October 5, 2006

LANSING – First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern today introduced new Internet safety resources to help Michigan parents protect their families from online predators. The tools include a children’s book and video to teach Internet safety and an online parent resource center to help parents prepare their children to use technology safely.
 
During the announcement, Mulhern read Faux Paw’s Internet Adventures to students at Glazer Elementary School in Detroit.  The book, distributed by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition, is part of a national campaign endorsed by governors and first spouses of all the states to help children use the Internet safely.
 
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our children,” Mulhern said.  “We are working hard to protect our children every day, and the Faux Paw books are a great tool to add to our arsenal.”
 
Joining Mulhern at the event were Jacalyn S. Leavitt, coalition chair, wife of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, and former Utah First Lady; Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano; Wayne County Sherriff Warren Evans; Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy; Representative Virgil Smith; Eleanor Josaitis, co-founder of Focus Hope; and representatives of the FBI, Detroit Public Schools, and Michigan State Police.

Through the adventures of Faux Paw the Techno Cat, the book teaches children how to keep personal information safe, to keep away from Internet strangers, and to keep telling their parents everything they see on the Internet.
 
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition has recently released a second book to help children with the emerging threat of cyber-bullying.
 
Parents can go to the coalition’s web site, iKeepSafe.org, to access free technical help, teaching tools, and critical resources that will help them to protect their children.  The resource center recommends parents keep current with technology, keep communicating with their children, and keep checking on their children’s Internet activity.

Protecting Michigan’s families continues to be a top priority for Governor Granholm’s administration.  Since taking office Granholm has:
 
• signed Jessica’s Law, creating a new 25-year mandatory minimum sentence for adults convicted of criminal sexual conduct where the victim is under the age of 13;  

• enacted tough new laws to protect Michigan children by keeping sex offenders away from schools and child care facilities;

• fought for legislation creating an Internet “do not call” list for parents who want to keep inappropriate material out of their children’s e-mail boxes; and,

• directed the Michigan State Police (MSP) to keep close tabs on registered sex offenders, resulting in a statewide initiative called Operation Verify that has lead to the arrest of over 1,200 sex offenders who were not in compliance with the reporting requirements of the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act.
 
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is a broad partnership of governors and first spouses, law enforcement agencies, and organizations and foundations dedicated to providing parents and educators with information and tools that empower them to teach children how to safely use technology and the Internet. 

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