FBI addresses online safety to middle school students in Caledonia
CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Having an online presence has its benefits and drawbacks. That’s why it’s important to start early teaching children the importance of online safety and awareness.
To help with that, the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus took its program, ‘Unfilter the Not-So-Pretty Side of Social Media,’ to Caledonia Middle School.
And they had back-up from the FBI.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation sees many cases of cyberstalking, cyber-bullying, exploitation, sextortion, and related crimes.
Often, the initial contact is made online.
Special Agent Molly Blythe said young people having frequent contact with strangers makes it more likely that someone will try to take advantage of them and put them in a bad situation.
“If you look at the number of teenagers and even younger children that have devices with social media, you realize how many opportunities there are out there for them to be harmed,” Blythe.
Many times, the children don’t want to tell anyone because they are embarrassed and ashamed.
“I see a fear of not being believed or of losing the respect of their family or the device that they are attached to. I also see children having a lot of privacy before they’re ready for it, being able to have their devices alone in their bathrooms, alone in their bedrooms overnight, which provides even more opportunities for something bad to happen,” Blythe.
Student Mckenzi Holocher explains why she feels these situations can be hard for people her age.
“I feel like a lot of people my age don’t understand what can happen online and what happens behind the scenes whenever something bad happens or whenever you encounter a predator,” Holocher said. “A lot of kids my age don’t know how to take the right steps to stay safe on it. A lot of them probably don’t go to their parents about it because they’re worried about how their reaction will be.”
Principal Jeannie Jernigan hopes students come away with tools to protect themselves and be more responsible.
“Our young people are very vulnerable when they have access to phones with Internet,” Jernigan said. “They have access to the world. But that means the world also has access to them. They are so impressionable at this age. They don’t have the experience yet. We have to as adults, teach them how to be responsible when they’re using these technologies.
Columbus Junior Auxiliary members said Middle school can be exciting but also difficult.
“It’s a scary time, but it’s a time of like, you know, that’s where we’re at in the world these days,” Candace Blanton, Provisional Member of Junior Auxiliary Columbus. “So that’s how we chose this age to be able to mold them and help them be aware of maybe things before they even get involved and stuff like that. Just tips and tricks to know how to stay safe and to be comfortable in their own skin and to know how to stay away from things that, you know, potentially harm them.”
“Making them aware of that, but also making them aware that if it does happen, find a safe person,” Kellum Hawk, Provisional Member of Junior Auxiliary Columbus. “Find someone to talk to, letting them know that we’re a resource. The FBI is a resource. There’s, you know, private numbers that you can call just raise the red flag because it is happening to you, is happening to someone else right beside you.”
Blythe said her goal is to inform young people about these dangers, so they will not become victims. She said if you are put in a situation like this, you are not alone, so don’t go through it alone.
“Remember that everybody gets embarrassed and when you feel embarrassed, that’s the hardest time to share. But it’s also the most important time to share. This is happening to lots of people, and so let other people who have had the experience help you through it because it will get better, block the person, report it to the app, and then tell your parents so that you don’t have to deal with this alone,” Blythe said.
The Junior Auxiliary of Columbus said they plan to bring this program to more schools across the county.
