There are quite a few aspects of Little J getting older that kind of scare me: getting a driver’s license, being offered his first cigarette, that type of stuff. I’m sure most parents feel the same way. These days, we have another fear to add to our already long list – danger on the Internet.
It seems like another story pops up every few days – teens lured away to meet up with older men, kids coming across images we don’t want them to see, cyber-bullying, the list goes on and on. We have to stay one step ahead of our kids, technology-wise, and make sure that they are safe.
One group that’s working hard to help us with this job is NetSmartz, a leading online resource of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. NetSmartz has developed a website designed to educate, engage, and empower kids as Internet users. They offer information and support for parents, educators, law enforcement, teens, and kids.
A special area for teens offers videos and comics featuring seven teen characters. The stories show the harm that people can cause on the web and also how it can be used to empower teens. The videos go over topics such as social networking, cyber-bullying, and offline consequences. The cartoon videos also simulate interviews with teens talking about their Internet use. It is all done in a very hip and informative (but not preachy) way.
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