Attorney General Bill McCollum today joined US Attorneys for the unveiling of the Public Service Announcement campaign encouraging internet safe specifically for children. The move received an official endorsement from the Florida Sheriffs Association for the CyberCrimes Against Children Act of 2007, a critical piece of legislation intended to strengthen the fight against those who commit internet crimes against children.

The “Think Before You Post” campaign is designed to educate teenage girls about the potential dangers of posting and sharing personal information online.

Teenage girls are found to be particularly at risk of online sexual exploitation because of posting and sharing information, pictures and videos, which may make them more vulnerable to online predators.

The bill will strengthen penalties for the possession or distribution of child pornography. Additionally, the bill creates a new, separate penalty against sexual predators who communicate with a child online and then travel to meet that child for the specific purpose of further abusing him or her. The maximum prison terms will increase threefold from five years in prison to 15 years.

The legislation will also increase penalties when an offender misrepresents his age in order to seduce a child over the Internet.

“Nothing is more important than keeping our children safe from the people who seek to victimize them over the internet,” said Attorney General McCollum. “These people will stop at nothing to exploit Florida’s children and we must do everything within our power to keep them away from our children and put them behind bars.”

Today, more than 77 million American children regularly use the internet, and the statistics on child pornography are alarming.

The most effective way to combat the growing number of internet crimes against children is through education and community awareness. Heavier penalties may reduce crime rate but this is not as effective as education and community awareness. Likewise, there is a need for an effective working relation with statewide law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources and expertise.

Related:

Entry was posted on Sunday, March 25th, 2007 at 8:38 pm under Legal, Technology.

Read more entries by Ruben Francia.
Stumble It!