Online Safety Forum
At 6:00 p.m. on a cold New Year's Day in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Alicia Kozakiewicz walked out the front door of her parents home to say hello to a "friend" she had met and knew only online. Thirteen-year-old Alicia met Scott in a social networking site and instantly found a best friend in him. He was the only one to whom she told all of her secrets. In exchange, he complimented her and gave her advice on all her problems. When she met Scott outside her home that night, however, the friend she had thought she knew so well online would, in fact, turn out to be her worst nightmare. Scott kidnapped Alicia that night and held her in his home. Fortunately, law enforcement officers found Alicia and brought her home to safety. Unlike Alicia's story, not all children who become victims to online predators are as lucky.
Cases such as Alicia's have become more prevalent over the years. With ever-changing and new, innovative technology, the threat to our safety and the safety of our families and children is growing in new ways. As parents, it is sometimes challenging to understand the threats that are online and how to prevent them. The reality is that the new generation of predators is more tech savvy than any before them - as well are our children.
Social networking sites allow and encourage people to exchange information about themselves with others, including pictures, videos, and personal information that they would never think to share with strangers in person. While these sites can be a valuable social and learning tools to children, some children mistakenly think that they are shielded from the dangers of predators while online. Oftentimes, they can be unknowingly provoking these predators to act. Many times, parents do not know that their children are sharing such personal and intimate details of their lives, and others do not even know their children have created such profiles.
The issue of online safety is an issue both parents and elected officials need to address. It is important for parents to become educated on the threats to our children's safety while they are online. It is also important that law enforcement officials and legislatures know the dangers that online activities can pose to the safety of our children so they can take the steps to not only reduce these threats, but also to support and educate others. I recently voted to support H. Res.1260 to support the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety Month. This bill calls on parents, educators, Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, community leaders, Internet service providers, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level of awareness for the need for online safety.
I am determined to support the ideas of H. Res. 1260 and further promote internet safety. In an effort to educate you and your family on ways to protect your loved ones while online, I am hosting Online Safety Forums throughout the Fourth District of Virginia. These forums are open to parents in the Fourth District who are interested in gaining insight and information on how to best protect your children online. In addition, experts will be on hand to walk parents through specific examples of what children have access to while online and provide tips for keeping them safe.
The forum will feature testimony of Alicia Kozakiewicz, the victim of the online predator, who will share her story and how she became an online victim. Representatives from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner who was part of the investigative team who found Alicia, will explain to parents the threats to children online, show examples of social networking sites, teach parents how to protect their children, and what they should know and look out for. In addition, I will share what Congress is doing to prevent threats to online safety.
Please join us at anyone of our three locations for these Online Safety Forums. You can visit my website at http://www.forbes.house.gov/ConstituentServices/events.htm for more information on each event or to register to attend.