Due to unforeseen circumstances, this conference will be postponed to the Fall of  2011 - new conference date to be announced soon.

Please check back to this space.

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Promoting a Healthy Online Presence to Youth

There is no disputing the incredible popularity of social networking. Many millions of people consider it a very effective way to keep in touch with friends and family and to share information about themselves. Unfortunately, the vast amounts of information that we openly share is often used for purposes that were never intended and, in many cases, can have an adverse effect on our personal and professional lives.

Web 2.0 technology is no longer a fad, it is now THE preferred way to communicate for millions of Canadians, many of them adolescents and youth. The risks associated with this technology are amplified when it comes to younger uses. Mistakes made now can haunt a user for years, affecting their education, relationships and development as young adults.

The personal information that we share online can end up in the hands of people who you would not likely consider a “friend.” It is important, therefore, that we take steps to protect our personal information, particularly during our online social interactions.

Youth Privacy Online will explore social networking and its relationship to issues such as online advertising, online scams, identity theft and online predators. Through a number of case studies, keynote addresses and discussions, the conference will show how providing too much personal information through social networking activity can lead to embarrassment, loss of career opportunities, disciplinary action and even danger.

Whether the concern is privacy, online relationships or cyber-bullying - this is a conference that no educator, public employee, parent or youth exploring the Web 2.0 world, will want to miss. Join us at the Toronto Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday, Decemeber 1, 2010 to start better protecting youth online.

The future of today's youth is counting on it.