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 At
6:00 p.m. on a cold New Year’s Day in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Alicia
Kozakiewicz walked out the front door of her parents home to say hello
to a “friend” she had met and knew only online. Thirteen-year-old Alicia
met Scott in a social networking site and instantly found a best friend
in him. He was the only one to whom she told all of her secrets. In
exchange, he complimented her and gave her advice on all her problems.
When she met Scott outside her home that night, however, the friend she
had thought she knew so well online would, in fact, turn out to be her
worst nightmare. Scott kidnapped Alicia that night and held her in his
home. Fortunately, law enforcement officers found Alicia and brought her
home to safety. Unlike Alicia’s story, not all children who become
victims to online predators are as lucky.
Cases such as Alicia’s have become more prevalent over the years. With
ever-changing and new, innovative technology, the threat to our safety
and the safety of our families and children is growing in new ways. As
parents, it is sometimes challenging to understand the threats that are
online and how to prevent them. The reality is that the new generation
of predators is more tech savvy than any before them - as well are our
children.
Social networking sites allow and encourage people to exchange
information about themselves with others, including pictures, videos,
and personal information that they would never think to share with
strangers in person. While these sites can be a valuable social and
learning tools to children, some children mistakenly think that they are
shielded from the dangers of predators while online. Oftentimes, they
can be unknowingly provoking these predators to act. Many times, parents
do not know that their children are sharing such personal and intimate
details of their lives, and others do not even know their children have
created such profiles.
The issue of online safety is an issue both parents and elected
officials need to address. It is important for parents to become
educated on the threats to our children’s safety while they are online.
It is also important that law enforcement officials and legislatures
know the dangers that online activities can pose to the safety of our
children so they can take the steps to not only reduce these threats,
but also to support and educate others. I recently voted to support
H.
Res.1260 to support the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety
Month. This bill calls on parents, educators, Internet safety
organizations, law enforcement, community leaders, Internet service
providers, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level
of awareness for the need for online safety.
I am determined to support the ideas of H. Res. 1260 and further promote
internet safety. In an effort to educate you and your family on ways to
protect your loved ones while online, I am hosting
Online
Safety Forums throughout the Fourth District of Virginia. These
forums are open to parents in the Fourth District who are interested in
gaining insight and information on how to best protect your children
online. In addition, experts will be on hand to walk parents through
specific examples of what children have access to while online and
provide tips for keeping them safe.
The forum will feature testimony of Alicia Kozakiewicz, the victim of
the online predator, who will share her story and how she became an
online victim. Representatives from the
Internet Crimes Against
Children Task Force, including a Certified Forensic Computer
Examiner who was part of the investigative team who found Alicia, will
explain to parents the threats to children online, show examples of
social networking sites, teach parents how to protect their children,
and what they should know and look out for. In addition, I will share
what Congress is doing to prevent threats to online safety.
Please join us at anyone of our three locations for these Online Safety
Forums. You can visit my website at
http://www.forbes.house.gov/ConstituentServices/events.htm for more
information on each event or to register to attend.
Watch Congressman Forbes Discuss Energy on CNN's
"Your Money"
Click the video to watch Congressman Forbes discuss rising gas prices
and his plan to address our energy crisis in this interview on CNN's
"Your Money" show.
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