6,500 miles from home
A few days ago I returned from Seoul, South Korea where I represented the United States in the first International Conference on Youth Protection and Empowerment in CyberSpace. I jumped at the invitation to attend, not only because it was an honor that the government of South Korea turned to the Institute as the credible source on media issues in the U.S., but also because it gave me the chance to work with leaders from all over the world on issues I care deeply about. I joined delegates from 8 other countries for an intense 3-day session to identify emerging issues related to Internet use and children.

A peek into the future
The conference provided an incredible glimpse into what’s coming down the road for the United States. South Korea is about 2 years ahead of the U.S., technologically speaking. Some of the emerging issues the Institute has been working to stay on top of are exploding overseas.

For starters, cell phones are indeed the media device of the future. If the experience of South Korean youth tells us anything, before long playing online games, listening to music, watching television, recording movies, and surfing the Web on cell phones will be a mainstream activity for American youth. Young people everywhere had a phone in their hand, not in their pocket or bag.

Advanced technology has escalated issues that we have begun experiencing here. For example, South Korea already has 40 government sponsored treatment programs to deal with the quickly growing problem of video game and Internet addiction. Online gambling among young people is also growing. There is increased concern about online predators. The representative from the United Kingdom informed me that within one year they have documented 750,000 cases of child abuse facilitated by the Internet worldwide.

While much of what I learned was sobering, the overall sentiment remained positive. The conference was a strong reminder to all of us of the importance of the work we are doing at home. It renewed my commitment to bring MediaWise information to parents and families.

A safe, useful cyberspace worldwide
It was an honor to represent both the United States and the National Institute on Media and the Family at this first international effort to protect kids online. At the end of three days, we drafted and signed a joint statement on “providing youth with a safe, useful cyberspace.” The statement was a strong symbol of international teamwork – something we will need to help our kids avoid the peril and experience the promise of the worldwide Web. The Internet is indeed an International Highway, and it will take all of us traveling on it to keep kids safe.

That’s the news from the road,

Dr. David Walsh, Ph.D.
President and Founder