INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN
Government/Education

CLIENT: Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), funded and directed by the U. S. Department of Justice office.

CHALLENGE: Unfortunately, many children who use the internet are exposed to online predators who attempt to exploit them by tricking them. So, the ICAC’s mission was two-fold. First, provide education to children, their parents, and communities to prevent these heinous crimes from happening. Second, track down, catch, and prosecute these perpetrators.

SOLUTION: Provide education through mass media, the web, and the school systems.

STRATEGY: We developed a comprehensive communication strategy across several mediums targeting different demographics with age-appropriate material. The strategy included a bi-lingual website (English and Spanish) where kids and their parents could learn about the program. The website contained streaming video and two online quizzes for parents and children. Reports were generated on website usage, showing key areas of interest and language usage statistics. In addition, the quiz scores were recorded to gauge the level of public understanding of online dangers.

All this information was used to further develop child internet crime education materials. In addition to the website, mouse pads, computer mice, brochures, and age-specific (middle school, junior high, and high school) posters were created for distribution in the school systems to educate and reinforce the importance of being safe online. A 30-second TV public service announcement was also produced to educate the general public about the ICAC's efforts, and to motivate the public to visit the website.

RESULTS: The educational efforts were successful, as online quizzes revealed an increased awareness and understanding of online safety risks and prevention techniques. Congress was so impressed by the work of the ICAC that it doubled its funding. Schools continue to use the website to educate their students about online safety, and reach out to ICAC for additional training for educators, parents, and children. Plus, suspicious online behavior has been reported through the website, leading to the investigation, capture, and imprisonment of numerous offenders.

Launch Website

Brochure

Water Bottle

Pencil

Aqua Mouse

Aqua Mousepad

Online Quiz Results Report

Download report (pdf)

Classroom Posters

TV Commercial