FBI Jacksonville to host ‘Be Smart with your Smartphone’ event to teach teens risks of social media

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Federal Bureau of Investigation Jacksonville Division will host an event teaching teens about the risks of social media on April 21. It’s called “Be Smart with your Smartphone: Teen Edition.”

According to the FBI, there has been an increase in cases of sextortion targeting boys, meaning adults are contacting young males via social media and convincing them to produce sexual images that the adult will use to extort more graphic images.

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The free event planned during Child Abuse Prevention Month aims to prevent teens from falling victim to these online predators.

Special agents with the FBI will explain the latest methods that predators use to target teens during the event. Recruiters with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office will also demonstrate how a teen’s presence on social media can impact their future.

It will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Creekside High School and all teens, guardians and educators from the community are encouraged to attend.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of sextortion, call FBI Jacksonville at 904-248-7000 or visit https://tips.fbi.gov/.

For more information on sextortion, click here.

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