WASHINGTON — May 16, 2006 — Leading technology, government and advocacy organizations today launched a nationwide effort to raise awareness of computing security and Internet safety among PC users. The Get Net Safe tour will combine the resources of 11 organizations to heighten computer safety awareness in communities across the country. Participating organizations are AARP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Geek Squad 24 Hour Computer Support Task Force, GetNetWise-Internet Education Foundation, i-SAFE Inc., Microsoft Corp., the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Federal Trade Commission’s OnGuard Online, and the Department of Commerce. The Get Net Safe tour aims to reach a broad audience.
“The Get Net Safe tour brings together a breadth of leading consumer advocacy organizations with a common goal of achieving computer security and Internet safety awareness,” said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of the Security Technology Unit at Microsoft. “The tour will help educate parents, students, teachers, people over 50 and other consumers on best practices for protecting families, PCs and information online.”
A study conducted by Microsoft and RT Strategies Inc. found that while 74 percent of respondents believe they have the skills to protect themselves online, more than half (57 percent) are not sure they fully know enough to effectively protect their information. The Get Net Safe tour events and activities are designed to provide the resources for people to understand how to protect themselves, their families and their PCs online, so that they can realize the full potential of the Internet.
Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Security Technology Unit joins leading U.S. technology, government and advocacy organizations to launch a national Get Net Safe tour. At right, Rolf Lundberg, Jr., senior vice president of Congressional and Public Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Washington, D.C., May 16, 2006
A combination of hands-on activities, expert advice and information available at http://www.staysafe.org will provide people with the tools to learn how to stay protected online. From May through December, the tour will stop in Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Los Angeles; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. The activities will include the following:
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Local chamber of commerce luncheon
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Elementary, middle- and high-school assemblies and teach-ins
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Boys & Girls Clubs events
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Teacher trainings
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Seminars for Internet users age 50 and up
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Parent nights
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Localized materials
More information about the Get Net Safe tour and the sponsors participating in the effort is available online at http://www.staysafe.org.
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