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Frenchtown Teens Warned About Internet And Cell Phone Dangers

POSTED: 6:26 pm MDT September 8, 2010
Investigators want to warn kids about the dangers lurking online. Dangers like sexting, online predators, and bullying.

Frenchtown High School is like any other. Kids post pictures and information about themselves online through sites like Facebook.

Allison, a junior at Fenchtown High says "They're really big (social network websites), (and) especially sexting. Everybody pretty much has a Facebook and I know a lot of people that sext and text in general."

She knows people who've sent out pictures. She's glad Detective Jason Johnson with the Missoula County Sheriff's Department came in to talk to kids about keeping things private.

Allison thinks people aren't aware of the consequences. Saying "If they don't know any of that, they're just like 'oh nothing's going to happen, I'm going to be fine.'"

Principal Rory Weishaar says his hands are tied unless something happens in the school. He knows it's a growing problem though. Weishaar says "These days you would think most students are aware of what they're doing, however, sometimes the younger kids get caught up in the, with the older ones or they think it will never happen to them and then all the sudden we have all this information out there on the internet for anyone to see."

Detective Jason Johnson hopes he can help. He warned kids why some things should stay private. It's a dangerous world and kids using cell phones and the internet are younger than ever.

Johnson says "Everything they put out there is out there, and they can't get it back. It's the worldwide web, and it's available to anybody and everybody, but it's the mentality of younger people. I don't want to say they think they're invincible, but the consequences don't outweigh the rewards in their minds as a teenager."

Allison said she's going to make some changes after the presentation, and admitted she thought her information was protected from online predators.

School officials and law enforcement know they can't do anything unless students come to them. And that's another problem, students afraid to tell someone if they're being harassed. That's where parents come in. They need to ask questions, be friends with their kids on social networking sites, and check cell phones often.

When Frenchtown students walk out the school doors their reputations are in their cell phones, Facebook accounts and ultimately, in their hands.

Click here to learn more about the program and helpful hints for parents.
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