Driving Smart on the Information Superhighway
Get Net Safe and LINC III are preparing Boston's youth to be global citizens.
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| Mayor Thomas M. Menino, City of Boston |
Next week, Bostonians have a unique opportunity to gain invaluable skills for living in the age of the Internet. As part of a national campaign called Get Net Safe, a broad coalition of technology, education, government and advocacy organizations are sponsoring school assemblies, workshops for teachers and community forums to raise awareness of computer security and Internet safety.
Protection against online scams and other cybercrime has improved considerably in recent years, thanks to technology advances, new laws and strengthened law enforcement.
Yet, a recent nationwide poll found that 57 percent of computer users don't know how to effectively protect their personal information online, and more than four in 10 Americans say online threats are significantly compromising the value and potential of the Internet.
For a community like ours, with a strong high-tech presence, Internet safety is vital to our economic well-being and the growth of living-wage jobs. Moreover, teaching children (and their parents, older Americans and business leaders) how to stay protected online is key to the welfare of our community.
According to national surveys, one in five children under the age of 18 has received a sexual solicitation online, and 30 percent of teens have considered meeting strangers encountered online. Young and old alike face many other online dangers, such as viruses, hacker attacks and Internet fraud.
Just as automobile drivers - especially younger drivers - need to learn the rules of the road and how to watch for unexpected hazards, we all need knowledge and awareness of how to stay safe online.
Complementing the valuable efforts of the Get Net Safe co-sponsors, my office has joined with the Boston School Committee and Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant in making safety and security a top priority of LINC III, the three-year technology blueprint for the Boston Public Schools.
LINC III builds on a decade of successful collaboration that has put Boston schools at the forefront of integrating technology into the daily teaching and learning experiences of its students. The plan includes important training and awareness campaigns for teachers and students on computer and Internet safety.
Project Refresh, another initiative of the LINC III plan, was developed in conjunction with my Digital Bridge Foundation. Project Refresh will strengthen the district's ability to ensure digital access, despite fiscal constraints, through annual contributions of recently refurbished computers from partners in Boston's business community.
Preparing our students for the knowledge economy requires technology and the skills to use that technology. To keep moving forward, we must protect against the risks inherent in any new technology, while seizing the vast opportunities that the Internet offers as a powerful tool for learning, commerce and communication.
