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Safety network
New campaign raises awareness of online security
Anything you post online, anyone can see. Forever.
A public service announcement recently launched by the Ad Council, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children gives that warning to children and teenagers who spend time online.
A study by Cox Communications, an Atlanta-based cable and Internet provider, shows that one in seven children receive a sexual solicitation online, and 70 percent of those who received a solicitation were girls.
By Jess Buskirk
Anything you post online, anyone can see. Forever.
A public service announcement recently launched by the Ad Council, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children gives that warning to children and teenagers who spend time online.
A study by Cox Communications, an Atlanta-based cable and Internet provider, shows that one in seven children receive a sexual solicitation online, and 70 percent of those who received a solicitation were girls.
Because victims are usually girls, local law enforcement is emphasizing to boys they are vulnerable, too.
"I tend to address the fact that it's not only girls," said Sharon Zelle, who, as the Douglas County Sheriff's Office school liaison, has been teaching Internet safety classes for five years. "Girls are more likely [to be victimized], but boys are still at risk as well. A lot of times boys hear it's only girls."
The Douglas County School District will soon require Internet safety as part of its curriculum.
Zelle begins her class by telling the students, usually seventh-graders, a true story about a girl their age who seemed to be Internet savvy and careful. The girl's online activities ultimately led to her murder.
"I think a lot of them are aware that their name and address they shouldn't be given out," Zelle said. "I tell them to watch out for your picture. It might have a shirt with a school name. Some give out their phone number so people can call them. They don't realize people can trace you back to your house a lot of the time."
Zelle also teaches classes for parents on how to keep kids safe online, but she said the parents who attend typically are already aware of their children's online activities.
Detective Jerilyn McIlquham, a member of the Internet Crimes against Children task force, said educating parents and kids about online safety are equally important.
McIlquham also teaches boys they can become victims online as easily as girls.
"Though statistically girls may be targeted more, boys are just as vulnerable to predators online," she said. "I also think it is important for boys to be able to tell when this is happening to them, and I think they would be less likely [to notice] if they felt they were the minority."
McIlquham said the online safety presentations "are a real eye-opener for some of the kids."
Some kids don't realize how revealing their usernames are, she said.
"They tend to put birthdates, years they were born, address numbers and other identifying information in their usernames," she said. "Also, their interests, mascots of their schools and where they go to school, just to name a few."
The Internet Crimes against Children task force is paid for by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; it partners with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
"There are a few different programs for teaching Internet safety out there, and the position is more of making sure we are teaching this rather than all doing it the exact same way," McIlquham said. "Basically, the nationwide approach is making sure we are getting the education out there."
Contact Jess Buskirk at 303-663-7171 or jbuskirk@ccnewspapers.com.
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