DOJ & DPI Launch New Online Safety Tool for Families

Feb 5 2019

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, in partnership with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), is launching interact!, a new online safety resource for families.

 

“We have more work to do to raise awareness about the importance of online safety,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “This course, developed by experts at DOJ and DPI, will help Wisconsinites keep their families safe online.”

 

State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor draws connections between schools and families as partners in online safety. “Creating and maintaining safe and supportive schools includes internet usage and safety. This tool provides an opportunity for meaningful and important conversations among parents and guardians, their children, and their schools.”

 

Interact! is an online, interactive e-course created for parents and guardians to complete with their children with a goal of sparking basic online safety discussions in the home. This module takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, and provides parents with the opportunity to review their own tech use to set a good example; interactive activities to complete alongside their children; and follow-up resources and activities to keep the discussions going. 

 

Frequent discussions with parents about online activity have been shown to be the biggest influence on a child’s online behaviors. This e-course gives parents the opportunity to become the trusted adult in their child’s life. If the child sees something they don’t understand or that makes them uncomfortable, they know they have someone to reach out to. The e-course even provides some ideas on how to start and continue these discussions, along with some bonus tips to help break the ice on awkward topics.

 

To participate in the e-course, go to https://media.dpi.wi.gov/calt/cyber-safety/story_html5.html.

 

To receive more information from DOJ about online safety, subscribe to the Wisconsin ICAC Community & Parent newsletter, see archived publications, or contact icac@doj.state.wi.us.

 

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