Sarasota County parents heading into the new school year will get a free course in keeping kids safe online, courtesy of detectives who investigate crimes against children.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office will host its "Digital Parenting 101" seminar Sept. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the agency's headquarters, 6010 Cattleridge Blvd. The event is free, but pre-registration is required. Parents can sign up by emailing [email protected].
The sheriff's office announced the seminar in a press release Tuesday, July 22, calling it a return of a program that has drawn positive feedback from previous attendees. No individual detectives are named as presenters, but the agency said the course is taught by investigators with direct experience working child exploitation cases.
What the seminar covers
The two-hour session walks parents through four areas: how children are targeted through phones, tablets and gaming systems; how to set up safe monitoring without losing a kid's trust; tips straight from detectives who have handled online predator cases; and basic device settings and tricks that keep parents one step ahead.
A previous attendee quoted in the announcement said the session helped them talk to their kids about safe device and internet use.
Seminar arrives a month into the new school year
Sarasota County Schools opens the 2026-2027 school year Aug. 10. That gives families a month of back-to-school device use before sitting down with detectives to troubleshoot what they're seeing at home.
Sheriff Kurt Hoffman has been vocal about the risks children face online. At a March 18 press conference where Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation into Discord for allegedly harboring predators, Hoffman said social media apps have weak protections because platforms lack meaningful age verification, and that victims can be as young as 6 or 7.
"Collectively, we can all make a difference in the lives of our children," Hoffman said at that March event.
Florida law already bars anyone under 16 from social media platforms, with an exception for 14- and 15-year-olds who have parental permission. But enforcement depends in part on parents knowing what's on their kids' devices.
How parents can register
The seminar is free. Email [email protected] to reserve a spot. No registration deadline has been announced.
Upcoming community dates:
- Aug. 10 — First day of school, Sarasota County Schools
- Sept. 10, 6 to 8 p.m. — Digital Parenting 101 seminar, SCSO headquarters, 6010 Cattleridge Blvd.
