For Release: Oct. 17, 2006
Contact: David Clementson
Email: jtmartin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell’s Youth Internet Safety Task Force Meets in Virginia Beach
Features Va.Beach P.D. Undercover Demo, MySpace, Google
VIRGINIA BEACH – Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s Youth Internet Safety Task Force held its third statewide meeting today, this time at Cox High School in Virginia Beach. The meeting featured an online undercover demonstration by the Virginia Beach Police Department, as well as presentations from MySpace and Google.
Speaking about the Youth Internet Safety Task Force, Attorney General McDonnell has noted, “In many ways the Internet has emerged as the ‘new frontier’ for law enforcement. It is a tool of incredible promise and opportunity, but at the same time we have seen criminals use it to commit unspeakable acts of violence and depravity. We have to do more to keep children safe online.”
Today’s meeting was highlighted by the online undercover demonstration by Detective Mike Encarnacao from the Virginia Beach Police Department. Detective Encarnacao demonstrated how his Special Investigative Division goes undercover online to catch sex predators trolling the internet for children. In addition to this demonstration, participants heard from the Attorney General, and members of the public. The meeting concluded with lengthy meetings of the three working groups within the Task Force.
Among those joining Attorney General McDonnell for today’s event were representatives from MySpace, Microsoft, Yahoo!, the FBI, America Online/Time-Warner, Sony and Google, plus U.S. Attorney John Brownlee, Delegate John Cosgrove (R-Chesapeake), Virginia PTA President Dianne Florence, and other educators, legislators, law enforcement leaders and parent activists.
"Bob McDonnell's Youth Internet Safety Task Force brings together partners in the technology realm, like MySpace, with concerned parents and educators," said Rick Lane, VP of Government Affairs for News Corp., representing MySpace.com. "Today in Virginia Beach, we joined forces to help Virginia stay on the forefront of keeping children safe from the risks on the Internet."
With leaders from prominent Internet companies, educators, parents, elected officials and law enforcement, Bob McDonnell’s Youth Internet Safety Task Force aims to identify solutions to the growing problem of sex offenders and other criminals using the Internet to target children. The Youth Internet Safety Task Force Task Force meets again in November in Roanoke, and will release its final report in Richmond later this year.
