2 SMRT 4U
The 2 SMRT 4U campaign is about teaching safer online behavior among teens.
June is Internet Safety Month, and this campaign encourages teens to make safe, smart choices when posting information about themselves on social networking web sites and blogs.
They offer tips for teens on how to stay safe, a free "reminder" ring, some downloads for using IM and wallpapers, and a family/educator toolbox for parents and teachers, to help adults learn all about social networking sites that teens may be using and unknowingly, talking to predators.
This is a program founded by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood.
I received this site in an email a few days ago, but am just now posting it. I think this is a great campaign.
It gets parents and teens talking about how to "post" safely on social networking sites.
Many parents know the dangers of the sites, and then ground their teens from using them after being scared to death by shows like Dateline to catch a predator.
You can teach your kids to be safe on line. If you take it away from them at home, they may still be using it at a friends house or school. Yes I said school.
Mark said kids are always on sites like Facebook and MySpace at school during free periods.
So instead of thinking you won by taking the site away at home, think again, and teach them how to be safe on those sites.
The initial reaction to the campaign from teen girls so far is pretty good.
* Teen’s recall of the 2 SMRT 4U campaign was exceptionally high, with nearly 80% of girl’s surveyed saying they’ve seen or heard about it.
* 28.1% of respondents said that 2 SMRT 4U encouraged them to spread the word to their friends.
* Of these, 83% reported taking direct action, which included visits to the campaign web site (57%), discussing safety with family and friends (34%) and being more vigilant with their computer’s privacy settings (33%).
* More than 8 in 10 (84%) teen girls who ordered a 2 SMRT 4U ring said they wear it. Also, 81% claim to have discussed the ring with others.
So go to the site, read up on it, start talking to your teens about how to be safe online.
And spread the word about 2SMRT 4U if you feel like it.
