The Need for Internet Safety for Our Children
In 2000, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), in conjunction with a the University of New Hampshire, published a study regarding threats, incidence rates, and victim responses to online predators and illegal content. The study, Online Victimization: A Report on the Nation's Youth, was a starting point in better understanding what our children were facing online. The study documented that a significant percentage of youth were receiving sexual approaches or solicitation over the Internet. Additionally, some of these youth had received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year. The study also showed that some youth had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex. Additionally, some youth had been threatened or harassed via the Internet.
In 2005, the survey was repeated. It noted that in part that while ... "some strides in helping to prevent such victimization, the results of this survey, Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, shows we have not done enough. Exposure to unwanted sexual material, sexual solicitations, and harassment were frequently reported by the youth interviewed for this study." The second survey strongly recommended expanding prevention programs and honing and developing even more effective prevention strategies.
HTCIA Internet Safety For Children Campaign
Starting in approximately 2003, the High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) partnered with five other organizations1 to address HTCIA's membership growing desire to conduct Internet Safety training in their geographic locations. As a direct result of this partnership the HTCIA Internet Safety For Children Campaign was created in 2004.
The focus of the HTCIA Internet Safety For Children Campaign was to be a catalyst, not a replacement, for existing "Internet Child Safety" programs. Its continuing strength has been that it recognizes that Internet Safety Training is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Different ages have different interests, patterns of behavior, and understanding of themselves and the world around them.
The Campaign's "Delivery Tips" incorporate this concept and provide clear techniques for effective interaction with a target age group. There are separate Delivery Tips for four specific age ranges: K-Grade 2; Grades 3-6; Middle School; and High School. There are also Sample Questions, tried and true questions used in hundreds of presentations given by agents of NCMEC, in each packet. During its first four years the materials developed for the Campaign were used in presentations to over 50,000 children, teachers, and parents.
HTCIA and its mission partners recognize that the Internet safety is a continuing issue that must be addressed by our membership and the public. The material and links on this website reflect the best tools available for ensuring our children are safe online. Feel free to use this website to tailor your presentation to your specific audience. You may not need to, nor have time to use all of the materials available from this site. The key is to get out there and educate our youth on Internet safety!
We look forward to helping you provide this important training to your community’s children.
1: The five original partners were the Hewlett-Packard Company, LiveWWWires, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), NetSmartz, and the United States Secret Service.