It’s midnight somewhere on the internet, do you know who your child is chatting with?
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit will be presenting an in-depth presentation on Internet Safety, hosted by the Ridgewood Public Schools on Wednesday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin Middle School Auditorium. The presentation, entitled “Staying Safe in Cyberspace – Internet Safety for Parents,” is a comprehensive examination of today’s Internet and the dangers that lurk inside chat rooms, instant messages, e-mail and blogs.
This presentation is an integral function of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit. Through education and outreach to the community, the Computer Crimes Unit hopes to raise parents’ awareness of online predators and the dangerous content that is only a mouse-click away from their child’s grasp.
Through their dynamic, intriguing and eye-opening presentation, complete with vivid graphics and streaming video clips, the Computer Crimes Detectives hope to educate parents about the seedier side of the Internet. The goals of this presentation are to discuss the basic functions of the Internet, to highlight current Internet trends and to illustrate the associated risks facing children of all ages. After what will be a shocking display of the dangers associated with online communication, they will turn to preventative measures and effective solutions to protect children, many of whom know more about computers than the average parent.
“The explosion of the Internet has proven to be most influential with the youngest of generations, namely our children,” said Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli. He continued, “Protecting them on the World Wide Web, a truly unregulated atmosphere, is a tremendous task that needs to begin at home, where children are indeed most vulnerable.”
With the advent of the Internet-ready home computer as a principal component of today’s household, the World Wide Web and all of its users are essentially invited into the privacy of every home in Bergen County. Parents seldom realize the depth and breadth of a limitless connection to the rest of the globe via a seemingly harmless Internet connection in their own living room. Yet, it is exactly that link which needs proper supervision to preserve the safety of children online.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit, including the complementary Bergen County Computer Crimes Task Force, consists of Investigators from around the County and has the vast responsibility of deterring and detecting Internet crime. Many of their cases involve predators who target children through the Internet. To that end, Detectives who combat Internet crime have recognized that their approach must also include a strong education initiative involving parents and children who surf the Web. This proactive mechanism is in place in order to prevent children in Bergen County from stumbling into areas of the Internet where they can fall prey to an online predator.
Prosecutor John Molinelli and Chief Steven Cucciniello urge all parents and guardians to attend this Internet safety presentation. It is their hope that by having skilled, well-versed computer crimes Investigators, coupled with parents armed with a working knowledge of the Internet and its pitfalls, the children of this County are well-protected while exploring the World Wide Web.
For additional information about this event, please contact the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum of the Ridgewood Public Schools at 201-670-2700, ext. 10532 or cbest@ridgewood.k12.nj.us. For information about Internet Safety related issues, please contact Lt. Jason Love at JLove@BCPO.net or Educational Outreach Coordinator D/Sergeant John DeVoe at JDeVoe@BCPO.net.