A new federal program to promote online child safety is being tested in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Department of Homeland Security is heading up the program, which will teach kids, parents, and educators about the dangers of online predators and how to avoid and report abuse. LAUSD, the second-largest school district in the nation, will be the first to receive the training.
Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, told KNX News it may be unusual for the federal government to tackle this issue rather than states and education departments, but it shows how important the issue is.
“A fear-based approach to the internet is not always the best,” he said. “I think you sort of have to balance healthy, thoughtful literacy tips with, there are some really bad people out there. You want young people to understand that there are predators out there.”
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Steyer said it’s “never too early” for kids to learn about digital literacy and online safety.
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