News and Media
Press Release - 13 July 2004
Marvel's Super Heroes join the Internet Super Heroes at WiredSafety.org
On
Tuesday July 13th, Senator Stevens (US) is hosting a reception in the
Capitol for WiredSafety.org
to help announce our collaboration with Marvel Comics, giving us the exclusive
right to use Marvel
characters (including Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Girl, Green Goblin, X-Men,
Fantastic Four and Blade, among others) to teach online safety, privacy
and responsible surfing, worldwide. It is at the Capitol Building, the
Mansfield Room, from 6 - 7:30 pm. A skit will be provided by live Marvel
superhero character actors highlighting the message that you never really
know whom you are talking to online.
The program will involve special comic books dedicated to all aspects of our programs, from cyberbullying, privacy, stranger danger, online security, safe searching, where to report cybercrimes and abuse, how to handle online intellectual property responsibly (starting with movies and software piracy), balance between online and offline activities, safe e-commerce, identity theft, fraud and scams, malicious code, etc.
The comics will be sponsored and distributed without charge. This is a worldwide program and exclusive to WiredSafety.org.
In
addition, we will deliver live character appearances, from a simple Spider-Man
appearance (accompanied in each case by one of our trained WiredSafety
volunteers), to larger multiple character shows will be used to provide
online safety, privacy and responsible surfing themed shows to schools,
community groups, shopping malls, retailers, libraries, state fairs, corporate
events and large corporate centers. These will be sponsored in part or
in whole by corporations, foundations and government funding. Certain
approved and related products and services may be promoted at these events
to help defray the cost of delivery.
Marvel will be contributing a special edition comic, using all their star artists and Super Heroes to deliver safe, private and responsible surfing messages, each in one page illustrations. This special collectors' edition comic book will retail for about $5.00 and will be a donation to our tax deductible program. The original artwork will be sold at online auction, and the pages, as standalone posters can be used (without charge) by schools, libraries and community groups to promote our safe, private and responsible surfing programs.
This money will be used to jumpstart the program. Marvel has agreed to assist us in finding sponsors from their long list of vendors and affiliates. We hope to announce a contest shortly for children and teens to develop their own awareness campaigns to teach others not to pirate movies or software.
Lastly, we are constructing a new free Web site, InternetSuperHeroes.org, to promote the program and all youth online safety, privacy, security and responsible surfing programs, using the characters and Spidey's Web to create clubs, lesson plans for schools, printable and downloadable materials, all without charge. The site will be run and owned by WiredKids.org (our children's division), and charitable organization, and as such will be able to communicate with children.
For six years I have been trying to find the right spokesperson for us that resonates with kids around the world and who can't let us down by being charged with lewd behavior, drug abuse, drunk driving, insider trading or sexual assault. (That is only partially joking, unfortunately.)
We're going to need your help and the help of any others you can find :)
Thank you for all your support and continued help.
Parry Aftab
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Parry Aftab
201-463-8663
