First Lady Melania Trump and Others on Cyberbullying - August 20, 2018

TRUMP: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SECRETARY AZAR, AND DOCTOR. GOOD MORNING. IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY. I AM HONORED TO OPEN THIS IMPORTANT SUMMIT ON CYBERBULLYING PREVENTION. I WANT TO START BY THANKING EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE TOPIC. I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE HERE REPRESENTING SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES, FEDERAL AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. I ALSO KNOW WE SHARE ONE GOAL, TO PAVE A SMOOTH WAY FORWARD FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR NEXT GENERATION. I LAUNCHED MY BE BEST CAMPAIGN IN MAY WITH A FOCUS ON THE MANY ISSUES FACING CHILDREN TODAY. ONE OF THEM BEING THE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. IN TODAY'S GLOBAL SOCIETY, SOCIAL MEDIA IS A PART OF OUR CHILDREN'S DAILY LIVES. IT CAN BE USED IN MANY POSITIVE WAYS, BUT CAN ALSO BE DESTRUCTIVE AND HARMFUL WHEN USED INCORRECTLY. THIS IS WHY BE BEST CHOOSES TO FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING OUR NEXT GENERATION HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES SAFELY AND IN A POSITIVE MANNER IN AN ONLINE SETTING. I'VE BEEN SO INSPIRED BY THE CHILDREN I HAVE MET IN MY TIME AS FIRST LADY, AND I BELIEVE OUR NEXT GENERATION HAS UNLIMITED POTENTIAL TO IMPACT WORLD IN POSITIVE WAYS. AS AN EXAMPLE, I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING SEVERAL BRIGHT STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF MICROSOFT'S COUNSEL FOR DIGITAL GOOD. IN ADDITION TO SHARING THE 15 BELIEFS OF HOW TO BE SAFE AND HEALTHY ONLINE, THEY SHOULD -- IT SHOWED TO ME INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS OF PRESENTING THE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ON WHAT RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR MEANS TO THEM. I WAS IMPRESSED BY THEIR DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE SAFE, AND WAS INSPIRED BY THEIR SINCERE COMMITMENT TO REDUCING PEER-TO-PEER BULLYING THROUGH KINDNESS AND OPEN COMMUNICATION. I ENCOURAGE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL-MEDIA COMPANIES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ESTABLISH MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN SUCH AS MICROSOFT'S COUNSEL FOR DIGITAL GOOD. BY LISTENING TO CHILDREN'S IDEAS AND CONCERNS, I BELIEVE ADULT S WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE OFTEN DIFFICULT TOPIC. LET'S FACE IT, MOST CHILDREN ARE MORE AWARE OF THE BENEFITS AND PITFALLS OF SOCIAL MEDIA THEN SOME ADULTS. BUT WE STILL NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION AND TOOLS FOR SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE ONLINE HABITS. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN GIVE THEM TO GROW UP HAPPY, HEALTHY, SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ADULTS. YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS TOPIC IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. I LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE FUTURE. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU.

Speech from https://www.c-span.org/video/?449967-3/lady-melania-trump-cyberbullying&start=395.