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PRESS RELEASE
COX COMMUNICATIONS’ 2ND ANNUAL NATIONAL
TEEN SUMMIT
ON INTERNET SAFETY PROVIDES KEY INFORMATION ON SAFER INTERNET
USAGE
Summit Provides Information and
Discussions Encouraging Teens To Behave More Safely Online
ATLANTA – June
27, 2007 – Cox
Communications, Inc. and the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children® (NCMEC)
held the Second Annual National Teen Summit on Internet Safety today
in Washington D.C. Fifteen high school students from Cox Communities
nationwide participated in discussions on Internet safety and behavior
led by children’s
advocate John Walsh and Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson.
During this year’s Summit, in-depth discussions explored many
of the Internet issues affecting teens and their parents and guardians
including teen activity on the Internet, the potential risks of Internet
use, and what adults can do to make the Internet safer for their children.
”Many troubles on the Internet involve teenagers whose parents
are not aware of what’s going on,” said Jonathan House, a
teen from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “I think it is important
for parents to allow Internet use, but they should first educate their
kids on its risks.”
Another focus of discussion at this year’s Summit was the mix
of encouraging and troubling news revealed by the most recent survey
on Internet safety conducted by Cox and NCMEC. With nearly identical
questions to that used in the organizations’ 2006 study, compelling
year-over-year trends about teen Internet use and online behaviors were
uncovered. While the 2007 survey revealed that more parents and
guardians are monitoring Internet use and are talking to their children
more about the potential dangers of the Internet, the behaviors of young
people online still hold cause for concern. Many teens still remain unconcerned
about the potential risks of sharing personal info online and nearly
two-thirds post photos or videos of themselves.
”The first line of defense in keeping our kids safe is the parents
in the home, so it is more important than ever before that parents and
guardians learn how to talk to their kids and educate them on the dangers
of the Internet and how to avoid them,” stated Walsh, host of “America’s
Most Wanted” (FOX). “There are people out there who, despite
knowing they can get caught, have the compulsion to commit horrible acts
against children by way of the Internet.”
Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson, whose personal platform issue is Internet
safety, shared her own personal experience in an effort to raise awareness
about the dangers for children on the Internet. “When I was 13,
my friends and I made the bad decision to share personal information
on the Internet with someone we later learned was a sexual predator,” said
Nelson. “We told him our names, ages and where we lived. My friend
later received inappropriate photographs from this person. We told our
parents about what we had done, and the situation was defused without
incident. Unfortunately, not all kids are as lucky as we were, and not
all stories dealing with the potential dangers of the Internet end without
serious incident.”
Following the Summit, the teens headed to Capitol Hill where they met
with Senators and Representatives from their respective states. Here
the teens helped bring awareness to the issue of Internet safety in discussions
about the positive and negative aspects of Internet use from a teen perspective.
During more than 20 separate meetings, the teens spoke one-on-one with
the following Senators and Representatives: Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV), Rep.
Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Maj. Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher
(R-CA), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep.
Mike Ross (D-AR), Senator Mark Pryor (R-AR), Rep. John Boozman (R-AR),
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Rep. John Shaddegg (R-AZ), Rep. Jeff
Miller (R-FL), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL),
Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), Rep. Charles
Boustany (R-LA), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH),
Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA), Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA), Rep. Joe Courtney
(D-CT).
The Teen Summit is an extension of Cox Communications’ ongoing
Take Charge! initiative (www.cox.com/takecharge), which helps parents,
guardians and kids make smarter media decisions. The Teen Summit will
air on Cox’s local cable channels nationwide starting later this
summer.
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 475,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted
law enforcement with more than 130,300 missing child cases, resulting
in the recovery of more than 112,900 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.
About Cox Communications:
Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment
company with more than 6 million total residential and commercial customers.
The third-largest cable television company in the United States, Cox
offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony
services over its own nationwide IP network, as well as integrated wireless
services in partnership with Sprint (NYSE: S). Cox Business Services
is a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions
for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long
distance services, as well as data and video transport services for small
to large-sized businesses. Cox Media offers national and local cable
advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along with promotional
opportunities and production services. More information about the services
of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises,
is available at www.cox.com, www.coxbusiness.com,
and www.coxmedia.com. Cox Communications
wholly owns and operates the Travel Channel.
View VIDEO FROM THE SUMMIT at www.safeteensonline.com.
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Media Contacts:
Amanda Burdick
Powell Tate | Weber Shandwick
202.585.2793
ABurdick@webershandwick.com
David Grabert
Cox Communications
404.269.7054
David.Grabert@Cox.com
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