For Release: September 6, 2007
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: tucker.martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell Launches Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest
Virginia Students to Make 30-Second Internet Safety Television Ads
Winner to be Selected in Online Vote
Winning Ad will Air on Virginia TV; Other Prizes Include Microsoft X-Boxes,
Private Film-Screening, Fox DVD’s
Richmond – Attorney General Bob McDonnell today announced a major Internet safety contest for Virginia students in grades 6-12. In the Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest students will have 6 months to write, direct, and produce their own 30-second television ads on Internet safety. The winning entrant(s) will have their ad aired on Virginia television next year, receive Microsoft X-Box 360’s, get a private screening of a new Fox movie with 70 of their friends, and receive a basket of Fox DVD’s. Second place and third place submissions will receive baskets of Fox DVD’s. The contest was launched today at a Richmond press conference with Attorney General McDonnell, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy Cannaday, and representatives of corporate partners AOL, Microsoft and MySpace. The contest is part of the Attorney General’s “Project SafetyNet VA” Internet safety public awareness campaign.
The submission deadline for the contest is February 1, 2008. Entries will be narrowed down by the Attorney General’s Office, and the winner will then be chosen in an online vote. Posters advertising the contest have been placed in schools throughout Virginia in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Education, and print ads telling parents and children about the contest will appear in a number of Virginia publications over the upcoming weeks. Full details about the contest can be found by visiting: www.vaag.com, and at the bottom of this release.
Speaking about the Internet safety contest, Attorney General McDonnell noted, “This is an opportunity for students to be creative while helping to raise awareness about a critical issue, Internet safety. I’m sure that at some point every Virginia student has seen a TV commercial and thought ‘I can do that.’ Well here’s their chance to prove it.”
Dr. Billy K. Cannaday Jr., Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction, remarked, “We need to speak directly to young people about Internet safety. Given the amount of time they spend online, Virginia's students are uniquely qualified to develop a message that will resonate with their peers and raise awareness about the real dangers that lurk in the virtual world."
The corporate partners in the competition also voiced their support for the initiative.
"Attorney General McDonnell's efforts to protect and educate Virginia's families and children about staying safe online are to be commended," said Linda Zecher, Vice President, Microsoft U.S. Public Sector. "It's an important issue, and Microsoft works to improve online safety through technical innovation and in collaborative efforts with industry, government and consumer education programs like the Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest. We are proud to support this public awareness campaign and applaud the Commonwealth's efforts to make the Internet safer for everyone."
Will Castleberry, national director of AOL state public policy, who attended the press conference, added, “AOL applauds Attorney General McDonnell’s continued efforts to safeguard Virginia's children. He continues to lead the nation in developing innovative programs to combat online child predators. Continued education is the most effective way to prevent online child endangerment and Attorney General McDonnell's PSA contest will engage young people in this effort and encourage continued participation. AOL is proud to support Attorney General McDonnell in this endeavor."
“In our likeminded pursuit of keeping kids safe on the Internet, MySpace continues to partner with Attorney General McDonnell because he’s a leader in this area," said Hemanshu Nigam, chief security officer for MySpace. "We’re excited to be a member of Attorney General McDonnell’s Youth Internet Safety Taskforce and we hope the Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest ingrains in students how crucial it is to stay safe online while still having fun.”
McDonnell specifically thanked The Martin Agency of Richmond for producing the poster and print ads for the contest, Erickson Barnett online marketing for designing the Web page, and the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association for signing on to distribute the winning ad.
The contest is part of the Attorney General’s “Project SafetyNet VA” public awareness campaign about Internet safety. Resulting from the Attorney General’s Youth Internet Safety Task Force, which met over the course of 2006, it is a joint effort, led by the Attorney General, to educate and raise awareness among Virginia's children and parents about the dangers of the Internet through innovative initiatives. The Attorney General's Youth Internet Safety Advisory Committee meets regularly to implement these educational initiatives and is comprised of leaders representing education, law enforcement, parents, faith-based organizations and the technology industry.
The Attorney General has dedicated the month of September to raising public awareness about Internet safety. Tomorrow, the Attorney General will travel to Danville to unveil an Internet Safety book for 3rd Graders. The book is entitled “Faux Paw’s Adventures in the Internet.” The book, which teaches students basic lessons about staying safe online, has been sent to every public and private elementary school in the state. Also, members of the Computer Crime Section of the Office of the Attorney General will travel throughout Virginia this month presenting the “SafetyNet” program on online safety to students, teachers and parents.
About the Contest
Who’s eligible? Virginia students in grades 6 – 12. Students can compete in groups of up to three people.
What is the contest? The Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest is a challenge for Virginia students to create 30-second television ads about how to be safe on the Internet.
When is the deadline for submissions? Feb. 1, 2008.
Where will the winning ad appear? The ad will air on television in Virginia.
Prizes:
1st Place (winning entry):
Entry aired on Virginia TV
Each member of team receives an XBOX 360
Team gets a private screening of an upcoming FOX movie near their hometown
with 70 of their family/friends
Team gets 1 basket containing an assortment of FOX DVD’s
2nd Place
Team gets 1 basket containing an assortment of FOX DVD’s
3rd Place
Team gets 1 basket containing an assortment of FOX DVD’s
How do students enter the contest: Students should visit www.vaag.com for all the details, or check with teachers at their school.
Official Contest Rules and Conditions
PROJECT SAFETYNET VA
VIRGINIA YOUTH INTERNET SAFETY CONTEST
Contest Rules, Terms and Conditions
1) To be considered, entrants must create and submit a public service announcement, in a format of the entrants' choosing and no longer than 30 seconds in length, addressing any aspect of Internet safety. Ideal entries will effectively highlight a problem students face when using the Internet and, in light of that problem, address how students can be safe when using the Internet. The video should be targeted to students in grades 6-12. The entrants of the winning team will each receive a Microsoft XBox 360 and the second and third place entries will also be awarded prizes. Additional prize and contest information will be updated and posted on the contest Web site, which can be accessed at www.vaag.com. The winning entry will be aired as a public service announcement on television in Virginia.
2) All entrants must be enrolled as a student at a Virginia public, private or parochial middle or high school (Grades 6 – 12) or be engaged in a middle or high school-age homeschool program in Virginia for the 2007-08 school year. Students may work individually or as a team of up to three people. Entry is limited to one entry per person/team. An Entry Information Sheet must be submitted with each entry.
3) A parent or teacher must sponsor and be responsible for the supervision of the entrant(s). The sponsor is expected to review the entry and ensure that the content is appropriate for submission. All communication will be sent to the sponsor via U.S. mail or e-mail.
4) All entries become the property of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General (OAG), will not be returned to the contestants, and may be used in whole or in part by the Office of Attorney General at its discretion. A completed copyright assignment granting to the Office of the Attorney General all rights, title and interest in the entry without payment or further consent must be submitted by each entrant. Entrants will still be permitted to use their entries for other school or PTA-sponsored contests (e.g., the Reflections Program).
5) All entrants and any other persons who appear in an entry must permit the Office of the Attorney General to use their names and other personal information for publicity without payment. A completed Name and Likeness Release form must be submitted for each entrant and any other persons who appear in an entry.
6) The entry may not depict any third-party trademarks or copyrighted materials, logos or brand names in the background or on costumes, equipment and props, unless entrants submit proof of permission to use the protected material. A completed Certification regarding Use of Copyrighted Materials must be submitted by each entrant. If copyrighted music or images are used in an entry, and copyright permission is not proven through the submission of the Certification as well as satisfactory evidence of permission, the entry will not be eligible. The following Web sites may be helpful in understanding and obtaining permission to use copyrighted material:
7) By submitting the entry, the entrant represents that: 1) the entry and everything depicted in the entry are wholly original and do not infringe upon or otherwise violate any right of any person, firm or entity; 2) he/she has all rights, licenses, permissions and consents necessary to submit the entry in the contest in accordance with these terms and conditions; and 3) no person/entity other than the entrant has any right, title or arrangement to the entry, including, but not limited to, music publishing agreement, recording agreement, production agreement or any similar agreement.
8) By entering the contest, the entrant understands that the Office of Attorney General may post his/her entry, or any part thereof, on the OAG Web site or an affiliated Web site and submit it for television broadcast.
9) The OAG will narrow entries to a select group which will be posted online at the contest Web site at www.vaag.com. The public will select the winners through online voting to run until a deadline to be set on the contest Web site after all eligible entries are received. The top vote getter after passage of the deadline will be declared the winning team. As noted above, winning entries will effectively highlight a problem students face when using the Internet and, in light of that problem, address how students can be safe when using the Internet. The second and third highest vote getters will also be eligible for prizes. The winners will be posted on www.vaag.com. The OAG reserves the right to declare no winners should it, in its judgment, find that no entry is suitable for broadcast.
10) The opinions expressed in the entry submissions are solely the opinions of the entrants and not those of the Office of Attorney General. The Office of Attorney General is not responsible for any entries provided by entrants that are deemed harmful or offensive to others.
11) All entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions and decisions of the Office of Attorney General, as applicable, which are final as to all contest-related matters. By participating in the contest or accepting any prize, entrants agree to release the Office of Attorney General, and its partners, from any and all actions, claims, injury, loss or damage arising in any manner, directly or indirectly, whether for legal or equitable (including injunctive) relief, relating to participation in the contest and/or acceptance, use or misuse of a prize.
12) The contest is governed by the law of Virginia and any applicable local laws. Void where prohibited by law. Taxes, if any, are the responsibility of the winners.
13) No employees or immediate family members of employees of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, Microsoft, AOL or NewsCorp may enter the competition.
14) All required application and entry forms must be completed in full.
15) Entries may be submitted through the participants' school or directly to the Office of the Attorney General at: Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Virginia Youth Internet Safety Contest, 900 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219
16) All entries must be postmarked by Friday, February 1, 2008.
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