Before Scott Driscoll of Internet Safety Concepts offered an “Internet Safety for Parents of Teens & Tweens” presentation at C.H. Booth Library during the evening of Wednesday, October 29, he gave presentations for Newtown Middle School students.

“I don’t think that even an hour goes by that we don’t use the Internet,” said NMS Principal Thomas Einhorn before he introduced Mr Driscoll to students, “and it is really important for you to know how to safely do so.”

Mr Driscoll is a former youth officer and federal Internet Crimes Against Children task force member. The presentations at NMS and at the library were sponsored by the Newtown Prevention Council and by the NMS PTA.

Mr Driscoll told the students that he was there to share what he learned first hand.

“For four-and-a-half years I was 13-year-old Stacy on the Internet,” said Mr Driscoll, about his service as a Internet Crimes Against Children task force member. “It could happen. I can be a girl online. And that is exactly what I did for four-and-a-half years, but I did it for the right reasons. I arrested people from all over the country who were doing things online inappropriately or hurting kids.”

Through his work, Mr Driscoll said he learned “education is key.” While students know how to use the technology, he said there is room to learn about the safety that goes along with that technology.

“If we focus on safety when we use today’s technology there’s a lot of things that we can do for fun and for education, but if we drop our guard, that’s when things can happen,” said Mr Driscoll.

He shared a video of a girl who was recognized throughout her community by friends and strangers by what she was posting online. “Think before you post,” the video warned.

“All of us have to think about what we post and how much we share,” said Mr Driscoll.

The Internet is worldwide, Mr Driscoll reminded students. That helps connects family members, but it also allows information to spread if it is not controlled, according to Mr Driscoll.

The presentation advised students on how to handle using online games, texting, GPS and geotagging, social media, and more.

Some tips to stay safe included monitoring who “friends” are online and limiting those friends, monitoring all “tags” or links to the user on social media, never sharing personal information, protecting passwords, and not sharing other people’s contact information.

Mr Driscoll also advised the students to “get involved” by telling an adult when they think someone else is in trouble online.

More information about Mr Driscoll and Internet Safety Concepts is available at internetsafetyconcepts.com.