DOJ in Daphne to discuss digital dangers

DAPHNE, Ala. (WALA) - The Department of Justice, through 'Project Safe Childhood,' is joining forces with parents across south Alabama to teach them more about the digital dangers on the Internet.

Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office spoke at Bayside Academy in Daphne Wednesday night about Internet safety, offering advice and different tool’s to protect children and their reputations.

Tips for Parents and Web Safety

“If they have a laptop or an iPad or any of the applications or units that they can take into their bedrooms, in 10 seconds they can be anywhere in the world talking to anybody about anything,” said Tommy Loftis with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Law enforcement officials said it is not easy to monitor so many new mobile phone apps, websites and other social media tools.

Experts said with sexting, cyber bullying and stalker on the rise, it’s important to teach children how to protect themselves and their reputations.

“It’s a daunting task. And as an educator, I can speak to it. We're trying to stay up with it as much as we can on campus as well,” said Bayside Academy Headmaster Peter Huestis.

Recommended by Experts: Free Monitoring and Filtering Web Content

More importantly, authorities said parents should monitor their kid’s activities and explain how a single inappropriate picture could damage one’s reputation further down the road.