Partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Operates the Free Internet Safety Helpdesk Website and Hotline

WASHINGTON – In marking its second anniversary at an event on Capitol Hill today, NetSmartz411, the “Internet Safety Helpdesk,” sponsored by the Qwest Foundation and operated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC), has provided more than 400,000 visitors with information about keeping kids safer while they surf the Web.

NetSmartz411 is a unique online resource where parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers, police and even kids get answers to their questions about Internet safety from experts at NCMEC. These highly skilled professionals are trained to understand all areas of emerging technologies and are well-versed in the online techniques used by child predators.

Top Educators from Five States Come to Seattle Seeking Solutions to Growing Problem

SEATTLE — Recent research conducted for the National Crime Prevention Council found that 43 percent of teens ages 13 to 18 were victims of cyberbullying in the last year. Cyberbullying, the act of using the Internet via computers, cell phones or PDAs to be cruel and harmful to others, has become more frequent among young people due to the increasing popularity of social networking sites, blogging and microblogging.

To address the growing issue of cyberbullying, the Qwest Foundation® will host top educators from several states to present a first-of-its-kind cyberbullying prevention curriculum funded by the Qwest Foundation and created by Mike Donlin, project manager for prevention-intervention and technology services at Seattle Public Schools. Donlin and educators from Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Oregon and Washington, as well as key Qwest executives, will gather at Hamilton International Middle School in Seattle on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. to review and discuss the program, which was implemented in Seattle middle schools this fall.

These days, it’s not uncommon for children to be more tech-savvy than the adults in their lives. As a result, adults often find it difficult to understand or relate to what kids are doing online.  Qwest believes informed parents and guardians are better equipped to create a positive online experience for their families. To help with this, Qwest has partnered with Linda R. Young, Ph.D., a family therapist with more than 20 years of counseling experience, to develop a free, downloadable handbook: Understanding A Child's Virtual World.

In the handbook, parents and guardians will learn about topics such as how technology is changing relationships, communicating with teens in ways that change behavior, and more.

The entire guide can be downloaded for free here.

Recently, Nick Yee surveyed more than 300 parents who play online games to find out how they manage their child’s online activities differently than parents who don’t play. He’s also been traveling the country talking with more than 350 teens over the past year about their experiences in virtual worlds and how involved their parents are in their online activities.

This podcast reveals key findings from Nick’s research and surveys, offering ideas to help parents set reasonable guidelines and provide opportunities to leverage their children’s online activities into broader discussions about social interaction and values.

Ever wonder when to set your child up with his or her first cell phone? Or exactly how much your child text messages? Or how to set appropriate rules for cell phone use within the home? You're not alone.

We asked parents and teens on the street to share their thoughts on cell phone use this back-to-school season.