Nearly a year and a half after first mentioning it, Melania Trump is set to host her first public event on cyberbullying on Tuesday.
The meeting will be attended by Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Snap, and Google, among others. The first lady plans to ask the companies what they are doing to combat cyberbullying, but there is no apparent plan to unveil new policies or programs. Instead, as she did in her speech at the UN and elsewhere, Trump appears set to encourage kindness on the Internet.
The first lady has had a rocky start on her stated focus area, not only because there seems to have been little activity, but also because her husband, as a candidate and as president has been one of the most prominent cyberbullies, leading some to point out the irony of her choice of issue. Nevertheless, in January she hired a Director of Policy and other aides, a sign of renewed focus from her office, and possibly an indication that policy proposals are in the pipeline.
Though the juxtaposition of the President’s Twitter account and his wife’s calls for online civility is stark, her motivation for pursuing this issue is apparently based on her care for children rather than the harassment received by adults, or the spread of false information.
Amazon told Coins2Day that Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy, will attend on behalf of the company. Snap also confirmed that a representative would be attending.
Spokespeople for other companies reportedly attending and Trump’s office did not immediately respond to Coins2Day‘s request for comment.
“Internet Association and our members thank First Lady Melania Trump for facilitating this important discussion, said Michael Beckerman, president and CEO of the Internet Association. “The internet industry shares Mrs. Trump’s commitment to fostering a safe and positive experience online for young people. Internet companies take this responsibility seriously and care deeply about the safety and well-being of their youngest users. Today’s discussion offered our industry the opportunity to highlight investments in policies, controls, resources, partnerships, and programs that help promote a positive and safe online experience for people of all ages.”