Innocence Stolen: Protecting our Children Online set for Sept. 25

A free internet safety presentation for parents and teens 16 and older will be held later this month to provide information on keeping children safe on the internet.

Guest speaker Vincent DeVivo, community outreach specialist with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland, will present Innocence Stolen: Protecting our Children Online from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Dr. James Craik Elementary School.

The presentation will help parents learn how to protect young people from negative and criminal influences online while providing prevention and intervention strategies and internet safety resources for parents and families to use.

“Technology provides benefits, but it also presents dangers. Parents educate their children about personal safety — look both ways before you cross the street, don’t talk to strangers. We must be just as vigilant about children’s safety online where predators can take advantage of our tendencies to share our lives through GPS-tracked photos and messages,” Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill said. “Cyber security is a tenet of CCPS’s See Something, Say Something safety program and the Innocence Stolen presentation is one tool the school system is using to ensure our community is educated about how to protect themselves online.”

The presentation will discuss topics related to cyberbullying, internet predators, sexting and social networking. The content is not suitable for those younger than 16, according to event organizers.

“While technology is a great tool for learning and communicating, it also poses dangers that kids may be naive to,” said Charmaine Thompson, chief of instructional technology. “This presentation is a great opportunity to come and learn from a legal expert, and get tips on how to protect your children online.”

Craik is hosting the program, but it is open to the general public. Additional internet safety presentations will be held during the school year at schools around the county. Craik is at 7725 Marshall Corner Road in Pomfret.