New program prepares teens to protect and manage their digital reputations

iKeepSafe, AT&T and the American School Counselor Association Launch National Project PRO: Privacy and Reputation Online

As youth grow up in a digital environment, they have a world of opportunity, learning, and interaction at their fingertips, but with this constant access comes the challenge to protect and manage their digital reputation. AT&T*, iKeepSafe, and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) announced today at the ASCA conference the launch of Project PRO, interactive resources to help educate teens and parents about the potential consequences of their online reputations.

A recent survey reflects some startling teen online behavior that will have lasting consequences:

• 71 percent of teen girls and 67 percent of teen boys who have sent/posted sexually suggestive content (also known as “sexting”) say they have sent it to a boyfriend/girlfriend.

• 51 percent of teen girls say pressure from a guy is a reason they send sexually suggestive messages or images. Only 18 percent of teen boys cite pressure from female counterparts as a reason.

• 1 in 5 teens say they’ve “sexted” even though the majority knows it could be a crime.

Survey Statistics: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (1300 teens)

Sexting is just one of the aspects of digital reputation that can have long-term consequences as colleges, potential employers, friends and family members check an individual’s online reputation. While the resources address the behaviors that can have negative consequences, the materials focus heavily on providing tips and tools to help teens create a positive digital reputation that will benefit them in the future.

“The Internet is a wonderful tool for students, making research and communication available on a global scale,” said Brent Olson, AT&T assistant vice president of Public Policy and former chair and current vice-chair of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI). “Of course, that access comes with challenges, so students need to learn how to create a positive digital dossier that will serve them now and in the years to come.”

The resources, stressing the importance of privacy and online reputation, will be distributed to over 2,000 school counselors at the conference and will reach over 25,000 school counselors nationwide. Educators will also receive professional development instruction by Davina Pruitt (Univ. of MD), an expert in the measurement of online education effectiveness and behavioral modification.

“We appreciate the efforts of iKeepSafe and AT&T to provide educators with critical resources bridging the gap of understanding and providing essential training and materials allowing educators to confidently address security and digital reputation in the classroom,” said Jim Bierma, ASCA president. “These two topics are leading concerns of our association members.”

“It’s critical that students understand the important role that digital reputation plays in their future opportunities,” said Marsali Hancock, iKeepSafe president. “It can either serve as a liability or a benefit for future opportunities. The Project PRO resources help educate and inform to create a generation of responsible, resilient, and ethical cyber-citizens.”

In addition to online safety services, AT&T provides free education programs for children, parents, communities and seniors. Materials and more information can be found at www.att.com/safety.