( For additional information, see Congressman Putnam’s Legislative News Kit : http://adamputnam.house.gov/putnam/student_internet_safety.shtml)

Congressman Adam Putnam’s (R-Fla.) legislation to make it easier for schools to teach children how to protect themselves from the potential dangers on the Internet passed 416-0 in the U.S. House of Representatives today. Law enforcement and child safety experts immediately praised passage of the Student Internet Safety Act.  The measure now goes to the Senate.

“We teach our kids to look both ways before crossing the street,” said Putnam.  “We should also make sure they know the safety rules before they get on the ‘Information Superhighway"

Putnam’s measure would allow schools that receive federal funding from two programs to promote technology and school safety to be able to use those funds for Internet safety educational programs.   Those programs would include educating students about social networking, protecting them from online predators and cyber-bullies and ways to involve parents in the use of the Internet by their children.

“I commend Congressman Adam Putnam for his leadership role in the introduction and passage of this legislation,” said Polk County Fla. Sheriff Grady Judd.  “Education to ensure prevention of victimization is what we must pursue.  When law enforcement is called in response to an Internet crime, the damage has already been done. Educators, law enforcement, and parents have a solemn obligation to protect our children by educating them about the potential dangers of the Internet.  We must be proactive.  This legislation takes important steps toward prevention. Nothing is more important to our communities’ future than the safety and well-being of our children – our most precious resource.”

“The digital world is a remarkable resource for our young people, but it can also open the door to dangers,” said Putnam.  He noted a 2007 study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which has endorsed his measure:

• 69% of teens regularly receive personal messages online from people they don't know.
• 31% of teens say they usually reply and chat with people they don't know, and only 21 % tell a trusted adult when they receive such messages.
• 64% post photos or videos of themselves, while 58% post info about where they live.
• 71% of teens have established online profiles, up from 61 % in 2006.
• 19% of teens report they have been harassed or bullied online.

“Given the vital role the Internet plays in schools across the nation, the Student Internet Safety Act would give schools the ability to educate their students about staying safe in a rapidly growing online community,” said Putnam.

The child safety advocacy group Web Wise Kids also praised the measure’s passage.  “We applaud House passage of H.R. 780 and thank Congressman Adam Putnam for his leadership in sponsoring the legislation,” said Web Wise Kids CEO Judi Westberg Warren.

Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.