Internet safety just as important for adults as it is for kids - KOAM TV 7

Internet safety just as important for adults as it is for kids

Modern technology opens doors to information for students but it can also reveal private information about them to predators.

That's the message from Tom Durkin, the public education director with the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

He is talking about Internet safety to students at Joplin's North Middle School.

Students learned about new cyber-bullying laws and that 700 boys and girls were abducted last year because they revealed information on social networking sites.

Durkin says many kids and adults do not realize how they put themselves at risk.

"We have adults who post on Facebook - 'George and I can't wait to go to Hawaii next week' - now we've told the entire world when's a good time to break into their home," says Durkin.  "I don't think people are cognizant of the long term effect of this technology we now have access to and that there's some really nasty people out there who will take advantage of us."

North Middle School has also added its own technology ethics program taught for a full week in computer classes to all sixth graders.