When people ask me why I started Heat Initiative, I usually tell them a watered-down version of the truth. Something like, “I worked to combat online child sexual abuse for years and felt we reached the limits of voluntary action from tech.”
But the full truth is, I’m fed up. Children face harm online at tremendous scale. Survivors work tirelessly for justice that seems out of reach. All the while well-resourced (really the best resourced) tech companies look the other way.
That’s not just unacceptable to me, it’s outrageous. It violates the very basic expectations of child safety we’ve come to expect in “real” life.
That’s why Heat Initiative exists.
At Heat, we are done watching child safety be deprioritized when Big Tech decides it’s in the way of profit. We are incensed. We are no longer interested in buttoned-up advocacy.
We are here to apply strategic pressure. We translate outrage into action. And we do it with the urgency, precision, and fierce sense of purpose kids deserve.
But don’t mistake our boldness for recklessness. What we’re building is not a singular campaign or protest movement — it’s a vision of a new accountability ecosystem. We use smart corporate accountability strategies, things like impact litigation, direct action, and strategic communications, to push the most powerful companies on earth to do what they have long been fully capable of. We give investors and regulators the tools they need to demand more. We partner with survivors, technologists, lawyers, youth advocates, and parents.
Sometimes, we may have to make people a little uncomfortable. That’s the point.
If this feels like common sense to you, you’re in the majority. Most people think protecting kids online should be the baseline, not the battle. And yet, here we are, fighting tooth and nail to get companies to remove known child sexual abuse material, fix broken (or non-existent) systems, and treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
We may be up against corporate giants, but our team shows up every day knowing that this is a winnable fight. Why? Because we are anchored in what we know is right, and we are very aware that we’re not alone.
We’re also not doing something that’s never been done before. We’ve learned from the activists who led movements before ours. We’ve seen throughout history what happens when people get organized and loud.
To every partner, parent, and survivor who’s joined us already: thank you. You’ve helped us build momentum… and fast. You are the reason we’ve come this far.
And to those just learning about Heat: there’s a place for you here. Whether you donate, advocate, or just talk about our mission with someone new, you’re helping build a better world for kids.
Let’s keep turning up the heat.
With resolve,
Sarah Gardner
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Heat Initiative
Heat Initiative exists because the world’s most valuable and powerful tech companies have failed to protect kids from online child sexual exploitation.
Join us.
