O’Neal co-hosting cyber protection event
State Rep. Tim O’Neal is co-hosting with Pennsylvania State Police an event to help parents better understand online gaming, online predators and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) risks facing children.
It will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6 p.m. at St. Hilary Church Hall, 320 Henderson Ave., Washington. Doors will open at 5:30.
“Being a parent today often means juggling a lot of responsibilities, and one of the most important is keeping children safe online,” O’Neal said. “The digital world gives kids amazing opportunities to learn, create and connect but it also comes with real risks of which parents need to stay vigilant. I hope you will join me in increasing our knowledge of how to protect our children.”
Trooper Rocco Gagliardi will provide an overview of the popular gaming platform Roblox, discuss how predators may target children in gaming environments and explore the potential misuse of AI online. The session will also cover common grooming tactics, warning signs that a child may be interacting with someone unsafe online and real-world examples of how predators move conversations from gaming to other platforms. The presentation will outline several practical steps to ensure children can navigate the internet safely, including parental controls and protections.