Beverly Hills will host a free public forum on social media safety for children on Monday, Sept. 28, at City Hall.

The event runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Room 280A, according to Canyon News. Two speakers are scheduled: Erica Felsenthal, a Beverly Hills-based clinical neuropsychologist and board member of the Organization for Social Media Safety, and Marc Berkman, CEO of the same organization. Residents can also attend virtually at BeverlyHills.org/Live.

The forum grows out of the Beverly Hills City Council's September 2024 proclamation designating Sept. 4 as Social Media Safety Day. The city marked the date again on Sept. 4 this year, with its official social media account urging families to reassess digital safety practices and have open conversations with children about being online.

Berkman co-founded the Organization for Social Media Safety (OFSMS), a nonprofit focused on digital safety education. According to his congressional biography, the group has taught safety skills to hundreds of thousands of students, parents and educators. Berkman also helped guide advocacy efforts behind Jordan's Law, described as the nation's first law to deter social media-motivated violence.

OFSMS was founded in 2017 after co-founder Ed Peisner's teenage son, Jordan, was assaulted and the attack was recorded and shared on social media, where it went viral, according to the group's website.

Felsenthal, who holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and neuropsychology, has served as a Health and Safety Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills, according to her LinkedIn profile. She has been affiliated with OFSMS since July 2021.

During an August 2024 webinar on children and online safety, Berkman said the harms young people face on social media "are not theoretical … they are pervasive."

More details on the Sept. 28 forum are available at beverlyhills.org/socialmediasafety.