SOLOS In the Media

2009-04-28
Mother urges online caution
Chilliwack Progress
By Katie Robinson - Chilliwack Progress Published: April 28, 2009 9:00 AM Online child sexual exploitation is a serious problem that not only affects kids living in big cities, but also kids living in smaller cities too, even kids in Chilliwack.
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2009-03-24
Parents get up to speed about kids' online safety
The Daily News (Nanaimo)
"We do Internet safety presentations for parents, and they are the most poorly attended presentations of all," said Merlyn Horton, executive director of Safe OnLine Outreach Society. "Parents don't seem aware of how much they need to learn or how involved they need to be in young people's lives because they don't usually show up for presentations."
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2009-03-13
SOLOS Website Relaunch

Mission, B. C. The Safe OnLine Outreach Society (SOLOS) today launched an updated website amid growing concern about the online safety of British Columbia youth. 'Social networking and online classified sites, such as craigslist, should concern parents,' says Merlyn Horton, Executive Director of the Safe OnLine Outreach Society. 'Particularly as more isolated and First Nations communities are being provided with broad band access,' she says.
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2009-03-10
Rotary donation funds Youth-2-Youth program
Mission City Record
A new program launched by the Mission-based Safe Online Outreach Society (SOLOS) will help high school students become experts in Internet education, then teach safety to elementary aged children.
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2009-03-09
Online Safety - CHBC (video)
CHBC News Kelowna
Coverage of SOLOS presentation in Kelowna.
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2009-03-08
Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week

A local organization is aiming to bring awareness to a very sensitive subject, the sexual exploitation of children and youth. The Community Against Sexual Exploitation of Youth, a grassroots organization started in Kelowna in 1996, has organized the 11th annual Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week running from March 6 until March 14.
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2009-02-03
Prepping parents for the web
Peace Arch News
Horton said parents need to be as aware of what their children and youth are up to in cyberspace on the Internet, MSN, in Facebook, etc. as they are of their activities in the real world. And they need to ensure their youngsters are savvy enough to stay safe during those virtual journeys.
» Read the full press article

2008-03-10
Predators@yourkids.net
Prince George Citizen
"Get over your fear of the internet, do it fast, and get involved yourself in the technologies your children are using, said Merlyn Horton of the Safe OnLine Outreach Society. Your children are literally at stake, she said." More from the SOLOS Roadshow.
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2008-03-04
Online bullies face school scrutiny
Chilliwack Progress
"Who knows somebody who's been bullied online?" asked Merlyn Horton of Safe Online Outreach Society. Approximately 400 Grade 10 students in attendance all shot their hands up into the air.
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2008-02-27
Safety in cyberspace
Salmon Arm Observer
"Youre sending your 11-year-old child on a trip, alone, to Brazil. Would you say only, 'be home by five and dont talk to strangers?'" Merlyn Horton of Safe OnLine Outreach Society speaks to parents at Shuswap Middle School.
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2008-01-30
Parents: Find out about online world
Burnaby Now
"Parents need to be involved in their children's online social lives to keep them safe, and an upcoming presentation will help them do that". Merlyn Horton of Safe Online Outreach Society is presenting Growing Up and Parenting in the Cyber-Age on Feb. 26, at the Michael J. Fox Theatre in Burnaby.
» Read the full press article

2007-02-15
Education the key to keeping children safe online: Horton
Mission City Record
More education about online exploitation is needed in response to incidences like last weeks news of Austrian authorities uncovering a major child-pornography ring involving over 2,000 suspects from 77 countries, including up to 103 Canadian suspects.
» Read the full press article

 

 

The Safe OnLine Outreach Society is a federal charitable organization (Canada #86021 9641 RR0001) and a registered non-profit society -(British Columbia #S45067.

 
Merlyn Horton interview on CTV, June 29, 2009 (Courtesy CTV.ca). The popular online classified service Craigslist is a clearing house for all kinds of products from tools to tickets. Now, youth workers and police are sounding the alarm about something else that's for sale there—teenagers selling their bodies online.

 

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I attended a computer safety seminar put on by SOLOS and I was amazed at how little I knew. I am a foster parent and concerned for the “on-line” safety of our children. What I learned both terrified and amazed me. I think a seminar like this is absolutely mandatory for anyone who raises, works with, teaches, talks to, or even knows someone who has children. In other words, everyone! The knowledge is very important and is offered up in an easy to understand language. Everyone can benefit and many people were there for the second time. I wish this information were available on disk so I could review it from time to time. I will attend again given the opportunity.

Eddie Schroeder, Chilliwack