SafetyWeb Provides Facebook Tool to Help Teens Get Help from Cyberbullying and Report Online Dangers Quickly

DENVER, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Increasing concerns about teenagers' safety on popular social networking sites like Facebook have prompted SafetyWeb.com, the leading Web-based Internet monitoring software for parents, to introduce the new "Find Help" application on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/findhelp/. It's the first online help tool of its kind that enables teens using Facebook to quickly report any violation to Facebook officials, while also connecting to the leading safety and crisis support organizations related to cyberbullying, child exploitation, suicide and depression, child abuse, runaways, drug abuse, hate issues, alcohol abuse, and LGBTQ issues.

After introducing an excellent online monitoring service for parents that helps monitor children's activity on Facebook and hundreds of other sites, SafetyWeb now offers another smart and simple way for ensuring Internet safety for kids and teens for free through the "Find Help" Facebook application. Adding the "Find Help" application to a teen's Facebook profile offers a fast way for teens and their friends to get help when problems arise online. For anyone who comes in contact with inappropriate behavior or content online such as cyberbullying, a simple click of the "Find Help" application will provide useful phone numbers and links for reporting the incidents. Organizations including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and Facebook's Abuse Reporting process are just a click away for teens in need of advice and/or reporting an incident.

"It is important that kids using Facebook and other social media be aware of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline and have access to an online safety tool that makes it easy to report incidents to us," said Ernie Allen, President & CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Social networks play a significant role in the lives of millions of people worldwide, particularly tweens and teens. There are tremendous benefits to connecting with others in these forums. Unfortunately there is also a wide array of negative aspects and dangers from cyberbullying to online predators that are affiliated with these online interactions.  

"Every day we see stories about teens who needed a helping hand online and didn't know where to turn," said Hemanshu Nigam, founder and CEO of SSP Blue, also a SafetyWeb advisor. "I commend SafetyWeb for providing a simple and easy one-stop solution to assist in a teen's moment of crisis."

SafetyWeb is extremely pleased to be introducing the "Find Help" Facebook application for Internet safety as it's needed more than ever in the wake of recent high-profile cyberbullying cases that have tragically led to the suicides of teens and young adults.  

"There are a lot of great resources that provide specific help for teens facing everyday challenges and online risks, but it hasn't been easy for teens to find those resources or get timely help during a crisis. When teens feel there is no one to turn to, they can take drastic action in the heat of the moment. SafetyWeb has taken a major step with our Find Help app to give teens one-click access to the leading organizations supporting teens and children in times of need," says Michael Clark, co-founder and concerned dad. "Whether a teen needs help for themselves, or wants to help out a friend in need, that help is just a mouse click or phone call away from their Facebook page. Imagine if that had been available for Tyler Clementi, or any number of teens in distress daily because of online abuse."

SafetyWeb advises teens seeking help to take three simple steps before proceeding further after an incident has taken place online:

1. Don't Respond - Responding to the instigator, whether a cyberbully or an online predator, may only make matters worse.
2. Don't Retaliate - Don't tell the person you are going to "tell" someone, as they may try to delete their post, or delete their profile and wipe out any traces of the offense, making it difficult for law enforcement or trusted parties to assist in the matter.
3. Tell a Trusted Adult - Many teens may not feel comfortable telling their parents, though SafetyWeb advises them to tell someone - a teacher, a friend, law enforcement, or one of the agencies linked to within the app.

More information about "Find Help" can be found at http://apps.facebook.com/findhelp/ and http://www.SafetyWeb.com.

About SafetyWeb, Inc.

SafetyWeb is the leader in cloud-based online safety and the company behind of the SafetyWeb service, an Internet service that makes it easier to protect the reputation, privacy, and safety of kids online. SafetyWeb is also behind the SWOT™ service that is used by law enforcement nationwide to assist in the search of missing children.

Founded in 2009 by Geoffrey Arone and Michael Clark, SafetyWeb is backed by Battery Ventures. Arone co-founded Flock (a company with an install-base of over 10 million) and DanceJam (acquired by Grind Networks in 2009). Clark was one of the executives behind Photobucket (acquired by MySpace/NewsCorp) for $300 million.  

Hemanshu Nigam, a SafetyWeb advisor, also advises The White House and United Nations regarding online safety. He has held leadership positions at NewsCorp, Microsoft, and the U.S. DOJ, where he won landmark judgments against online criminals.

For more information and interview requests, please contact Ann Noder, Pitch Public Relations, at [email protected] or (480) 263-1557.

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SOURCE SafetyWeb, Inc.