Parry Aftab

Parry Aftab is an American lawyer specializing in Internet privacy and security law, and the Executive Director of WiredSafety.org, a volunteer organization dedicated to online safety. Aftab shut down her law practice in 2000. Recently she formed WiredTrust, a risk-management consulting firm dedicated to Web 2.0 best practices. [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9942426-7.html] She was featured in Chris Hansen's book, "To Catch a Predator" as one of two advocates in the area of online safety, in his chapter "The Tale of Two Advocates". In this chapter, Hansen highlights the reasons Parry gave up her law firm and donates her time running WiredSafety.org (an all-volunteer organization, including Parry). The first was the result of her having encountered an online image of a toddler being sexually molested. The second was because she recognized that "all children can walk, talk and see" online.(see Hansen's book.)

Parry began working in the area of online safety in 1997, after appearing on CNN and other shows defending the Internet from regulations designed to censor it. Her work quickly expanded to helping educators [http://www.teachers.net/releases/aftab.html TEACHERS.NET HOSTS INTERNATONAL CYBERSPACE LAW EXPERT/AUTHOR PARRY AFTAB - TEACHERS.NET, the major online resource for educators, announces the appearance of internationally known cyberspace and technology law expert Parry Aftab, author of A Parents' Guide to the Internet…and how to protect your children in cyberspace. Ms. Aftab will appear on Friday, September 25 from 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET in the Teachers.Net Online Conference Room to discuss Internet security issues ] ]

Education

*City University of New York, Hunter College, BA, 1981 (receiving her degree in two years) [http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/media/links/events/ForumStbgSept2005CVs_en.asp ForumStbgSept2005CVs_en ] ]

*Hunter College, Valedictorian, Phi Beta Kappa (Nu Chapter)
*New York University School of Law, JD, 1984

Consulting and advisory activities

She consults for and works with law enforcement agencies, worldwide, on cybercrime prevention, cyber-terrorism, law enforcement and security matters. [http://wwwc.house.gov/timbishop/r109-013.htm Congressman Tim Bishop : Home ] ] She has worked with FBI, U.S. Customs, Interpol, Scotland Yard, the Home Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Police and Japan's National Police, Hong Kong Police and the RCMP. [http://www.informationweek.com/LP/columnists/parryaftab.jhtml InformationWeek > Parry Aftab ] ] http://energycommerce.house.gov/reparchives/108/Hearings/04042006hearing1820/Aftab.pdf]

Parry is a regular source for media outlets worldwide on Internet privacy, marketing, advertising and regulatory issues, as well as children and online safety and security. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11064451/ Why parents must mind MySpace - Dateline NBC - MSNBC.com ] ] [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/07/i_ins.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts ] ] She has been quoted or featured in magazines such as Newsweek, U.S News & World Report, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, Better Homes and Gardens, Information Weekly, Teen People, Ladies Home Journal, Smart Business Magazine, The Times magazine, New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine. [http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_02-25-2007/Cyberbullying Cyberbullying: How to fight the new bullies | PARADE Magazine ] ] [http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-01-29-porn-protection_x.htm USATODAY.com - Porn 'tidal wave' puts parents to test ] ] She has been consulted by local news publications and has appeared as a commentator on international, national, and local television news programs. [http://www.montelshow.com/show/?showID=5085 Montel Williams - Today on Montel ] ] [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/06/earlyshow/main1285138.shtml Guarding Against On-Line Predators, Popular MySpace Web Site Attracts Predators, Worries Parents - CBS News ] ]

She has been providing "public service safety information" for many years. Aftab provides "parent Internet education" and "online safety content" for sites which include Children's Television Workshop, Disney, Microsoft, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T and MSNBC and many of the social networking sites. [http://safety.xanga.com/ Xanga Safety ] ]

Her online discussions and writing are have been published and quoted by legal journals in articles, and by judges in their decisions.

Katie.com

Aftab was involved in a dispute surrounding the domain katie.com in 2004. In 2000, Penguin Putnam had planned to release a book titled "Katie.com"; the domain was owned by Katie Jones, which resulted in a dispute between her and the publisher.cite news
last = Sheriff
first = Lucy
title = Penguin backs down on Katie.com
url = http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/09/penguin_renames_katie_book/
date= 2004-08-09
accessdate = 2007-01-30] Four years later, Aftab contacted Jones and, in an effort to address concerns relating to young people visiting Jones' site, thinking it was the official book site, asked Jones to consider either donating the site or redirecting traffic from the young readers to the official site. When Jones refused, Aftab accused her of having a hidden agenda, which Jones considered to be cyberbullying in itself.cite news
last = Sheriff
first = Lucy
title = Katie.com lawyer to host cyber-bullying conference
url = http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/19/cyber_bully/
date= 2005-01-19
accessdate = 2007-01-30] In an interview, Jones stated that she was being emotionally blackmailed and that Aftab told her that "things would only get worse [for Jones] " if she did not hand over the domain.cite web
last = E. Rustad Jr.
first = Roger
title = Interview with Katie Jones of (the Real) Katie.com
url = http://grep.law.harvard.edu/articles/04/08/06/033216.shtml
accessdate = 2007-01-30] Jones received massive support from the online community, and eventually Penguin renamed the book "A Girl's Life Online".

Organizations

*NCPC, the "McGruff" "take a bite out of crime" people, Advisory Board member 2006-to date.
*Chair, Privacy and Security Working Group of The Internet Society Task Force (2000-2001)appointed member since 1999
*WiredSafety the world's largest Internet safety and help group, formerly functioned as Cyberangels, recipient of President's Service Award, 1998, Executive Director (1998-present) [http://www.wiredsafety.org WiredSafety - the world's largest Internet safety and help group ] ]
*Wired Kids Executive Director (1999-present) ( [http://www.wiredkids.org] ) ]
*Ad Council Advisory Committee member (1999 - 2006)
*Cyberlawenforcement the group for law enforcement volunteers and networks on cybercrime investigations, training and prevention Executive Director (2000-present) [http://www.cyberlawenforcement.com Welcome To CyberLawEnforcement.org ] ]
*UNESCO President, US National Action Committee, Innocence in Danger (1998-present)

Publications and related activities

She has written the books "The Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace" (McGraw-Hill, January 2000 (US) and 2001 (UK)) and "A Parents' Guide to the Internet" (SC Press, October 1997). She has also published a new book for parents in Spain and in South and Central America,

Aftab has contributed to the books "Child Abuse on the Internet.... Ending the Silence" (2001, editor Carlos A. Arnaldo), "The Technical Response: Blocking, Filtering And Rating The Internet", "The Best In E-Commerce Law" (2001, Warren E.Agin), and was the editor of "Children's Online Privacy Law".

Her writings have been published in "Information Week", "New York Law Journal", "Legal Times", "Preventive Law Reporter", "Working Women Magazine", "The Texas Lawyer", "Children's Legal Rights Law Journal", "New Jersey Law Journal", and "The Internet Lawyer".Fact|date=February 2007

Aftab has been featured in "Reader's Digest" (US edition), "TV Guide" (US edition), "Biography Magazine", "New York Sunday Times", and the "International Herald Tribune".Fact|date=February 2007

Selected online activities

*Privacy and safety advisor to Disney Online's Internet safety project, http://surfswellisland.com

Notes

References

* [http://corporate.disney.go.com/wdig/toontown_safety.html Disney Press Information - Toontown Safety Information. Disney Online. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/media/Links/Events/ForumStbgSept2005CVs_en.asp#P55_1294 ForumStbgSept2005CVs_en. Council of Europe. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.wiredsafety.org/resources/biographies/parry/index.html Internet Safety Resources - Biographies, Parry Aftab, Esq.. WiredSafety. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.lindagilroy.org.uk/Parrybio.htm Linda Gilroy - Technology. LindaGilroy.org.uk. 4 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.aftab.com/parrysinternetsafetybio.htm Parry Aftab's Internet Safety Bio. Aftab.com. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.aftab.com/Parrysprofessionalbio.htm Parry Aftab's Professional Bio. Aftab.com. 3 Arp. 2006]
* [http://www.copacommission.org/meetings/hearing1/parry.pdf Parry.pdf. COPA Commission. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://www.katiet.com/message1.htm Tarbox, Katherine. Katherine Tarbox. Katiet.com. 3 Apr. 2006]
* [http://energycommerce.house.gov/reparchives/108/Hearings/04042006hearing1820/Aftab.pdf. Congressional Testimony - Sub-Committee on Investigations and Oversight. 4 April 2006]
* [http://www.informationweek.com/LP/columnists/parryaftab.jhtml. Information Week Magazine's columnist's bio. 30 Mar. 2007]

External links

* [http://parryaftab.blogspot.com Parry's personal blog] .
* [http://theprivacylawyer.blogspot.com Parry Aftab's Blog, The Privacy Lawyer]
* [http://www.wiredsafety.org WiredSafety.org]
* [http://www.aftab.com Parry's personal website]