NEW YORK, November 3, 2010 – In an effort to educate teens about how to be smart about what they post and share online, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) has joined the Ad Council’s new collaborative initiative, the Internet Safety Coalition, to provide research-based messages to teens and their parents.

The collaboration will utilize the collective strengths of corporate marketers, the media, non-profit organizations and foundations to promote safe online and digital practices. Coalition members also include AOL, AT&T, Comcast, Google, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, IBM, Microsoft, MTV Networks, MySpace, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, The New York Times Company, Time Warner, Inc., Verizon Wireless, The Wireless Foundation and Yahoo! Inc., as well as other leading cybersafety organizations.

Based on quantitative research and feedback from teens, the Ad Council, NCTA and the Internet Safety Coalition members worked with Merkley + Partners to develop a program entitled “Beware What You Share,” which communicates to teens that posting information online isn't private, and if they wouldn't broadcast it in real life, then it's not smart to share it online or digitally, where it can be passed on, and will remain forever.

Creative materials, developed by GrapeVine Productions, have been tested with teens and feature the tagline, “If you wouldn’t wear it, don’t share it.” Materials include online videos, Web banners, logo visuals, brochure templates and social media messaging.

“We know that targeted and consistent communications programs have the power to change attitudes and behaviors regarding a multitude of social issues,” said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council. “By providing a range of organizations with research-based messages, this effort will encourage teens to be smart about what they post, which will ultimately help keep our children safer.”

Members will incorporate these messages into their marketing and communications efforts, such as online content and campaigns, advertising, social media channels, consumer promotions, grassroots programs, collateral materials and at conferences. Several other members have stepped up and made early commitments to integrate the creative materials into their communications platforms as well.

The Internet Safety Coalition is funded by AT&T, Google, Interactive Advertising Bureau, Microsoft, and the Wireless Foundation. The Coalition’s effectiveness will be measured by a tracking study and online audit conducted by the Ad Council. For more information about the coalition, visit www.internetsafetypartners.org.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council is a non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org

Statements of Support and Plans to Integrate Creative Materials and Messaging

AOL
"AOL has a long history of providing children and families with a safer online experience. We are proud to be a part of such a diverse coalition focused on promoting safe and responsible Internet use to teens and parents. AOL is committed to supporting the Beware What You Share campaign to communicate a strong, unified safety message to teens about their privacy and the far-reaching impact of sharing information online."
-    Holly Hawkins, Director of Consumer Policy & Child Safety

Google
“It's great to see many different partners come together to create awareness around such an important issue. We commend the Ad Council for leading this effort.”
-    Dennis Woodside, VP Americas Operations, Google

Microsoft
“Microsoft is pleased to participate in the Ad Council’s important work to create a single message that businesses, non-profits, and government agencies can use to educate teens about the information they share online. We have galvanized our efforts behind one common message to encourage teens to think before sharing certain information online rather than diluting our efforts with multiple messages.”
-    Kim Sanchez, Group Communications Manager, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft Corporation

WiredSafety
“Protecting our children online is something in which we all have a stake. The Ad Council has once again brought together the leading U.S. experts to join forces and tackle a problem that affects us all. Finally, a wealth of combined resources and expertise can be accessed in one place with the click of a mouse. WiredSafety and Parry Aftab are honored to have been involved in helping create this comprehensive resource.”
-    Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafety

The Wireless Foundation
"The Wireless Foundation has been a part of the Ad Council's Internet Safety Coalition from the beginning because we believe that teaching kids how to use technology safely is everyone's responsibility.  The ISC offers a collaborative, research-based approach to internet safety that can be adopted by everyone, from national organizations to community-based groups like schools and churches." 
-    Kimberly Bassett, Executive Director, The Wireless Foundation

Yahoo!
“Yahoo! applauds the Ad Council’s shared commitment to promoting safer and more responsible Internet practices. The ‘Beware What You Share’ advertising campaign is aligned with our Yahoo! Safely resource site to help people make smart and safer choices online.  Yahoo! will be promoting the ad campaign on http://safely.yahoo.com and across the Yahoo! network.” 
-    Catherine Teitelbaum, Yahoo!’s director of child safety and product policy


Members’ plans to integrate the creative materials and messaging:

AOL
  • AOL will integrate the messages and materials into content on the AOL Homepage cause module, SafetyClicks blog, AOL SafeSocial parent resource center and JSYK teen site;

Google
  • Google will highlight the coalition on their Family Safety Center;

Microsoft
  • Microsoft will promote the coalition on their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube online safety platforms, and include a blog post on Microsoft Security Tips & Talk Blog and Microsoft Privacy & Safety Blog;

MTV
  • MTV will post messaging on their social media channels;

National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA)
  • The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) will utilize the Web banners, and post the videos on both NCTA.com and the website of the cable industry’s education foundation, Cable in the Classroom (Ciconline.org), and notify NCTA member companies and constituents about the availability of the videos and coalition materials;

Interactive Advertising Bureau
  • The Interactive Advertising Bureau will promote the coalition messages on their business-to-business website with a custom Web banner and will encourage their members to participate in the Coalition;

WiredSafety
  • WiredSafety will include the messages in their stopcyberbullying toolkit, which will be released to schools on Nov 22.

The Wireless Foundation
  • The Wireless Foundation will feature content about the coalition on their site;

Verizon
  • Verizon will feature the new videos on their Parental Controls Center;

Yahoo!
  • Yahoo! will integrate the videos into their Yahoo! Safely site and will run an on-network Web banner campaign. Yahoo! will also feature a blog post on their corporate blog.