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Week Ending May 20, 2005

Senate Resolution 147 designating June 2005 as “National Internet Safety Month”

BRIEF

The Resolution offers a listing of disturbing statistics but offers no source from which the statistics came. Nevertheless, recent local news alone would alert parents and other concerned citizens that the Internet is becoming a dangerous place for children who are quick to learn how to use computers and master the practice of ‘surfing the Net’ even more quickly.

The Resolution preamble states that 90 percent of children in grades kindergarten through twelve use the Internet. Half say they trust who they ‘chat’ with on-line and 12 percent have been asked to meet face-to-face by someone on-line. Of that 12 percent 11.5 percent actually did meet face-to-face, the preamble asserts.

Sponsor: Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (May 18, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

S. Res. 147

Whereas in the United States, more than 90 percent of children in grades 5-12 now use computers;

Whereas 26 percent of children in grades 5-12 in the United States are online for more than 5 hours a week, and 12 percent of such children spend more time online than they do with their friends;

Whereas 53 percent of children and teens in the United States like to be alone when ``surfing'' the Internet, and 29 percent of such children believe their parents would either express concern, restrict their Internet use, or take away their computer if their parents knew where they were surfing on the Internet;

Whereas 32 percent of the Nation's students in grades 5-12 feel they have the skills to get past filtering software, and 31 percent of youths in the United States have visited an inappropriate place on the Internet, 18 percent of them more than once;

Whereas 51 percent of the Nation's students in grades 5-12 trust the people they chat with on the Internet;

Whereas 12 percent of the Nation's students in grades 5-12 have been asked by someone they chatted with on the Internet to meet face to face, and 11.5 percent of such students have actually met face to face with a stranger they chatted with on the Internet; and

Whereas 39 percent of youths in grades 5-12 in the United States admit to giving out their personal information, such as name, age, and gender over the Internet, and 14 percent of such youths have received mean or threatening email while on the Internet: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) designates June 2005 as ``National Internet Safety Month'';

(2) recognizes that National Internet Safety Month provides an opportunity to educate the people of the United States on the dangers of the Internet and the importance of being safe and responsible online;

(3) commends and recognizes national and community organizations for their work in promoting awareness of the dangers of the Internet and for providing information and training that develops the critical thinking and decision making skills needed to be safe online; and

(4) calls on Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, educators, community leaders, parents, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level of awareness in the United States regarding the need for online safety.

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