Summer is here. Young people throughout Arizona (including my young son Kevin) are turning cartwheels at the thought of almost three months away from school. Surfing the Internet is now likely to take a larger share of their time.

During June, Arizona recognizes National Internet Safety Month.  As online use continues to rise, so do Internet crimes, including cyber stalking, cyberbullying, child pornography, Internet fraud and identity theft.

Over the last two years, my staff and I have visited more than 70 middle schools and Boys and Girls Clubs across Arizona talking about Internet safety.  Most students tell me they spend between two and six hours a day online.  A majority say their parents have no idea what they are doing online.

Social networking sites, such as Facebook or Myspace, are teen favorites.  Most have personal pages on MySpace.com, even when they are years younger than the site’s minimum age requirement of 14.  I also learned that teens are quick to add new names as online “friends,” thus removing important security features and giving out personal information to strangers.  Unfortunately, among the millions of subscribers on these social networking sites, many will not hesitate creating a false identity to get close to young people and try to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Parents must focus on these false “friends” who pose a real threat to our sons and daughters.

Another growing concern is cyberbullying.  Young people no longer need muscles to bully and torment their peers.  Some young people use Web sites, cell phones, instant messaging, chat rooms and blogs to harass, threaten and ridicule.  What may start as a joke can become very serious.  The impact on the victim can be devastating and even tragic.  The bullies may find they have committed a crime, exposed their parents to liability and damaged their prospects for college or a job. 

Last year, WiredSafety.org surveyed 45,000 students and found that at least 85 percent of middle school students reported being cyberbullied at least once in 2007. In some cases, the percentage of students who reported having been targeted by a cyberbully ran as high as 97 percent of middle school students.  However, only five percent of students who reported being bullied were willing to tell their parents. Parents need to encourage young people to set an example by not tolerating or participating in cyberbullying.

The Megan Pledge

Megan Meier’s story is a tragic tale of what can happen when cyberbullying goes too far.  She was 13 years old and took her own life two years ago after being the victim of harassment and ridicule online.  Unfortunately, the abuse she suffered has become all too common.

In my travels around the Arizona, I have seen damaging messages first hand. One young woman at a school I visited had been the target of a fake MySpace page set up to mock and intimidate her. The kids who set up the page used a manipulated photo of the girl copied from her own MySpace page. Thankfully, through the intervention of the School Resource Officer, the bullying was stopped, and several students were disciplined. The damage to the victim, however, was far more lasting.

We need to reclaim the Internet back from cyberbullies.  By pledging to not create, forward or tolerate hurtful messages, Arizona students can take a stand against Internet cruelty.  To find out more about how you can take The Megan Pledge and commit to stop cyberbullying, visit www.azag.gov and www.stopcyberbullying.org.

We must all take responsibility for the safety of our children – parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, business and community leaders.  I am committed to protecting children from Internet predators through aggressive prosecution, education and prevention. Here are some tips parents can share with their children to help stop cyberbullying and keep them safe from predators:

What to do when you encounter cyberbullying:

1. Ignore harassing or rude comments
2. Save or print the evidence
3. Tell an adult you trust

How to prevent cyberbullying:

1. Only share your password with your parent or guardian
2. Change your passwords often
3. Set your page and blog to private
4. Use privacy settings to block unwanted messages
5. Keep your personal information private

How much information is too much information:

1. Use a nickname that doesn’t identify your gender, age or location
2. Think before posting or sending photos – they could be used to hurt you now and later
3. Before posting any pictures, remove identifying information
4. Don’t post your plans or whereabouts online
5. Never meet in person with anyone you first meet online
6. Think about the possible consequences of what you post
7. Report inappropriate messages or images to law enforcement 

For more information and updates on Internet Safety Month, please visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.azag.gov.  The Attorney General’s Community Outreach personnel are available to make an Internet Safety presentation at your school. Call 602.542.2123 for more information.

While we bring extra attention to Internet Safety in June, let’s be cyber-safe all year!

Terry Goddard