Nearly all American children now have access to the Internet at home, in school, or in public libraries. Internet technology affords children access to vast amounts of valuable information and endless sources of entertainment; however it also exposes children to certain dangers.

In May 2006 in response to the increased dangers associated with the use of the Internet, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood to combat child sexual exploitation crimes. Through Project Safe Childhood, DOJ and U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have formed collaborative partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement officials to protect the children of this nation. These partnerships strive to investigate and prosecute those that exploit children.

Outreach

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of our children, through outreach and prevention, as well as enforcement. Members of our office participate in the development and execution of effective community and school awareness campaigns. These campaigns focus on important topics such as:

• Cyberbullying
• Sexting – the new phenomenon of children taking sexually explicit pictures of themselves and posting them on-line
• Child predators on the Internet and their typical modus operandi
  Texting while driving
• Prevention of personal information being disseminated over the Internet
• Information for parents & schools who need additional resources
• Acceptable use policies for schools

Our children represent the most vulnerable segment of our population, and the dangers they face, on and off the Internet, are real. Communicating with our children about the risks that they can encounter online is the most important step in keeping them safe while they surf.   If you are looking for more information, please feel free to contact us.

For more information please visit: www.projectsafechildhood.gov

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