Norwalk, CT – With the Internet and social networking sites so prevalent in the lives of today’s children and teens, ensuring a positive and safe online experience is critical. Committed to protecting children online, Stepping Stones Museum for Children presents a youth forum on “Internet Safety and Digital Permanence” on Sunday, January 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the museum’s Multimedia Gallery. The forum is free and open to the public.
The forum was organized by members of Youth Enrichment at Stepping Stones (YES2), a training and mentorship program for students in seventh to twelfth grade. YES2 students will serve as both moderator and panelists, creating an open dialogue with audience members. The forum also features guest speaker Richard J. Colangelo, Jr., a senior assistant state attorney in the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk. Colangelo has specialized in cases of child exploitation, including those involving the Internet, throughout his career.
Topics of discussion include Internet safety issues, such as preventing identity theft, protecting against online predators and dealing with cyberbullying. Panelists and Colangelo will also discuss digital permanence, online reputation and the long-term implications that posting content and photos online can have on today’s youth.
An increasingly important topic, digital permanence refers to the fact that every piece of information someone publishes on the Internet can be accessible forever and once it’s online an individual loses control over how that content is used and where it reappears. The forum will address how comments, actions, or images posted online can threaten scholarships, college admission, job prospects and relationships.
This is the first of three youth forums planned for 2012.
The event is free and open to the public and those planning to attend are asked to register by calling 203 899 0606, ext. 277.
