Promoting a culture of safety, respect and responsibility for #youth and #families in this digital world - on the #Internet and in #social #media. Empowering today's youth to make wise choices in their digital lives - on the Internet and in social media. http://www.webwisekids.org Mission: Empowering Today's Youth and Adults to Make Wise Choices Online Child predators use the Internet to build trusting relationships with children who are willing to share personal details of their lives. A critical issue facing today's culture is social networking sites -- and now the issue is moving to cell phones. The World Wide Web has become an extremely valuable educational tool for today's youth. However, the Internet has a dark side! According to the latest surveys, one in five kids have been sexually solicited online.1 Even more frightening, over 50 percent of kids surveyed thought that it was okay to disclose personal information to a stranger they met online.2 Internet victimization of youth occurs at school, at home, in after-school programs, and in the library -- anywhere kids go online. Middle school students are increasingly at risk of falling prey to Internet luring, and online teens frequently communicate with people they have never met: 54% have instant messaged a stranger. 50% have emailed a stranger. 45% have participated in a chat room discussion with a stranger. 56% of teens said that they have been asked personal questions such as their age, sex, or location online by someone they have never met. One in five 21% reported that a person they only know through online communication has asked to meet them. 35% of teens said they have become "close" with someone they met online. (Omnibuzz Research, October 2005)