New NetSmartz411 Internet Safety Hotline Helps Prevent Dangerous Online

Situations Parents can call experts at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children An alarming increase in the number of incidents of adults enticing children online for sexual acts spurred immediate response from the Qwest Foundation to fund a resource that offers immediate help and it’s as easy as picking up the telephone and dialing 1-888-NETS411. The scary news is: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children announced that there were four times as many reports of online sexual enticement of children to the CyberTipline. That number rose from 2,660 in 2005 to 11,386 in 2007. Although many groups are trying to raise online safety awareness through seminars and community forums, NCMEC decided it was time to grant the public access to CyberTipline experts in an effort to PREVENT online crime as well as accept reports after it has occurred. The NetSmartz411 experts are highly trained, skilled professionals with an exceptionally high level of Internet knowledge. They are full-time employees of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and are trained in all areas of the Internet and emerging technologies used by child predators. This includes social networking websites newsgroups, chat rooms, E-mail instant messaging, online video games and peer-to-peer technologies. These are the individuals who work closely with law enforcement officers and industry leaders such as Qwest to stay one step ahead of these child predators. The project is an expansion of NetSmartz411.organ online help desk that was established in Feb 2007. Conversation promotes clarity, and often parents arent sure of the questions they need to ask, although they may sense potential danger. Now all they have to do is ask. Parents can call NetSmartz411’s tipline 1-888-NETS411- Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. 8 p.m. ET. Members of the U.S. Congress will present four, Spirit of Online Safety Awards to educators and police officers recognizing their outstanding efforts to PREVENT cybercrime. The award presentation will take place at noon, Thursday, April 3, in Washington D.C. Ernie Allen, President & CEO as well as co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping protect children from abduction and sexual exploitation. Paula Kruger, executive vice president, and leader of Qwest’s online safety initiatives, represents Qwest on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=47257