FBI agents, local police warning Seneca Valley students of dangers that come with technology

BUTLER COUNTY — FBI Pittsburgh agents, Jackson Township Police and school resource officers are holding a public panel at Seneca Valley Senior High School on the dangers of tech.

The superintendent said they want to better educate the community on online dangers for children.

“To hear from the FBI agents who work these really scary cases with children who have met predators online who have met bad people online that parents of aware of,” said Dr. Tracy Vitale, superintendent of Seneca Valley School District.

Parents and staff will hear from experts about the online exploitation of kids and teens.

The Jackson Township Police chief said his department has seen an increase in cases of sextortion at Seneca Valley.

“And what happens sometimes, they will send totally nude pictures to the wrong person and then these people posing as other teenagers who are in most cases adults and then they intimidate these kids into sending them more pictures or coming up with money,” said Chief Terry Seilhamer, Jackson Township Police Dept.

Authorities will also highlight the dangers behind digital footprints. FBI Pittsburgh said kids have to be careful with what they are sharing on the internet.

“If you put your name, date of birth, identifying information to a complete stranger, they have access to that forever, from that point on and they can give that to other people,” said Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge, FBI Pittsburgh.

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