In Friday’s Eagle, we learned about the Dangers of Tech presentation, conducted by the Pittsburgh branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the auditorium of Seneca Valley Senior High School.

The presentation focused on the question: “How do I protect my child from the dangers of the digital world?”

“We’re having concerns about how prevalent the cellphone use is, and the dangers that we’re hearing and seeing about social media,” said Tracy Vitale, district superintendent. “So we felt that this was one way to educate the community.”

As Butler County schools flock to join a lawsuit against several large social media outlets, Seneca is being proactive in having an educational seminar for parents.

The FBI agents said social media has normalized the idea of having deep conversations with total strangers who have never met in person. Nationwide, 40% of children in grades four to eight reported talking to a stranger online at one point, while 30% reported taking things one step further and texting a stranger.

The immediate, protective instinct calls for us to take away smart devices immediately, but Vitale stressed there is no one-stop solution that can easily help parents prevent their children from being victimized online.

It sounds like education is the key, for both parents and children. Social media has the potential to do a lot of good in our society if used correctly, and if correlation continues, it will be a part of children’s futures. Shielding them entirely might not be a possible solution.

Parental vigilance and communication with children on the dangers of social media are both excellent starting places. You never truly know who is on the other side of your child’s screen.

We commend the Seneca Valley School district and the FBI investigators involved with the seminar. If more schools follow the example, we can spread more accurate knowledge about internet safety before more children are victimized.

— CM