Dialogue on Social Networking Web Sites

Dialogue on Social Networking Web Sites
Press Release NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN HOSTS DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEB SITES Leaders from the Industry, Policy Makers, Law Enforcement, Academia, and Children’s Advocacy Groups Come Together to Promote Internet Safety Awareness Social Networking Tip Sheet (PDF) WASHINGTON, D.C., June 22, 2006 – The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) is hosting its first-ever Dialogue on Social Networking Web Sites to discuss the popularity and misuse of this technology and ways to help keep children safer online. Experts from across the country are attending the day-long event including industry leaders from MySpace, Facebook and Xanga; policy makers; law enforcement officials; academia; and children’s advocacy groups. The dialogue will feature panel discussions ranging in topics from “Prevention/Education” and “What is the Industry Doing?” to “The Public Policy Challenges of Social Networking.” “Our goal is to help protect children through education, open dialogue and elevated awareness,” said Allen. “By creating an alliance with industry leaders of social networking sites, we have a unique opportunity to expand our outreach and educate parents, guardians, teens, and the general public on this recent technological phenomenon and ways to ensure safer experiences online.” Moderators and panelists include: Ernie Allen, President and CEO, NCMEC; Arnold E. Bell, Unit Chief, FBI’s Innocent Images Unit; Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut; Daniel Broughton, MD, Mayo Clinic, and NCMEC Board Member; Robbie Callaway, President & CEO, Technology Investors, Inc., and NCMEC Board Member; John Cardillo, CEO, Sentry; Stephen Carrick-Davies, CEO, Childnet International; Anne Collier, Editor & Executive Director, Net Family News; Michelle Collins, Director, Exploited Child Unit, NCMEC; Attorney General Roy Cooper, North Carolina; Sharon Cooper, MD, FAAP, University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Lanny J. Davis, White House Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; Sgt. Steven Del Negro, Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce; James Dirksen, VP Operations, RuleSpace; Ann Lee Flynn, Ed.D., Director, Education Technology, National School Boards Association; John Hiler, CEO, Xanga; Donna Rice Hughes, President, Enough Is Enough; Dr. Frank Kardasz, Sgt./Project Director, Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce; Chris Kelly, VP & Chief Privacy Officer, Facebook; Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist, Pew Internet & American Life Project; Tim Lordan, Executive Director and Counsel, Internet Education Foundation; Larry Magid, Technology Journalist, Co-director of BlogSafety.com and NCMEC Board Member; Hemanshu Nigam, Chief Security Officer, Fox Interactive Media; and Adam Thierer, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Digital Media Freedom, Progress & Freedom Foundation. NCMEC believes the Internet is a wonderful tool for learning and exchanging information. However, every day children are sexually solicited online. The unprecedented amount of personal information that teens are posting to social networking sites makes them vulnerable to people who want to harm them. To obtain more information on social networking web site safety tips visit www.netsmartz.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 387,800 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 119,800 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 102,200 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com. CONTACT: NCMEC Communications Department (703) 837-6111 or media@ncmec.org http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2441

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