AG Kaul Reminds Wisconsinites about Internet Safety Resources on Safer Internet Day

MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul is reminding Wisconsinites that today is Safer Internet Day and in the current era of online learning and communication, the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force offers several internet safety programs and resources for children and parents in Wisconsin.

“Safer Internet Day provides an opportunity to remind ourselves of the dangers that can be present on the internet,” said Attorney General Kaul. “By practicing internet safety, we can help prevent cybercrime.”

In a new video released today by ConnectSafely.org, DOJ ICAC Program & Policy Analyst Dana Miller talks about internet safety, including how to recognize online child exploitation and how to report suspected activity to ICAC. ConnectSafely.org is a nonprofit dedicated to educating users of connected technology about safety, privacy, and security. The ConnectSafely.org video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cbcyYcTmYM&feature=youtu.be.

Wisconsin DOJ also released the third installment of DOJ’s ‘interact!‘ online internet safety training modules today. Interact! is a collaborative project with the Wisconsin Department of Instruction (DPI) that was designed for parents to complete with their children with the goal of sparking online safety discussions in the home. More information about interact! and the new training module can be found here: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dci/icac/social-networking-sites.

The Wisconsin ICAC Task Force also produces an educational podcast called Protect Kids Online (PKO). It serves as a resource for parents, grandparents, guardians, or caregivers of children to learn about tips for combating online child exploitation and sextortion, internet safety laws, cyberbullying, protecting your child from strangers online, safe sharing tips and more. During 2020, the PKO podcast was downloaded over 6,000 times. PKO podcast episodes can be found here: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dci/icac/protect-kids-online-pko-podcast.

Finally, the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force conducts investigations and prosecutes offenders of internet crime, as well as providing investigative and prosecutorial assistance to police agencies and prosecutors. The ICAC Task Force also administers training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors. It also coordinates internet safety education so parents, teachers, and other community members stay well-informed. The Task Force includes 296 affiliate agencies in Wisconsin and provided internet safety information to over 10,000 individuals in 2020.

Find more information and resources on internet safety here: https://icac.widoj.gov.

Press Release: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/ag-kaul-reminds-wisconsinites-about-internet-safety-resources-safer-internet-day