Internet safety seminar in Mount Prospect

State Rep. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights) will host an Internet Safety Seminar at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, in the Mount Prospect Public Library, 10 S. Emerson Street. A computer safety specialist from the Illinois Attorney General's office will explain how to protect personal information on the Internet, and how parents can keep their children safe.

"In my first months in office, I pushed for new legislation to combat online predators," Walker said. "But as we work to toughen our laws, the online world is growing exponentially, and the criminals who see the Internet as an open door into our personal lives move faster than our legislative process. The Attorney General's office knows the latest threats, and they know how to fight them. I want to help get this information out to the people who need to hear it."

In April, Walker backed legislation which subjects any adult who travels to meet a minor, or uses the Internet to lure minors into a sexual encounter to three and five years in prison, respectively. The seminar will explain how Internet users can protect their identity, prevent identity theft and protect personal and financial information online, and also show parents how to prevent their children from being harassed or exploited on chats, instant messaging programs and social networking Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

"Most of us parents are less tech savvy than our kids," Walker said. "That can be dangerous when we don't understand what they're doing online. But there are things every parent should know about what the children are posting on Facebook, how they're meeting and talking with people online, and the real dangers that exist, and can be prevented. "

For more information, please contact Walker's constituent service office at (847) 640-8645.