Smoking, Sexting and the Cyber General

Are you one of the growing number of digital citizens that know “2.1C”?

The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (I.R.O.C.2 or I ROCK) has nationally espoused the digital safety movement known as “2.1C” (21st Century Digital Safety, Responsibility and Awareness). Since April 2009, I.R.O.C.2 has been credited with proactively saving thousands of lives across the country through the nationally acclaimed, “I Rock Responsibility 2.1C Concert” series.

By January 1, 2010, over 50,000 American digital citizens will have personally been exposed to this life saving information to arm themselves against digital disease, such as sexting, sextcasting, cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking and an overall lack of digital common sense. It is the mission of I.R.O.C.2 to ensure“2.1C” continues to be the primary tool or “vaccine” used by all digital citizens to proactively protect themselves, and their loved ones, against any and all current and future digital disease.

Remember this, less than a century ago it was common place to smoke cigarettes, or pipes as a matter of course, with little to no awareness or concern regarding the (now obvious) monumental health consequences related to this activity. This all changed, however, when we discovered and communicated the damaging effects of smoking (i.e. the Surgeon General’s Warning).

Fast forward to today, a large population still smokes — some are addicted, some do not believe the warnings and some simply do not care about the consequences — however, what all groups have in common is information. Unlike previous generations, today’s smokers have made an informed choice to “light up,” understanding and accepting the health risks associated with “smoking” both to themselves, and those around them.

Today, a new generation faces a very similar situation as the rapid advancement of digital technologies, and our concurrent reliance on them becomes more prevalent daily. However, unlike smoking, the negative consequences of irresponsible, ignorant, dangerous and malicious use of said technology are instantly destructive and far more reaching.

Today, our generation (young and old) are “lighting up” their phones, computers, mp3 players, cell phones, video games and more, with each digital session — presenting a myriad of unknown and dire risks. The dangers of digital disease are still largely unknown and evolving as fast as technology itself.
Ponder this, in the same time it takes to inhale just one breath of a potentially addictive carcinogenic, that same individual can completely and assuredly alter the rest of their life, and/or the lives of those around them through poor digital judgment.

Today, many organizations are talking to kids and parents about sexting and cyber-bullying. While the Institute applauds all initiatives to promote digital safety, I.R.O.C.2 is gravely concerned by the country’s knee-jerk reaction to the trend du jour once it hits the headlines. Talking to an audience about sexting or cyber bullying is like talking to a smoker about emphysema and asthma, neglecting to mention the myriad of other health risks such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, COPD and more.

The consequences of smoking are now clear and known, and as a society, we are able to make an informed decision to smoke or not. Similarly, digital users need to be aware of all the negative consequences of their digital actions before they “light up” any digital device.

In other words, reacting to digital issues based on what has already happened is not going to save those lives already affected, and it is not going to solve the real problem our digital generation faces today. Placing a band aid on a hemorrhaging wound may stop some bleeding short term, but ultimately it will fail. What we ALL, kids and adults alike, are faced with is a lack of knowledge about proactive responsible use of digital technology.

Here’s an example based on many true stories. A family went on a vacation, and one parent posted this status update on their social networking site (e.g. Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc), “Headed to Florida for the week.” When the family returned home, they found that their house looked like Christmas morning after the Grinch paid a visit. In other words, they were robbed! Well Duh! Neither you nor the family should be surprised! They advertised to the whole world that they were going to be away for a week. In this day and age, this situation is far more common than you might think! If this type of poor digital judgment is something you (the reader) currently do, you may want to call “I Rock” ASAP because chances are, you are executing far worse lapses in (digital) common sense than this and you don’t even know it!

Welcome (and thank heavens for) “2.1C”!

The concept of 2.1C applies if you are 7 years old or 70. According to the I.R.O.C.2 Speaker’s Bureau, they are not surprised to find that audience reaction to the vital information they share is the same, whether they are speaking to middle and high schools students in New York and Jersey, college students in Ohio, parents and teachers in Atherton, Montana, or Kansas, or even business executives and government employees in Virginia and Maryland. While demographics such as age, socio economics and geography change quite often for the Institute with respect to their audiences, what these groups all share is the inheritance of the same digital risks. No one is immune to the risks of inhaling a carcinogen, and no one is immune to the risks of powering up any form of digital technology without proactive, accurate information addressing responsible utilization.

Therefore, the Institute has appointed a new soldier in the fight against digital disease — the Institute’s Cyber General. The Cyber General’s uniform message of “2.1C” is simple, and to date has an almost 100% positive response rate across the nation – If you knowingly or ignorantly utilize technology irresponsibly, your life can be altered in 0.1 seconds! Without a proactive understanding of how to use all current and future technology safely, responsibly, and with awareness, digital devices are nothing more than weapons of self destruction.

The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication has made a promise to everyone in this country and the world that no matter whom you are, where you are, or how old you are, if you use digital technology, they will educate you on the importance of “2.1C”. Why did they make this promise? Because they know that anybody can (maliciously or innocently) severely alter their lives, and/or the lives of others within 0.1 seconds of poor digital judgment, and they know that this frightening reality could affect any one of their families, just as quickly, easily and harshly as it can affect yours.

All you have to do is contact the Institute and schedule an “I Rock Responsibility 2.1C Concert” and within ~ 50 minutes, you will be armed with the knowledge that will ultimately save your life.

As we progress into this new century, with a new and rapidly evolving digital way of life, the Institute and their Cyber General strive to ensure that everyone in our digital generation possesses the necessary information to make informed decisions when it comes to the responsible use of current (and future) technologies, and that we, as a globally digital community, do not blindly find ourselves at the epicenter of any (current or future) tragic or life altering digital disease based on a lack of the life saving knowledge; “2.1C”.