The Idaho Attorney General's Office continues to be concerned about sexual predators seeking victims via the Internet.
"Searching for child victims by online predators is a continuing issue—there's no reason to believe that will diminish," attorney general spokesman Bob Cooper said Tuesday.
In a recent visit to the Idaho Mountain Express, Cooper and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden delivered two dozen DVDs of ProtecTeens, a video presentation developed by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa. It is intended to help Idahoans learn about the dangers of Internet sexual predators. Although the latest version of the DVD, ProtecTeens 3.0, was produced in 2010, Cooper said the information is still timely.
A limited number of DVDs is available for free at the Idaho Mountain Express office at 591 First Ave. North in Ketchum. The DVD also can be ordered for free from the attorney general's office at www.ag.idaho.gov/internetSatety.
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The DVD is 37 minutes long. It provides information on Internet lingo, tells parents where their children may encounter a sexual predator online and provides information about how to protect children and report possible crimes.
"There is evidence that thousands of Idaho children receive unwanted sexual material or solicitations over the Internet every year," Wasden stated in a press release.
"The attorney general believes that the best thing parents can do is to know what their kids are doing online and who they're connecting to online," Cooper said. "ProtecTeens was an effort by the attorney general so that parents can be better informed to protect their kids."
The Attorney General's Office also will provide speakers to any community group that would like a presentation on the dangers of online sexual predators. Arrangements can be made through the attorney general website at www.ag.idaho.gov.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
