Learn About Internet Safety with John Walsh and Cox Take Charge!

My oldest daughter just completed first grade and while I knew she was taking a computer class, I did not understand exactly how computer literate she had become.  In a short time, she learned how to type, use the mouse, create a document in Word, play games and surf the Web.  My husband and I instantly started placing parental controls on the laptops that my daughter used regularly.  But it wasn’t until I found her surfing the Web on my phone, that I even thought about creating controls on our mobile devices.

In a recent survey commissioned by Cox Communications in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), it was found that 95% of tweens surveyed use mobile devices to go online.  In this day and age, computers are not the only way to surf the Internet.  In fact, the average family has five devices capable of getting online which can include smartphones, tablets and gaming devices.

But the statistic that scared me the most was that 42% of tweens have received a personal message from someone they didn’t know and only 22% of parents knew about it.  With two young daughters, I know that my husband and I need to be on the forefront of Internet Safety. Fortunately, June is National Internet Safety Month!

On Thursday, June 28th at 6:00pm EST, join child advocate John Walsh on Twitter as he discusses online safety and answers questions from influential bloggers.  By following hashtag #CoxTakeCharge, you can follow the live stream.

Cox Louisiana will also host a state-wide Internet Safety Day during this Tweet Up, at each of their retail lobbies in Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  People that stop by one of these locations and pick up an Internet Safety brochure are eligible to enter to win a new iPad!