“Framework for a Safe Internet”: Rep. Wasserman Schultz on the new responsibilities in an Internet age
[This is the eighth in a series of posts featuring key points and issues discussed at Safe Internet Alliance’s event on Capitol Hill on October 20th, “Framework For A Safe Internet: Know the facts, understand the issues, shape the future.”]
Unable to attend the conference personally, Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz submitted a video recording that was played before the audience.
"The job closest to my heart is being a mother with kids, and as one of only a handful of mothers in Congress, I approach today's topic as a web savvy mom," she said. "The Internet is a wonderful tool, but also a pathway for risky behavior. The same Internet that allows our children to create, study, and explore the world, also enables minors to post nude photos online. The same Internet that allows children to organize clubs and volunteer, also provides a way for people to harass their school mates relentlessly, anonymously, publicly and after the school day has long ended."
Rep. Wasserman Schultz said that kids are spending more time online than in front of the television, and that 89% of teenagers have profiles on social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook. About four in 10 kids have used the Internet to post lies about their fellow students, and nearly one in five teenagers admit to sexting nude photos of themselves to peers. These actions, she said, have devastating consequences.
"So what do we do about it?" she asked. "There's no one answer. We can continue to shut our eyes to these realities, or we can tackle this problem head on. I believe we must usher in a new era of Internet safety and crime prevention. I myself have held three Internet safety town halls in my district, but as individuals and parents we can't do this alone."