Cox Survey Shows 50% of Teens Allow Unrestricted Access to Their Online Profiles and 62% Don't Check With Parents Before Posting Photos

WASHINGTON, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) will hold their 5th National Teen Summit On Internet Safety on June 15 in Washington, D.C., bringing together teens from across the country to discuss a wide range of online safety issues including cyberbullying, sexting and the potential long-term impact of social media posts on the teen's digital reputation.

"America's Most Wanted" host and children's advocate John Walsh will lead the discussion at the event. He will be joined by guest panelist and well-known social media expert, James Andrews, co-founder of social media communications firm, Everywhere.  Andrews is an internationally-respected digital thought leader and a frequent contributor on CNN.

Cox and NCMEC will also release the results of their annual survey that gauges the online behavior of teens including key changes and trends over the past five years.  For the first time, Cox will stream the Teen Summit live over the Internet. Online participants such as child advocates and mommy bloggers are encouraged to listen in on the Summit at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/coxteensummit and join the dialogue on Twitter using the hash tag #cox4teensafety; the panel will field tweeted questions.

The National Teen Summit on Internet Safety is an extension of Cox Communications'   Take Charge! initiative, which helps parents, guardians and kids make smarter media decisions.  Through the program, Cox provides scores of resources to help parents and guardians manage what their children see, and don't see, on TV and the Internet, including instructions on setting parental controls, a guide to the lingo teens use online, and tips for more constructive conversations between parents and kids. Teaching young children and teens how to stay safer online is a major element of the Take Charge program, thanks in part to Cox's partnership with NCMEC and its educational program, the NetSmartz® Workshop.  

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Since it was established by Congress in 1984, the organization has operated the toll-free 24-hour national missing children's hotline which has handled more than 2,475,300 calls.  It has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 151,300 children.  The organization's CyberTipline has handled more than 894,700 reports of child sexual exploitation and its Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 34,566,000 pornography images and videos.  The organization works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  To learn more about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and wireless services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves more than 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; for five years, Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity, and the company holds a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

SOURCE Cox Communications