The First Issue

As a program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the NetSmartz Workshop shares their vision of a world made safer for children through the cooperative efforts of parents and guardians, educators, and law-enforcement agencies. For the past eight years, NetSmartz has created quality interactive, educational materials designed to help youth and adults learn about Internet and real world safety.

School by school, we have established a presence in all 50 states, providing communities with the necessary resources to address the constantly changing cyber landscape and the new risks that these changes present. In order to keep you up-to-date with these shifting trends, we are publishing NetSmartz News, a quarterly newsletter which discusses current Internet issues and their possible risks to our children. Recent news headlines have convinced me that our newsletter could not have begun at a more appropriate time.

Recently, six Florida teenagers filmed themselves beating a classmate; it is alleged that they planned to post it online in retaliation for comments that the victim made on a social networking site. Although incidents rarely escalate to this level, it has called national attention to one of the most pressing Internet safety issues—cyberbullying. According to a report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, one-third of teenagers report that they have been the targets of cyberbullying. Children, parents and guardians, educators, and law-enforcement agencies have all been affected by this problem and are looking for effective methods to halt its spread. This issue of NetSmartz News offers you a place to start.

NetSmartz works to educate, engage, and empower communities about on- and offline safety risks because we believe that real change happens when communities work together to resolve their problems. I invite you to be part of the solution.

Herbert C. Jones, Vice President

External Affairs