The Salt Lake City, Utah Police Department has joined at least a dozen other police departments across the U.S. in their effort to make more “friends” on the popular website MySpace.  In the past year departments from Newburyport, MA; Tampa and Miami, FL; Denver, CO; and Arlington County, VA have all created a MySpace homepage of their own in aim of stopping crime and catching criminals.

          “It’s my hope that parents with children who have MySpace pages will recognize the value in choosing the police as a top friend.  Our imposing logo is a warning to online predators that a MySpace user has friends in the department,” said Chris Burbank, Salt Lake City Police Chief.

          If you don’t already know, MySpace is a popular social networking site, especially among teenagers.  Users can post photos, videos and blogs.  In fact, it’s so popular, that according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study, 64 % of all teenagers use MySpace or similar websites as a way to communicate.  That’s why law enforcement agencies across the country are following the trend, posting MySpace pages to extend their services into the virtual world.  “We recognize that protecting children today means using the tools of social networking sites like MySpace,” Burbank said.
          MySpace has over 300 million users.  Among them are sometimes people with bad intentions.  They’re called online predators and they pose as teens trying to meet young boys and girls.  According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, one in seven youths between the ages of 10 and 17 has been solicited or approached online by a sexual predator.

          In addition to just creating a presence, MySpace police pages are featuring videos from burglaries and robberies, pictures of wanted criminals, and blogs by police officers. 

          Security World News briefly interviewed Salt Lake City Police Spokesperson Lara Jones about the department joining MySpace and what we can do to protect our children online.

Security World News:

Has there been a problem in Utah with children being exposed on MySpace?  Any one case in particular?

Lara Jones:

Regarding any problems with MySpace – no, this isn’t the result of any one case.  Rather, it’s a proactive solution to what our society has seen evolve on MySpace.

Security World News:

Can you give me the top three tips to keeping your kids safe on-line?

Lara Jones:

Regarding tips to keeping kids safe online, I refer you to ICAC from the Attorney General’s office: http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/905.html.  There are some great tips at this location.

Security World News:

Here’s what the tips include:

 Rules for Safe Surfing

Chat Rooms

Chat rooms may seem like a great way to meet new people, but remember:

                You never know who is there.

                People you meet online are not always who they seem to be.

                Nothing you type is private, so never give out any personal information

E-mail

E-mail makes it easy to stay in touch with friends, but to play it safe:

                It's best not to respond to an e-mail from someone you don't know.

                Don't open files attached to e-mails from someone you don't know.

Exploring the Web

The Internet is a great place to do research for school, shop, and learn more about your hobbies, but for your safety and privacy:

                Avoid "adults only" websites and if you encounter adult material, leave the site immediately.

                If you go to a website that requires you to provide personal information to gain access, ask your parents first.

                Get a parent's permission before buying anything online.

          Talk to a parent or other trusted adult about any information, images, or contacts you encounter that make you feel uncomfortable or seem inappropriate.