The Internet opens up a
world of knowledge and cultural experiences to our children, exposing them to
new ideas and whole worlds of information with just the click of a mouse. But
these very same technologies can also expose our children to exploitation by online
predators. According to a recent study by the National Center
for Missing & Exploited Children, approximately one in every seven youth between the
ages of 10 and 17 is sexually solicited over the Internet.
As a parent and a former high school teacher, I know the challenges parents face in keeping their
children safe. So this page is designed to provide you with the resources and
information you need to fight back and keep your family safe. Here you will
find helpful tips, resources, links and other information to prevent online
child exploitation. You can also learn more about my work in Washington to help parents, schools and law
enforcement keep kids safe online.
Online Safety Tip:
Many Internet service providers (ISPs)
offer filters to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate sites. Talk to your
ISP about what safe-search options they offer.
Source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
OnGuardOnline
A collection of helpful tips to prevent online child exploitation, guard
against internet fraud, and protect your identity online.
GetNetwise
A project created by the Internet Education Foundation
(IEF) to ensure parents have the resources they need to make informed
decisions about their family's use of the Internet.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
A nonprofit
organization dedicated to preventing and assisting the victims of child
abduction and child exploitation. The organization's website serves as
a clearinghouse of useful information for parents who want to protect their children from online exploitation.
Safe Surf
A free service which provides an Internet Rating Standard to allow web
browsers to detect the content of a website before displaying it.
*Please note that this list is provided as a public service for 1st District constituents. The Office of Congressman Timothy J. Walz does not sponsor or endorse any group listed.
