Marshall County Schools’ fifth- and sixth-graders attended an informative presentation on internet safety by expert Jesse Weinberger on Monday. Weinberger, who has a background in software development and has been focusing on internet safety for the past 15 years, addressed the positive and negative aspects of internet use, providing valuable insights to the young audience. The presentation, titled after her book “The Boogeyman Exists, and He’s in Your Child’s Back Pocket,” aimed to educate the students about the potential risks associated with social media, cyberbullying, sexting, and online predators.
Weinberger emphasized that children under 13 should not be permitted to use social media based on Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule recommendations. Weinberger highlighted alarming statistics, noting that the average age of onset for pornography consumption in children is 8 years, and addiction onset is 11 years old. She stressed that delaying social media access until at least 13 could help children avoid early exposure to harmful content.
Weinberger said we are setting our kids up for success by waiting longer to give them access to social media and devices.
Expert advice on social media risks
The more time people, both kids and adults, spend on devices, the higher the rates of depression and anxiety,” she added, pointing to research linking increased device use with mental health issues.
During the session, students also filled out anonymous surveys about their digital behavior, which Weinberger plans to review and present to parents in an upcoming session on March 18. This future presentation will educate parents about the risks of adolescent phone use and offer strategies for monitoring and guiding their children’s online activities. Weinberger noted the contradiction often observed in family dynamics where parents enforce digital rules inconsistently.
“Parents tell their children they cannot be on their phone at the dinner table, but then dad is checking his phone during dinner,” she pointed out. The March 18 presentation, set to take place at the John Marshall High School Performing Arts Center from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., will be free and open to the public. It aims to help parents recognize and address dangerous online behaviors such as sexting, sexual predation, and the use of apps to hide illicit materials.
We’re ALL hoping they will make an online presentation for the rest of us with kids.
Weinberger’s dedication to online safety underscores the importance of community awareness and proactive steps to protect young internet users.
Image Credits: Photo by Ludovic Toinel on Unsplash
Cameron is a highly regarded contributor in the rapidly evolving fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. His articles delve into the theoretical underpinnings of AI, the practical applications of machine learning across industries, ethical considerations of autonomous systems, and the societal impacts of these disruptive technologies.
