Workshops focus on problems caused by Internet and mobile devices
School has started in Madison County and as students gear up for a new year, they will have access to information technology, using computer systems, software, and networks to assist them in their schooling.
This technology along with the use of the Internet and mobile devices will more than likely enhance their educational experiences. Unfortunately, it can also present serious issues such as cyberbullying, “sexting,” online predators and distractive driving.
Parents concerned about these issues, can attend a workshop on Saturday, Aug. 20 from 2-4 p.m. at the Madison Library, 130 Plaza Blvd., to learn how to keep kids safe through an Internet and Mobile safety workshop. The workshop is being presented by Chantaine Bulluck and Ollie Smith, Certified Internet and Child Safety Advocates.
According to Bulluck, the 45-minute workshop will utilize the latest statistics, resources, videos, and expert tips to empower attending parents. “The workshop will provide parents with a clearer understanding of the issues facing digital children and provide them with the resources they need to communicate with their kids about making safer decisions,” Bulluck said.
The Enough is Enough (EIE) Foundation, a national leader on the front lines to make the Internet safer for children and families, works to educate parents about how the Internet and new technologies including portable music devices, gaming devices, mobile phones, and PDA’s has increased the threats that children face today.
These threats include:
* Easy access to pornography, violent content and other inappropriate sites
* Cyberbullying and harassment
* Contact by a sexual predator
* Inappropriate picture and video uploads
* Sexting
* Texting while driving/distracted driving
According to the latest statistics provided by the EIE Foundation, 43 percent of teens aged 13 to 17 reported that they have experienced some sort of cyberbullying in the past year. Cyberbullies use instant messaging, e-mails, chat rooms and websites to humiliate a peer and threaten a peer by posting mean spirited messages.
Sexting is another threat created through the use of cell phones. Often teens and “tweens,” create and exchange provocative and nude sexual images of themselves using their cell phone’s built-in digital camera. In a recent survey from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, one out of five teens reported that they have electronically sent or posted online, nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves. Sexting also provides online predators with the ability to use the photos for pornographic purposes.
Texting while driving is another serious concern with text messaging experiencing a tenfold increase over the past three years. Unfortunately, texting, browsing and checking email behind the wheel of a car creates serious problems. So much in fact that many states have started to enact laws to limit or outlaw the use of mobile devices while driving. Alabama is one of the most active states in outlawing distracted driving. Birmingham, Decatur, Huntsville, Montgomery, Madison, Vestavia Hills, Gadsden, Jacksonville, Roanoke and at least eight other communities in Alabama have banned texting while driving.
To find out more about the workshop contact Chantaine Bulluck at 256-797-8968. The workshop is free and open to the public.
