Minn. schools receiving materials on Web safety

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is about a third of the way through its program of distributing a free Internet safety program to 1,400 state schools.

The program is called NetSmartz and it's going out to public schools to teach children and teens about online dangers, including sexual predators. It comes on three CDs.

BCA trainer Karina Berzins says the materials are age appropriate and try to help children recognize and avoid danger when they're online.

There's also training for adults, including deciphering the shorthand used on the Web and in texts - including LMIRL, which means "let's meet in real life," and MUSM for "miss you so much."

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The NetSmartz program was developed conjunction with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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On the Net: NetSmartz

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