The Sustainable Media Center (SMC) is a nonprofit committed to building digital media ecosystem for GenZ and beyond that doesn’t profit from toxic content. We bring together an intergenerational board of over 180+ including researchers, technologists, young leaders, and industry experts to develop and advocate for systems-level solutions that make media more ethical, transparent, and people-centered. Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Center implements a three-pronged strategy: mobilizing youth innovators alongside industry veterans, testing new platform structures that prioritize wellbeing, and scaling successful innovations to reshape industry standards. Through partnerships with youth-led advocacy groups and platform decision-makers, the Center aims to revolutionize how social media companies engage with young users, transforming these platforms from sources of harm into forces for connection and creativity.
The Sustainable Media Center was founded in 2022 by a diverse group of media leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, and youth advocates who saw the growing toll of broken digital systems—especially on young people. Among the early founders were media entrepreneur Steven Rosenbaum; tech investor and legal advisor Dan DeWolf of Mintz; Dawn Barber, co-founder of the New York Tech Meetup; author and investor Esther Dyson; and education innovator Ann Kirschner, former interim president of Hunter College. They were soon joined by allies like media strategist Ava Seave of Columbia University, political strategist and venture investor Bradley Tusk, and rising youth leader Avalon Fenster, a Gen Z creator and activist.
Together, they shared a common concern: that the platforms, algorithms, and business models driving today’s media landscape were fueling mental health crises, misinformation, social division, and exploitation of user data—particularly among the next generation.
The Center was created to push back—to imagine and build a new digital future grounded in ethical design, accountability, and public interest. Today, the Sustainable Media Center supports a growing network of researchers, youth leaders, technologists, and movement builders who are working together to rethink how media serves democracy, identity, and human connection.
At the Sustainable Media Center, sustainability in media means creating digital and media systems that are safe, ethical, and built to support human well-being in the long run. Just like environmental sustainability protects our planet, media sustainability protects our minds, young people, communities, and democracy.
No—we’re not anti-social media. We’re pro-people, pro-safety, and pro-accountability. At the Sustainable Media Center, we believe social media can be a powerful force for connection, creativity, and community—but only if it’s designed with care and responsibility. We’re not calling for platforms to disappear—we’re calling for them to do better. That means eliminating harmful design choices, ending exploitative data practices, and prioritizing mental health and truth over clicks and profits. We’re not here to tear social media down—we’re here to help build it back better.
The Sustainable Media Center stands out from other digital advocacy organizations through its intergenerational, systems-focused, and solutions-driven approach. Unlike groups that focus solely on raising awareness or passing policy, SMC actively develops tools and standards—like the Safe Social Media Certification—to drive meaningful industry reform. We center Gen Z as co-designers of change, empowering young people through initiatives like our NextGen Board and ACTIV8.Media campaign. Grounded in lived experience and backed by evidence, SMC doesn’t just critique harmful media systems—we build better ones.
The Sustainable Media Center is meaningfully intergenerational because we don’t just bring different age groups into the room as token voices—we give them real power in shaping solutions. Our leadership includes veteran media experts, researchers, and funders working alongside Gen Z activists and creators who bring lived experience and fresh perspectives. Through programs like the NextGen Board and campaigns like ACTIV8.Media, young people are not only included—they’re co-designers of the Center’s strategy, research, and advocacy. This model ensures that our work reflects both the wisdom of experience and the urgency of youth.
The Sustainable Media Center has made a significant impact in the tech advocacy space by bridging research, advocacy, and youth leadership to drive meaningful media reform. SMC has amassed over 180 board members from across academia, industry, and most importantly– generations. Through initiatives like our ACTIV8.Media campaign and the NextGen Board, we’ve elevated youth voices in national conversations about platform accountability.
There are many ways to get involved with the Sustainable Media Center, depending on your background and interests. We welcome collaboration with organizations, research labs, and companies aligned with our mission, and regularly co-host events, panels, and workshops focused on digital well-being, media policy, and ethical design. You can engage with us directly by reaching out at info@sustainablemedia.center, or by connecting through our partner organizations working across youth advocacy, tech accountability, and mental health. Whether you’re an advocate, researcher, funder, or concerned citizen, there’s a role for you in building a safer, more sustainable digital future.
If you’re interested in partnering with the Sustainable Media Center, the best next step is to reach out directly through our website’s contact form or by emailing our team at info@sustainablemedia.center. Let us know who you are, what your work focuses on, and how you see a potential collaboration aligning with our mission. Whether you’re in policy, research, technology, philanthropy, or youth advocacy, we’re always excited to build partnerships that advance a healthier, more ethical media ecosystem.
