The Biden administration announced on April 17 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will initiate a national awareness campaign to educate the public about the dangers of child sex exploitation and to prevent criminal activity.
The DHS is working in partnership with a number of prominent organizations and groups, including tech companies such as Google, Meta, Snap, Intel, and Roblox.
Additionally, they have partnered with sports leagues, including Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, as well as law enforcement associations and youth-serving organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America and the National Police Athletic League.
“All of us, working together, must protect our children from the heinous and growing crime of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The tragic reality is that, as young people spend more time online, predators around the world increasingly target them through manipulation and deceit,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
“Know2Protect is a first-of-its-kind national initiative to raise public awareness and prevent these horrific crimes from happening... Public-private partnerships and targeted training are essential to raising awareness and educating the public; identifying, protecting, and supporting victims; and bringing perpetrators to justice ... [it] will help educate the public, save lives, and prevent tragedies.”
According to the agency, Know2Protect is the first campaign launched by the federal government with the primary objective of educating the public and preventing the sexual exploitation and abuse of children occurring online.
The objective of the campaign is to educate young people, parents, educators, and community leaders about the warning signs of this crime, the steps they can take to prevent it, the protocols for reporting it to law enforcement, and the ways in which they can provide assistance to those who have survived it.
“The best way to keep kids safe online is to provide helpful information where they are: on social media and online gaming platforms, and through clubs, sporting events, and organizations,” Know2Protect Campaign Director Kate Kennedy said in the press release.
“By partnering with a range of companies to raise awareness and disseminate educational messaging, we are keeping kids safe from online predators.”
According to DHS, Meta will promote the agency’s campaign through ads on Facebook and Instagram, while Roblox is slated to display in-game billboard ads with tips for internet safety and best practices.
Additionally, Snap will offer in-platform advertising credits and will conduct research to determine the level of awareness that Snapchat users have on a variety of online dangers. Additionally, the Know2Protect website will be featured on Snap’s online Privacy and Safety and Parents Hubs.
NCOSE responded to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on DHS’s Know2Protect program, saying, “We’re glad to see that DHS is working to further combat online child sexual exploitation and for increased awareness around the need for the private sector to also prioritize child safety.”
