks back, Cybersmile recently announced its U.S. partnership with live journalism publisher, Grit Daily to help Cybersmile promote its mission for a “truly inclusive internet for everybody,” as it shared excitingly on its website.
Hailing from the streets of New York and reaching over 5.2 million internet users each year, Grit Daily’s contributions to the media and journalism space has helped birth over 500,000 unique viewers per month, yielding an audience of 62% women, high-income spread throughout every major city in the U.S., including, but not limited to New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Park City, and Austin.
Grit Daily embodies and covers the change of our times, bridging the gap between women and technology. Dominated by brands, it covers how brands make and shape the international landscape, making every effort to influence the decisions which help shape the world around us.
But the outlet can’t do it alone, which is why powerhouse names like former Arts & Entertainment Editor at The New York Observer, Drew Grant and Entrepreneur Magazine’s former contributions editor, Peter Page have helped to continue developing, expanding, and shaping Grit Daily’s venerable crew, which includes names from ABC, CBS, CNN, Fast Company, Forbes, FOX News Channel, PopSugar, SF Chronicle, Verge, Vice, VentureBeat, and Vox.
Since Grit’s inception, the fight for equality and empowering women-in-tech has never ended. With Editors-At-Large Yelena Mandenberg, Olivia Smith (PopSugar), Jennifer Matthews (CNN), Julia Sachs (Hollywood Insider), Sarah Kocur (EDM.com), Tina Mulqueen (Digital Trends), and Stewart Rogers (VentureBeat) sailing Grit across unchartered waters, Grit Daily is able to continuously penetrate diversity on a mass-scale.
Its founders, Jordan French and Andrew Rossow, both attorneys, have continued to address the importance of bringing the power of women in technology to the public light, along with educating other media outlets on what it means to be “healthy online.”
“The fight for equality must be constant,” French told Innovation & Tech in an interview, “and you have to be all in, all the time. You can’t fight for equality on Monday but forget about the struggle come Friday. It’s going to take a lot of GRIT to put an end to inequality.”
As for Cybersmile’s thoughts, Alexander emphasized the organization’s excitement in Grit Daily bringing “a new perspective to an engaged and influential audience eager to learn more about technological developments and the latest educational initiatives.”
“Working alongside Grit Daily, Cybersmile will be able to inform audiences across the U.S. and internationally about our scalable and sustainable solutions to various online harms.”
Rossow believes that injecting ethical journalism and media into the 2020 era can help dilute the dangerous effect of today’s newest digital weapon: the internet and social media.
Grit Daily’s most recent event took place earlier this week at Microsoft Reactor in Times Square at the ‘Zero Waste Summit’. The Summit explored why the U.S. produces over 250 million tons of trash per year, and the scary psychology behind our everyday consumables. The event was moderated by Brendan Sullivan, a contributor to Esquire Magazine and an old friend and former DJ to Lady Gaga.
You can definitely expect Grit Daily to be running around Austin in a few weeks for SXSW for its Grit Daily House, which teamed up with tech news juggernaut Digital Trends to dive into all thins good, tech, culture, film, and music.
