Washtenaw County Internet Safety Task Force aims to help children, adults avoid risks online
When it comes to protecting children against cybercrime, the challenge is convincing them they're at risk, local law enforcement officials and youth advocates told a group gathered Friday morning to lay the groundwork for a new Washtenaw County Internet Safety Task Force.
The task force is expected to launch in September with about 25 members and will aim to promote awareness, safety and security on the Internet at homes, schools, businesses and government offices. The group is expected to educate people about issues including identity theft, cyberbullying and network security.
Washtenaw County Commissioner Kristin Judge
Washtenaw County sheriff's Det. Kevin Parviz, who specializes in investigating computer crimes against chidren, was one of about two dozen people who attended the meeting at the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce.
He said it's important to provide more education about cybercrime, commit adequate law enforcement resources to investigate it and push for legislation that addresses it.
"To be honest with you, Michigan laws, when they pertain to cyber crime ... are like 20 years behind," he said.
"These suspects are very creative," he said. "Every day they are coming up with new ideas."
The meeting, attended by law enforcement officials, youth leaders, computer security experts and others, was organized by Washtenaw County Commissioner Kristin Judge. The group discussed the importance of having a presence on social networking websites like Facebook to educate people about cyber crime.
The challenge will be crafting a message that resonates with young people, said Jack Bidlack, program director for the Business Side of Youth at Eastern Michigan University. It's important that children learn how to be safe on the Internet before they make a mistake that cannot be reversed, he said.
"How can we get a message that engages them?" he asked.
Kirk Tabbey, 14A District Court Chief Judge, said children need to understand what they put on the Internet stays there forever.
"They don't understand what the consequences are," he said.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
M.
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 : 3:21 p.m.
To all involved, I thank you as a parent and as someone who has seen the dangers children face online first hand. I hope so much for the success of this project. I would love to see a volunteer program set up somewhere down the line to help spread the word. Kids need to be spoken to frankly when it comes to their safety. "Stranger danger" and other ominous catchphrases might sound good to the ear, but I think kids need examples, true stories, things they can relate to and things that will make them truly concerned for themselves and their friends online.
Kristin Judge
Sat, Feb 20, 2010 : 9:15 p.m.
@Marcia, Thank you for all the work you have been doing for our community already. It is important for residents to understand that much great work is already being done by organizations in Washtenaw County. The goal of the task force is to bring those partners together in addition to our partners in Washington, DC from the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Security Division and the National Cyber Security Alliance. When we have a website up, I will list out all the partners for everyone to see. During the meeting, I was humbled by the expertise and compassion for public safety I heard from participants as they shared their stories. We had a productive first meeting, and I am thankful for the support of Sheriff Clayton and the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on this project. Much more to come....
Marcia Dykstra
Sat, Feb 20, 2010 : 11:56 a.m.
The Washtenaw Area Council for Children is a part of this Task Force. We are the child abuse prevention agency for Washtenaw and we provide FREE Internet Safety trainings for both teens and pre-teens, and their parents. Included in these trainings is information on cyberbullying, sexting, predators, privacy, etc. and how to get smart and be smart when using computers, gaming devices and cellphones. For more information please contact us at internetsafety@washtenawchildren.org