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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
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