How Jen Kao and Adam Leibsohn found their path to protecting children with Thorn

Behind each member of Thorn’s group of donors lies a novel human story. For Jen Kao and Adam Leibsohn, their path to becoming a member of our mission wasn’t nearly assist—it was the place human rights advocacy collided with cutting-edge expertise experience. 

Thorn’s CEO, Julie Cordua, not too long ago sat down with these inspiring Thorn Defenders to speak about their philanthropic journey, what drew them to Thorn, and why they imagine in leveraging expertise for good.

When various views converge

Jen, who ran a ladies’s put on label for over a decade, has been keen about elementary human rights since childhood. Adam, co-founder of Giphy, a search engine for animated GIFs, brings his intensive expertise background to their philanthropic efforts. Their complementary views create a well-rounded method to addressing advanced points like little one sexual abuse and exploitation.

“This was a pivotal second for us as a result of I’m fully analog,” Jen shared throughout her dialog with Thorn CEO Julie Cordua. “I’d spent years browbeating Adam over the evils of expertise and never understanding why he wasn’t doing one thing totally different. After which once we got here throughout Thorn, I used to be like, okay, you have been proper. There are good issues that may be accomplished with tech.”

Mobilizing a group to reply

Jen and Adam’s’ assist for Thorn started in a novel manner—via their wedding ceremony and their supportive group. As a substitute of conventional items, they requested visitors to donate to organizations they have been keen about, together with Thorn.

“I feel that was probably the most gratifying second  in that journey up to now,” Jen shared. “So many individuals selected your charity to present to. And that was touching. I’m like, okay, possibly individuals are extra prepared to speak about it.”

What’s been significantly rewarding is seeing how this preliminary introduction has sparked ongoing curiosity. This displays the rising momentum we’ve skilled surrounding our mission, as extra individuals are taking duty for shielding youngsters. This consists of dad and mom participating in troublesome conversations about digital security, on-line platforms actively detecting little one sexual abuse materials and exploitation on a big scale, and policymakers drafting laws to safeguard youngsters.

Expertise as each downside and resolution

Adam’s perspective on expertise has developed considerably through the years. What as soon as appeared like thrilling, novel experiments within the early days of social media has change into a extra everlasting a part of our tradition and society, typically with unintended penalties that affect susceptible teams like youngsters. 



“Coming throughout Thorn was the fitting factor as a result of that is highly effective expertise getting used for good to attempt to flip the large cruise ship… it’s exhausting to do to show one thing that massive,” mentioned Adam.

His evolution in understanding expertise as each part of the issue and the answer aligns with Thorn’s mission and concept of change. As Julie Cordua famous throughout their dialog, “Once we began 10 years in the past, we mentioned we’re going to work on the intersection of kid sexual abuse and expertise. And again then folks have been like, wait, what? However what’s there? And we have been simply beginning to see this. And now it impacts everybody with an web connection and all your youngsters.”

The ability of tech that protects

Adam was significantly drawn to Thorn’s modern use of expertise and the sophistication of its options.

“We shouldn’t simply be build up these massive business engines. We must also be alongside them build up issues that hold folks secure on-line. And if we don’t assist that, it atrophies after which issues are going to actually get unusual.” – Adam Leibsohn



This sentiment displays the core of Thorn’s method to expertise: constructing a digital security internet that transforms how youngsters are shielded from little one sexual abuse and exploitation. 

Why assist Thorn?

For these contemplating supporting Thorn, Adam’s recommendation is easy: “Properly, first off, do it. Don’t hesitate.”

“In a world that’s more and more reliant on expertise, whether or not it’s synthetic intelligence, social media, or numerous quantities of machine studying… Having safeguards in that world is essential. If we don’t have safeguards in that world, it is going to more and more change into a really darkish place,” mentioned Adam.



He compares in the present day’s digital panorama to cultural adjustments many have skilled in our bodily communities: “It was once like I may go experience my bike in my neighborhood on my own and my dad and mom would go away me alone and I used to be 10 years outdated and nothing would occur. In the present day, that may by no means occur. That’s about the place we’re going with the web.  You may’t let anyone go on there with out supervision. If there are safeguards and there are secure issues constructed to guard folks on-line, that helps. And it’s paramount.”

“In the event you’re placing cash to work, then that is the place you must put it. In the event you’re actually impact-focused… as a result of Thorn is so primarily based in expertise, they’ve an exquisite methodology of reporting… they will present you precisely how they’re transferring the needle and they’re transferring it in important methods as a result of expertise compounds,” mentioned Adam.

Creating Accountability in Expertise

Jen concluded their dialog with an necessary statement concerning the duty that comes with technological innovation:

“There are specific instruments that we’ve created that we aren’t accountable sufficient to deal with. Kudos to Thorn for serving to create some duty, taking the duty as a result of different individuals are not. And we want extra,”mentioned Jen.

Jen and Adam characterize the intersection of human rights advocacy and technological experience—precisely the mix wanted to deal with the advanced situation of kid sexual exploitation within the digital age. Their story reminds us that when totally different views come along with a shared goal, highly effective change can occur.

To be taught extra about how one can be a part of our donor group and assist this mission, go to thorn.org/donate.