Attorney General McCollum Brings Cybersafety Program To Duval County Middle School
Attorney General Bill McCollum today visited Kirby-Smith Middle School and spoke to students, teachers and administrators about the importance of cybersafety. Designed to empower children to recognize and avoid internet child predators, the Attorney General’s CyberSafety Education program combines real-life stories and examples to help students stay safe online.
"Tragically, every one of our children is at risk of being approached and victimized by predators online," said Attorney General Bill McCollum. "We welcome the assistance of our education partners in spreading our safety message."
Members of the Attorney General's Child Predator CyberCrime Unit have been presenting the 50-minute cybersafety program to middle and high school students statewide since the beginning of this school year. During the presentations, students receive information about the dangers, risks, and tactics used today by online predators. They learn what constitutes a cybercrime and how to report it. Students are also taught how to recognize when a friend is in "cyber danger" and what they can do to help. Victim advocates with the Attorney General's Office provide referral resources and counseling to any child who discloses victimization and steps are then taken as appropriate to notify law enforcement about an offense.
"We are honored that Attorney General Bill McCollum spoke to our students about cybersafety," said Dana Kriznar, principal of Kirby-Smith Middle School. "Technology is such an integral part of students' lives today. This presentation helped the students understand why it is so important to make safe and ethical decisions when accessing the Internet."
For tips on safe internet surfing, parents, students and educators are encouraged to log on to the Attorney General's cybersafety website, www.safeflorida.net/safesurf. The SafeSurf children's page includes several entertaining and educational games that teach internet safety; the teen SafeSurf page offers tips on safeguarding personal information and avoiding dangerous situations; and the web page for adults offers a guide to popular internet language used in chat rooms and gives safety advice on how to monitor what your children are doing on the internet. Middle and high school principals can click on the red school house icon developed specifically for them and register their school to receive the Attorney General’s cybersafety presentation.
