FBI and Marion County Public Schools partner to protect youth from online predators

FBI Jacksonville and Marion County Public Schools will partner to host the “Be Smart with Your Kids’ Smartphone – Parent Edition” program on Tuesday, November 7 at the Browne Greaton Cole Auditorium at Marion Technical Institute (MTI). The event is free and open to the public. Since 2018, over 2,500 parents and educators have attended Be Smart events across northeast Florida to help protect local youth from being targeted online by predators.

Be Smart with your Kids’ Smartphone events are led by special agents from FBI Jacksonville who investigate crimes against children and terrorism matters. The presentation will include a review of the latest social media apps that offenders are using to target and manipulate kids, examples of how technology has been used in cases from the Jacksonville area, and an overview of schemes that specifically target teens.

Please note, the content of these presentations may not be appropriate for youth. Parental discretion is advised.

• Event: Be Smart with your Kids’ Smartphone – Parent Edition
• Where: Browne Greaton Cole Auditorium, Marion Technical Institute, 1614 E. Fort King Street, Ocala
• When: Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
• Who: Free and open to parents and educators from all schools in Marion and surrounding districts
• Notes: Registration not required

The FBI Jacksonville Community Outreach program fosters relationships with educational, cultural, religious, and civic organizations throughout 40 counties in North Florida to advance crime prevention initiatives and enhance awareness of potential criminal acts. The mission of the FBI Jacksonville Violent Crimes Against Children program is to counter all threats of abuse and exploitation to children, identify, locate, and recover child victims, and strengthen relationships with law enforcement partners to identify, prioritize, investigate, and deter individuals and criminal networks from exploiting children. Learn more. 

Marion County Public Schools is headquartered in Ocala, Florida, and serves more than 45,000 students with over 7,000 employees. Geographically larger than the state of Rhode Island, the district takes great pride in its Career and Technical Education Programs, following the Linking Economic and Academic Development (LEAD) model for certification and performance. An Equal Opportunity School District, MCPS offers School Choice and accommodations to all students. For more information, visit marionschools.net and follow on social media platforms @MarionCountyK12.