I could start by listing all my credentials, but I put them here instead because I’d rather start with this:
A personal note from me to you.
Hi, I’m Lisa.
You and I grew up with a lot less tech than our kids have now, so teaching our children how to navigate something that has no beginning and no end can feel impossible.
But I know what it’s like to live through a digital crisis in my home—maybe you do, too?
After going through one of the most difficult times in my family’s history, I knew I needed to help other families heal from, and even prevent, an online catastrophe.
I’m a mom to three teens who love technology.
Maybe you’re a parent too?
The Center for Online Safety was born out of a personal need to parent with “guard rails” online, once my kids started accessing the internet.
My parents didn’t have to figure this stuff out - but my generation and those younger than me need to. So much of our kids’ world is online, we’ve got to pay attention to what they’re seeing and doing out there.
Since founding the Center for Online Safety, I’ve worked with a family whose teenager put a hidden camera in their sister’s bedroom and broadcast her nakedness for the world to see.
I’ve supported a mother whose 14-year-old baby boy took his own life after being bullied online. That case is now in court because it had been reported to the school and the school administration did not do enough to help.
I’ve listened to countless mothers of teen girls cry rivers of tears for their daughters who measure their worth by the number of “likes” on their latest selfie.
And I’ve helped thousands of parents come back from the brink of disaster.
There is no greater joy and privilege than seeing parents and their children connect in new and creative ways—and recover from damage they thought would be permanent and never-ending.
I’ve also partnered with school boards and community centers across the nation to support them in helping children stay out of trouble online.
Together with folks like yourself, we work tirelessly toward protecting kids from the harms online - exposure to explicit content, from becoming victims of sexual exploitation and from being cyberbullied.
These things may not feel real to you because they happen in invisibly online—but you know the impacts because you watch the devastation, wipe the tears, and try to help manage the misbehavior that bubbles up as a result.
Whether you’re a parent, administrator, part of a community project, or a designer in the tech space, keeping kids safe is a responsibility we all share—and I’d love to be on that journey with you.
Lisa
About You
You’re here because you want to protect children from the imminent dangers of the internet and to teach them not just to stay safe, but to develop values and morals around tech usage.
You want young people to be self-aware, responsible humans who can choose to use technology as a tool-—not get used by it.
And while you know the internet is here to stay, I’m here to tell you that there is a way for everyone—you, me, parents, educators, and yes, even tech designers—to raise a generation of safe and responsible digital citizens.
The only question is:
Will you do it with us?
About Our Credentials
The Center for Online Safety is a national advocate for the online health and safety of children and teens. We spread awareness on using technology intentionally and responsibly.
Our podcast, Unplug and Plug In, applies positive parenting concepts to tech usage and interviews professionals from across the spectrum: from thought leaders and experts to school administrators and tech developers.
Our courses and trainings have helped thousands of families across America enjoy a more peaceful family life, confident that they are doing everything possible to keep their children safe online.
In addition to running the Center for Online Safety, Lisa Honold was co-chair of the Online Harms Prevention work group at the leading watchdog group against social media harms, Fairplay for three years and she’s designed and led NextGen Connect, a youth leadership and development program at Fairplay, for two years.
On a personal note, Lisa is a mother who deeply and personally understands the pain and harm that the internet and gaming use can have on children.
Lisa is trained in several types of positive parenting philosophies and methods and believes that family is the foundation of a healthy childhood. She lives near Seattle, WA, with her husband and three tech-loving teens.
“If you are looking for sanity when it comes to handling your kids’ online life, Lisa is the gal for you! Her totally practical advice and suggestions will take your anxiety about their online safety from a 10 to a 4.
It’s never going to go away entirely and with Lisa’s support you can take direct action that will make your kids safer and you saner.”
Amy Lang, Birds + Bees + Kids
About Our Vision, Mission & Values
We believe children and teens deserve to be safe online. Free from the pressure to be perfect. Free from advertisers collecting information about them. Protected from child predators and other dangers.
➔ Our Vision
Our vision is that all children are responsible digital citizens: aware of their emotions and behavior; able to keep themselves and others safe.
Our vision is for parents to understand how they can help kids navigate complicated situations online and for schools and community groups to be proactive and responsible about online safety.
And finally, our vision is that tech companies responsibly develop games, apps, and social media platforms with whole person health in mind (mental, emotional, physical, financial, spiritual).
➔ Our Mission
We believe that children deserve to be safe online. We support this mission by teaching adults how to guide children toward healthy and intentional relationships with technology, while strengthening offline relationships with family and friends.
The Center for Online Safety is the place for adults who want to give children access to the best parts of the internet while also protecting them from predators, bullying, exploitation and themselves. We are fierce advocates for adults who are not IT experts, and who are overwhelmed by the exploitative nature of many online platforms that target tween and teenagers as users.
We work with aligned institutions to create legislation that saves lives, educate parents on protecting kids and advocate for online safety design from technology companies. Safety for kids should be the default and we will not stop until we have guard rails in place so kids don’t lose their way or get hurt.
We are thought-leaders in online safety and are pioneering what it means to raise a child who has a strong internal compass to guide their online actions.
What this looks like is educating parents, caregivers, teachers, school administrators, and community groups, to help kids identify, address and responsibly manage their online use.
➔ Our Values
Acceptance. We don’t point fingers and we don’t play the blame game. We know mistakes happen online and bad stuff is everywhere. It doesn’t matter how you got here. You’re here to learn how to do better and that’s what matters. As Maya Angelou said, “When you know better, you do better.”
Empathy. Going through a digital crisis, like when a child is bullying or has been involved in sexually explicit activity, requires care and tact. We treat our clients with kindness, compassion, and respect—regardless of circumstance. Confidentiality is paramount to our success.
Understanding. We remember what it’s like to be a kid: A yearning for connection, a willingness to explore, and having insatiable curiosity. And although we will never forget the horrors kids have lived through—and died from—online, we use this pain as fuel for our mission.
Follow Through. We take pride in our mission from start to finish. We are relentless advocates for making the world a safer place for children.
Humor. Keeping kids safe online can feel heavy and downright overwhelming. We also know the power of laughter and use it to assist in the learning and processing of “heavy” topics. Our humor is careful, intentional, and is always intended to help build a bridge.
About Working Together
There are a number of ways that we can work together—whether you have children in your home, are concerned about a child, are a responsible person in the tech industry, or work with children. Our programs and support are available to help you help them.
“Lisa always talks about "being the guard rails" for kids on the internet. I'm proud to say I'm learning how to be the guard rails and set limits on my kids' phone time.”
Our partnerships & relationships include
