Sixth-graders warned of Internet dangers

The sixth-graders who filled the gym Monday at Eastport Elementary School listened to Suffolk Police Det. Rory Forrestal discuss the dangers of the Internet, and paid as much attention as any 12-year-old does to an adult they don't really know.

Then Forrestal started asking questions. And the students' expressions changed as they began to realize the dangers of cyberspace, even with privacy settings locked in on Facebook or Google.

He talked about an upstate girl whose Facebook page showed where she went to school, and explained just how many other doors that opened -- from someone getting a satellite picture of her school to finding her home address.

Then he talked about playing shared online games, and how someone might ask their first name, which is pretty harmless, then proceed to ask for their cellphone number, to share some cheat codes.

"They're not just looking for girls," Forrestal said, warning boys they are potential targets, too.

He's given this talk many times. But Monday there was a special guest, Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), who pointed out that the Suffolk Police Computer Crimes unit has brought its message to more than 100,000 students since 2005, reaching that number earlier this month. Bishop has gotten more than $875,000 in federal grants for the special police program in that time.

The computer crimes unit doesn't only talk to schoolkids. It's been active in chasing down and arresting online predators, and its members also delivered talks to about 7,000 parents through their PTAs and other groups.

The Eastport students heard another talk about online safety a year ago, which can be ancient history to preteens. But, they did recall some of it, and many of them nodded their heads when Forrestal talked about how online stalkers can worm their way into someone's confidence.

"It's getting more serious," said Tory Stein, 11, adding that in some ways young people are more up to date on computer systems than their parents. "It's easier for us to know how to use it," he said.

Michael Kane, 11, said he tries to avoid giving out information to strangers in groups. "You just don't answer in a chat room," he said.

Stella Bianco, 11, knew how easy it would be for someone to find her online, and said she would never meet face-to-face with any stranger.

"I'm very scared," she said. "You never know what's going to happen to you."