Thursday, September 22, 2005

Saturday, September 17, 2005

House bill commending Parry and Teenangels.org

Recognizing the achievements and contributions of `Teenangels' and WiredSafety/WiredKids Executive Director Parry Aftab, in addressing the growing problem of cyberbullying in the United... (Introduced in House)

HRES 296 IH


109th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 296
Recognizing the achievements and contributions of `Teenangels' and WiredSafety/WiredKids Executive Director Parry Aftab, in addressing the growing problem of cyberbullying in the United States.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 24, 2005
Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California (for herself and Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RESOLUTION
Recognizing the achievements and contributions of `Teenangels' and WiredSafety/WiredKids Executive Director Parry Aftab, in addressing the growing problem of cyberbullying in the United States.

Whereas cyberbullying is defined as the transmission by one minor to another minor, through Web sites, instant messaging, camera phones, cell phones, Web blogs, or other electronic means, threats of physical harm, terrorist threats, comments meant to damage the reputation, embarrass, humiliate, insult, spread rumors, defame, or intimidate;

Whereas cyberbullying can cause psychological harm, negatively impact academic performance, safety, and the well-being of children in school, force children to change schools, and in some cases lead to murder or suicide;

Whereas given the anonymity of all electronic communications, children and adolescents' sometimes lack of impulse control and underdeveloped empathy skills, the potential for widespread public distribution, limited Internet responsible use education, and the inability to appreciate the harm caused by cyberbullying, such acts can be particularly dangerous and cruel to youths;

Whereas as WiredSafety.org and StopCyberbullying.org's studies have found that this problem affects all children from 9 years old to 14 years old, and often involves cyber-sexual harassment targeting students over 14 years of age; and their studies have shown that more than 85 percent of preteens have had their feelings hurt by someone else online, and a large percentage of preteens and teens have had their passwords or identities stolen, and an average of 60 percent of the middle school students polled admitted to being involved directly or indirectly in a cyberbullying incident (in some cases as high as 97 percent of students polled at certain schools admitted to being involved in a cyberbullying incident), and that more than 65 percent of teens polled have intentionally visited Web sites that made fun of their peers;

Whereas studies also show that parents, teachers, guidance counselors, students, and law enforcement agents are often ill-equipped to deal with cyberbullying or misunderstand it, thinking that it is merely offline bullying moved to cyberspace;

Whereas Parry Aftab is one of the world's leading experts on cybercrime, Internet privacy, cyber-abuse, cyberbullying, and children's internet safety and responsible surfing issues;

Whereas Parry Aftab is the Executive Director of WiredSafety, an organization that provides help, information and education to Internet and mobile device users of all ages which operates StopCyberbullying.org;

Whereas Parry Aftab is the Executive Director of WiredKids, a United States charity dedicated to protecting all Internet users, especially children, from cybercrime and abuse, and to helping everyone learn how to protect their privacy and security online and to teach responsible Internet use;

Whereas Parry Aftab and WiredKids founded and direct the `Teenangels' and their younger counterpart `Tweenangels', a diverse group of youths ages 9-18 from all walks of life, from various backgrounds, religions, races, both male and female, who go out into their local communities and schools and teach others about Internet safety;

Whereas Teenangels receive months of extensive training from Parry Aftab and other cyber-safety experts, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and conduct extensive research on issues affecting Internet safety and responsible technology use by children;

Whereas following training, Teenangels are equipped to do presentations at their school, and other schools about Internet safety issues;

Whereas every Teenangels Chapter develops a `Top Ten Internet Safety Tip List' for use in presentations on software protections, safe surfing engines, interactive gaming, cyberbullying, and other online and computer concerns and a `Kids Internet Bill of Rights' that provides, among other things, that young people have the right to use the Internet without harassment, cyberbullying or sexual exploitation, without having their personal information misused, or being redirected to pornography when surfing for their favorite kid sites;

Whereas Marvel Enterprises (the home of Marvel comics) has donated an exclusive license for Dr. Aftab and Wired Kids to use their popular super heroes, such as Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men and Fantastic Four, in educating parents, schools and children about safe and responsible technology use, including InternetSuperHeroes.org's good cybercitizenship programs and custom comic books featuring Teenangels and Marvel's Spider-Man and other super hero characters; and

Whereas there are over 290 Teenangels worldwide, including chapters in California, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom, and Pakistan, promoting safe and responsible Internet use, and keeping themselves, their families, other youth, and their communities educated about Internet risks and the dangers of cyberbullying: Now, therefore, be it


Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) commends Dr. Parry Aftab of WiredSafety/WiredKids and the `Teenangels' and `Tweenangels' for their vision, innovation, commitment, dedication, and efforts to educating students, parents, and the public on the dangers of cyberbullying, and on positive alternatives to cyberbullying;

(2) supports `Teenangels' education and presentation model, which teaches students, teachers, and the community to avoid and combat cyberbullying, and to engage in safe online activities; and

(3) encourages every school district and community in the United States of America to establish `Teenangels' Chapters to educate students about Internet safety and the dangers of cyberbullying and empower their youth to become good cybercitizens.

the resolution from the House commending Teenangels and Parry Aftab on cyberbullying

Newsday.com: Ugly scene for teens on screen -cyberbullying and Parry's summit

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Westchester Cty Executive, Spano, addresses video game rating awareness with ESRB

Video ratings It's nice when two people and organizations you know join forces to do good things. Spano has been very active in helping keep his county's residents safer and better educated online. This is his latest venture into something that affects all families with preteens, gaming.

Thanks!

Sunday, June 26, 2005

e-vangelism.com: Teens and parents clash over blogging

e-vangelism.com: Teens and parents clash over blogging

WCCO: Parents Struggle With Blogging Rules For Kids

WCCO: Parents Struggle With Blogging Rules For Kids

What are blogs?

What are blogs?

Bloggers Blog: Cyberbullying: A Downside of Blogging

Bloggers Blog: Cyberbullying: A Downside of Blogging

LibraryLaw Blog: Warning! Check with your lawyer before responding to FBI national security letter requests for patron records

LibraryLaw Blog: Warning! Check with your lawyer before responding to FBI national security letter requests for patron records

New York Daily News - Ideas & Opinions - Dawn Eden's Blog On: Parents agog over online kids' diary blogs

New York Daily News - Ideas & Opinions - Dawn Eden's Blog On: Parents agog over online kids' diary blogs

Herald & Review Newspaper Website - Decatur, Illinois

Herald & Review Newspaper Website - Decatur, Illinois

Code-Abiding Porn to Get .xxx Domain

Code-Abiding Porn to Get .xxx Domain

SitNews - Letter: Senator Stevens is our superhero By Dr. Parry Aftab

SitNews - Letter: Senator Stevens is our superhero By Dr. Parry Aftab

MySpace Targets Online Safety

MySpace Targets Online Safety

Chicago Tribune news : Technology

Chicago Tribune news : Technology

mysan.de - be updated - Postal Service�s Web Site Voted Best Among Government Agencies

mysan.de - be updated - Postal Service�s Web Site Voted Best Among Government Agencies

Schools work to stop bullies behind screens: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Schools work to stop bullies behind screens: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

MySpace Partners with WiredSafety.org to Educate Users and Implement Best Practices Online

MySpace Partners with WiredSafety.org to Educate Users and Implement Best Practices Online

Thursday, April 21, 2005

AOL and safe chat

I was recently asked by a journalist about AOL and safe chat. It was in connection with litigation. I explained that I could not comment on ongoing litigation and could speak about AOL's history as one of the safest services online for children.

We discussed that ISPs face more liability for taking on monitoring at all. And AOL is one of the few services that bothered to try and keep children safe within their channels. That's why time and time again WiredKids and WiredSafety have presented AOL with recognition and awards for their safety and security programs for children.

Unfortunately, when asked about their hiring and screening practices, I responded as a cyberspace lawyer, and explained that I did not know what they did. (Although I indicated that, knowing AOL, they probably would have taken proper precautions.) I then explained that any issue about employees isn't about safe chat, it was a legal issue of hiring practices. But when I was identified as both a lawyer and a child safety expert, the comment took on an implication that was unintended and untrue.

The comment, standing alone, made it appear that I was critical of AOL. I am not.
I think they are one of the few places where kids can chat safely online.

People who know me know that I am never shy about criticizing big companies. I do what I think is right for kids and a safer Internet. So, if I had been critical of AOL, I would have been quite clear about what I felt was wrong. But I wasn't. Not here.

I was clarifying the legal issue, as a lawyer. Explaining that the allegations, if proven in court, had nothing to do with safe chat.

When long interviews are taken, and shorter articles are written, many wish that the quotes used were different from the one actually used. We may wish that a different spin was taken. But much ends up on the editors' cuttingroom floor.

To be fair to AOL, I spoke at length about how good they are for kids.
They have clarified their hiring practices and screening practices. I have always had faith in them, that hasn't changed.

Parry

Monday, February 14, 2005

The Privacy Lawyer- about Katiesplace.org

The Privacy Lawyer

KatiesPlace.org

KatiesPlace.org

InformationWeek > What you can do > Editor's Note: IT Needs To Fight Child Pornography > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > What you can do > Editor's Note: IT Needs To Fight Child Pornography > February 14, 2005

Child Pornography ... Behind Every Picture There's Pain

Child Pornography ... Behind Every Picture There's Pain

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Raising Public Awareness > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Raising Public Awareness > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Law Enforcement > The Privacy Lawyer: The Pain Behind The Pictures > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Law Enforcement > The Privacy Lawyer: The Pain Behind The Pictures > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Picture This: Should Google Filter Its Image Database? > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Picture This: Should Google Filter Its Image Database? > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Technology And The Fight Against Child Porn > February 14, 2005

InformationWeek > Child Pornography > Technology And The Fight Against Child Porn > February 14, 2005

US Child Pornography Laws Post-Free Speech Coalition

US Child Pornography Laws Post-Free Speech Coalition

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Saturday, January 22, 2005

When people are used by others to harass someone online - don't believe everything you read online.

Cyberharassment or Cyberbullying by Proxy
(or third party cyberharassment or cyberbullying)

Often people who misuse the Internet to target others do it using accomplices. These accomplices, unfortunately, are often unsuspecting. They know they are communicating irate or provocative messages, but don’t realize that they are being manipulated by the real cyberharasser or cyberbully. That’s the beauty of this type of scheme. The attacker merely prods the issue by creating indignation or emotion on the part of others, can sit back and let others do their dirty work. Then, when legal action or other punitive actions are taken against the accomplice, the real attacker can claim that they never instigated anything and no one was acting on their behalf. They claim innocence and blame their accomplices, unwitting or not. And their accomplices have no legal leg to stand on.

It’s brilliant and very powerful. It is also one of the most dangerous kinds of cyberharassment or cyberbullying. Children do this often using AOL or another ISP as their “proxy” or accomplice. When they engage in a “notify” or “warning” war, they are using this method to get the ISP to view the victim as the provocateur. A notify or warning war is when one child provokes another, until the victim lashes back. When they do, the real attacker clicks the warning or notify button on the text screen. This captures the communication and flags it for the ISP’s review. If the ISP finds that the communication violated their terms of service agreement (which most do) they may take action. Some accounts allow several warnings before formal action is taken. But the end result is the same. The ISP does the attacker’s dirty work when they close or suspend the real victim’s account for a terms of service violation. Most knowledgeable ISPs know this and are careful to see if the person being warned is really being set-up.

Sometimes children use the victim’s own parents as unwitting accomplices. They provoke the victim and when the victim lashes back, they save the communication and forward it to the parents of the victim. The parents often believe what they read, and without having evidence of the prior provocations, think that their own child “started it.”
This works just as easily in a school disciplinary environment.

Unfortunately, while many who work with children are aware of this tactic, few adults are. Online media is often used to do someone’s dirty work in a cyberharassment campaign, without realizing it. And many netizens are manipulated as well. When something may be true if it appears once online and becomes Gospel if it appears twice, where scams, fraud and con artists abound, thinking that they are anonymous or can’t be held accountable for their actions, where misinformation and hype thrives, this isn’t surprising. There is something about the typed word online to make people think it must be true if someone said it.

This creates problems for those being attacked by accomplices who think they understand the truth and think they are doing something right. Our advice has always been to ignore these things, and they will usually run their course. Media attention and public denials only feed the motives of the person behind the attacks. And are rarely heard or believed by the accomplices.
So, if something is believed if not denied, but denials only make it worse, how do people deal with these kinds of attacks? Usually, if anyone bothered to check things out, they would find out that any accusations aren’t true. This is especially effective when a second or third campaign attempts to build on the first. A statement may sound true. And in the short term may not be clearly untrue. But when enough time passes and the claims don’t pan out, most accomplices aren’t mislead a second or third time. It usually dies out faster. Rarely are members of the media caught on the second or third round. They have their reputations on the line. Good journalists don’t repeat unfounded rumors and usually understand that they are being used.

But there are always accomplices who have problems understanding that they are being used. Sometimes they have their own agendas. Public figures are very familiar with people who attack them for their own motives, either to get their fifteen minutes of fame or to get revenge, or in some cases for financial rewards. Some may be emotionally disturbed, or have problems with social communications. Some people are just mean and rude. And some are inordinately gullible. And the common sense that should filter their actions online may not be present.

These people may not understand that their attacks, if designed to hurt someone’s reputation may be defamatory and subject them to lawsuits and in some cases harassment charges. They may not understand that they can be tracked quite easily most of the time and held accountable for their actions. They may not understand that their actions, while they may believe they are noble and right, may be a terms of service violation and cost them their online accounts.

I often point to my articles for children teaching them what to believe and what to distrust online. Unfortunately, these gullible people or people with their own agendas don’t have the sense that many seven year olds do. They repeat rumors, and take action. And find themselves facing liability when the person who started it all hides behind them. They should know that repeating lies, even if you read them online, is no excuse under the law.

A caution to all who believe things without confirming their accuracy: Silence should not be confused with an admission of guilt or confirmation that a lie told by someone is true. Sometimes silence is smarter, especially when the real fight may not occur online at all. The smarter ones don’t fight their battles in the public online, not when defamation or harassment is involved.

Just a reminder to think before you click. Otherwise you have become what you say you are fighting. You have become a cyberharasser or cyberbully yourself. Don’t be used. Use your head.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Sri Lankan and Thailand Orphanages and pedophiles

The above case included the following reference:

"The court based the upward departure on several
factors. First, the "she[e]r volume" of child
pornography involved in this case "was not * * *
adequately taken into consideration by the
Guidelines." Sent. Tr. 78; see also Judgment 6.02.
Second, petitioner "sexually molested numerous
children aside from the identified victim in this
case." Judgment 6.02; see also Sent. Tr. 78. Third,
petitioner "t[ook] advantage" of the Big Brothers
Program, the purpose of which is to help children in
need of male supervision, for "his own sexual
depravity"; by becoming a Big Brother, petitioner
"completely thwart[ed] the entire purpose of the
program, besmirch[ing] [its] image [and the image of]
other [such] programs." Sent. Tr. 78-79; see also
Judgment 6.02. Fourth, petitioner was involved in
NAMBLA (the North American Man Boy Love Association),
an organization that promotes sexual relations between
children and adults by supporting a foster home in
Thailand that sexually exploits children. Judgment
6.02; see also Sent. Tr. 77-79 (petitioner and known
pedophiles supported foster homes in Thailand in order
to have unlimited access to young boys, as evidenced
by a number of Polaroid pictures, provided by Thai
officials, depicting petitioner with young Thai boys
sitting on his lap). Fifth, petitioner's criminal
history category significantly underrepresented the
seriousness of his criminal history and the likelihood
that he would commit future crimes. Sent. Tr. 78-79;
Judgment 6.02. The court also found that petitioner
had failed to notify authorities of his change of residence,which he was required to do as a convicted sex offender. Sent. Tr. 78; Judgment 6.02."


No. 01-571: Tampico v. United States - Response (Hold) - Debbie Mahoney's case

No. 01-571: Tampico v. United States - Response (Hold)

Man Boy Love Association book should be banned - The Daily Campus - Commentary

Man Boy Love Association book should be banned - The Daily Campus - Commentary

SOC-UM | NAMBLA Updates - North American Man/Boy Love Association

SOC-UM | NAMBLA Updates - North American Man/Boy Love Association

Child Molesters - Debbie Mahoney's story

BBC News | ASIA-PACIFIC | Asia's child sex tourism rising

BBC News | ASIA-PACIFIC | Asia's child sex tourism rising

Pedophiles and Sri Lanka Orphanges - what the media has not yet learned

Welcome to the Vancouver Courier - On Line - News for years we have known that pedophile groups have owned and controlled orphanges in Thailand and Sri Lanka to make it easier to raise the children ot molest. Rather like child sex farms, there are the places or torture and sexual abuse, rape and death, with customers flooding in from the West on sex trade junkets. Our Innocence in Danger program, first established by UNESCO in 1999 will be working on overseeing the orphan issues and ways to keep the sexual preedator groups away from the Tsunami orphans.

Net Bullies...preventing and handling cyberbullying and harassment - all about cyberbullying, my website

Net Bullies...preventing and handling cyberbullying and harassment

Students Arrested for Cyber Bullying - cybstalking law used to arrest cyberbulies.

Students Arrested for Cyber Bullying