'Online Supervisor’ Just A Click Away

Florida youth pastor creates software program to help parents monitor kids’ activity on Internet, sites like Myspace

Florida Courier

A Jacksonville businessman and youth pastor has created a software program for parents to protect their children from online predators.

Edward Weston, founder and CEO of Creative Christians Inc., a fullservice marketing and advertisement firm, developed Tell-It-PC, new software that monitors everything that happens online, including web sites visited, e-mails, downloads, keystrokes, chat rooms and instant messages. The information is recorded, stored and e-mailed to parents for review at their convenience.

“Alarming statistics reveal the overwhelming threats and dangers the Internet poses to our children, but Tell- It-PC can be the invisible supervisor parents need to protect their children from dangers not only outside of the home but those that lurk inside the child’s computer,” said Weston, who also is youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Mandarin.

Bombarded by negative vices
“Our children are targets for all kinds of predators. Access to every imaginable vice is available on the Internet. I am gravely aware of the urgency to monitor what youth are exposed to via the Internet,” added Weston, who said he has had to counsel teens and parents relating to “Internet accidents.’’

His experience as a counselor and news accounts about cybercrimes directed at children led him to create the software.

“Exposure is everything; it shapes how we think, what we say, what we do and ultimately who we are,” Weston told the Florida Courier. “With that being said, our children are just one click away from possibly being exposed to negative vices that will bombard how they think, permeate what they say, control what they do, and, ultimately infiltrate who they are. So in an essence, I guess it’s my love for today’s generation and passion for tomorrow’s future that has prompted me to do this.

According to Florida’s Office of the Attorney General’s web site, Florida ranks fourth in the nation for the volume of child pornography. National statistics show that in one recent week, 260 children reported being sexually solicited over the Internet. More than 33,000 reported online solicitations have occurred since 1998.

CyberCrime stats
Since October 2005, Florida Attorney General’s CyberCrime Unit has made 57 arrests. Of those individuals arrested, 10 believed they were talking to a child online and traveled to meet that child for the purpose of further sexually abusing him or her. Four of these arrests have been in the past four months.

It’s those kinds of statistics that bother Weston, a married father of three who grew up in Jacksonville. After graduating from Paxon High School, he spent time in the Army. Weston said he has been youth pastor at First Baptist for a year and a half and has been working with kids in his community for about five years.

“The Internet is so much a part of our children’s lives that they spend on an average four hours a day either surfing or using it to communicate,” he told the Florida Courier. “With spending this much time on the Internet, chances are they’ll have a negative encounter of some sort. Is the Internet bad? No. However, there are some pretty bad things taking place on it everyday and more children are involved than parents know.

Positive feedback
Weston, 32, who has a background in web technology and marketing, said the Tell-It-PC program took roughly two years to go from concept to reality. Now he’s exploring ways to get his new software in the hands of more parents.

“We are in the process of looking at several companies to assist with taking Tell-It-PC to the marketplace,” he said. “This process includes locking down mass order fulfillment facilities, expanding our company call center for order taking and technical support, identifying and structuring regional/ national advertising campaigns and strategically implementing a distribution channels. In addition, we are also open to negotiate a possible endorsement deal with a major security company and or school board.

So far, the program is receiving great reviews, said Weston, who is preparing to go national with the product. He also is working with a business consulting firm to speak with law enforcement and school administrators around the country about Tell-It-PC.

“Every time I give a presentation about Tell-It-PC and educate an audience about the dangers of the Internet, the response is amazing. Every time someone purchases the software, put it on their computer and experience what a great tool it is, the response is amazing,” Weston said. “I have received cards from people, voice mails and even a few written testimonials all appreciating the software and the education.’’

Why??? Windows Internet Explorer does it all.