Cox Communications' 2nd Annual National Teen Summit on Internet Safety Provides Key Information on Safer Internet Usage.

Summit Provides Information and Discussions Encouraging Teens To Behave More Safely Online

ATLANTA -- Cox Communications, Inc. and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children[R] (NCMEC) held the Second Annual National Teen Summit on Internet Safety today in Washington, D.C. Fifteen high school students from Cox Communities nationwide participated in discussions on Internet safety and behavior led by children's advocate John Walsh and Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson.

During this year's Summit, in-depth discussions explored many of the Internet issues affecting teens and their parents and guardians including teen activity on the Internet, the potential risks of Internet use, and what adults can do to make the Internet safer for their children.

"Many troubles on the Internet involve teenagers whose parents are not aware of what's going on," said Jonathan House, a teen from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "I think it is important for parents to allow Internet use, but they should first educate their kids on its risks."

Another focus of discussion at this year's Summit was the mix of encouraging and troubling news revealed by the most recent survey on Internet safety conducted by Cox and NCMEC. With nearly identical questions to that used in the organizations' 2006 study, compelling year-over-year trends about teen Internet use and online behaviors were uncovered. While the 2007 survey revealed that more parents and guardians are monitoring Internet use and are talking to their children more about the potential dangers of the Internet, the behaviors of young people online still hold cause for concern. Many teens still remain unconcerned about the potential risks of sharing personal info online and nearly two-thirds post photos or videos of themselves.

"The first line of defense in keeping our kids safe is the parents in the home, so it is more important than ever before that parents and guardians learn how to talk to their kids and educate them on the dangers of the Internet and how to avoid them," stated Walsh, host of "America's Most Wanted" (FOX). "There are people out there who, despite knowing they can get caught, have the compulsion to commit horrible acts against children by way of the Internet."

Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson, whose personal platform issue is Internet safety, shared her own personal experience in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers for children on the Internet. "When I was 13, my friends and I made the bad decision to share personal information on the Internet with someone we later learned was a sexual predator," said Nelson. "We told him our names, ages and where we lived. My friend later received inappropriate photographs from this person. We told our parents about what we had done, and the situation was defused without incident. Unfortunately, not all kids are as lucky as we were, and not all stories dealing with the potential dangers of the Internet end without serious incident."

Following the Summit, the teens headed to Capitol Hill where they met with Senators and Representatives from their respective states. Here the teens helped bring awareness to the issue of Internet safety in discussions about the positive and negative aspects of Internet use from a teen perspective.

During more than 20 separate meetings, the teens spoke one-on-one with the following Senators and Representatives: Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV), Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Maj. Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), Senator Mark Pryor (R-AR), Rep. John Boozman (R-AR), Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Rep. John Shaddegg (R-AZ), Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA), Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT).

***Video and photos from summit are available to download at http://safeteensonline.com/media.html ***

The Teen Summit is an extension of Cox Communications' ongoing Take Charge! initiative (www.cox.com/takecharge), which helps parents, guardians and kids make smarter media decisions. The Teen Summit will air on Cox's local cable channels nationwide starting later this summer.

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 475,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 130,300 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 112,900 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.

About Cox Communications:

Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company with more than 6 million total residential and commercial customers. The third-largest cable television company in the United States, Cox offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony services over its own nationwide IP network, as well as integrated wireless services in partnership with Sprint (NYSE: S). Cox Business Services is a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long distance services, as well as data and video transport services for small to large-sized businesses. Cox Media offers national and local cable advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along with promotional opportunities and production services. More information about the services of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com, www.coxbusiness.com, and www.coxmedia.com. Cox Communications wholly owns and operates the Travel Channel.