Delaware State Officials, Partnership for a Child-Safe Internet and Verizon Team...

Delaware State Officials, Partnership for a Child-Safe Internet and Verizon
Team Up to Protect Children on the World Wide Web
Panel of Experts Identifies Dangers, Offers Tips to Parents, Caregivers and
Teachers at Free, Public Event

DOVER, Del., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to keep children safe on
the Internet and raise awareness of how to avoid the dangers that lurk online,
key Delaware officials joined forces with Partnership for a Child-Safe
Internet and Verizon Saturday (Feb. 9) in an interactive town hall meeting and
panel discussion.
WPVI-TV 6 (ABC) Action News Reporter Lauren Wilson moderated the free,
public event at the Sheraton Dover Hotel.
"The Internet is a wonderful educational tool for our youth and a fun,
easy way for them to interact with people their own age," said William R.
Allan, president of Verizon Delaware. "But it's important for parents and
educators to teach our children about the Internet the same way we teach them
about other things that require responsibility and care like driving a car.
"Providing a safe online environment for children is a priority for
Verizon," Allan added. "We are proud to join the attorney general's office
and other state and local leaders to bring this valuable information to the
community."
Panelists for the forum were Delaware Deputy Attorney General Donald
Roberts; Robin Raskin (The Internet Mom); Dennis Shaw, chief operating officer
of Internet safety pioneer iSafe; Mary Kozakiewicz of The Alicia Project,
whose daughter was a victim of an Internet luring and abduction; and Michael
McKeehan, Verizon's executive director of Internet & technology policy. Other
special guests included Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, Delaware Attorney
General Beau Biden, state Education Secretary Valerie Woodruff and DoverMayor
Carleton Carey Sr.
Participants discussed the challenges of keeping children safe on the
Internet and the issues facing families in dealing with online safety and
security.
Verizon is engaged in Internet safety on multiple fronts. The company
provides customers with an industry-leading slate of online cyber-security
tools and educational programs that empower parents and children. Verizon
also works closely with law enforcement to assist with investigations
involving crimes against children, and with partners such as iSAFE
(http://www.isafe.org/verizon/) to deliver tools and information to various
segments of the community. To learn more about keeping your family safe
online, visit www.thinkfinity.org/internetsafety for links to free resources.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a
leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication
innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.
Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving
nearly 66 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include
Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to
customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the
benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services
over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company,
Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 235,000 and last year generated
consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit
www.verizon.com.
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches
and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other
information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at
www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News
Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news
releases.
SOURCE Verizon

Sandra Arnette, +1-302-576-5410, sandra.u.arnette@verizon.com