Politics & Government

New App Starring Shaq Aimed At Keeping Ohio Kids Safe Online

The former Cavaliers star is part of the first iPhone app to locate registered sex offenders all over the state.

Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal is encouraging Ohio parents to keep on eye on their children when they log on to the internet with Project Shaq Shield. The campaign by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is aimed at helping parents establish good guidelines for surfing the net with their kids.

As part of the program, O'Neal is starring in a free iPhone app: the Shaq Shield. The app will have tips for safe internet usage as well as a directory of registered sex offenders in the state. All 88 Ohio Sheriffs are providing data for the registry through the Ohio Buckeye State Sheriff's Association. Parents and kids can even pledge with Shaq to be safe online.

"Community and parents are the best defense against Internet predators," O'Neal stated in a release. "The Shaq Shield iPhone app is a great way for parents to get informed and keep children safe online."

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Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, who created ICAC in Ohio, said in a release that Internet predators pose a threat to kids "because they look, act and sometimes are, the trusted neighbors next door."

The app is a national prototype for the 61 other ICAC Task Forces around the country and is supported by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, Offender Watch and Mindgrab Media.

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"Shaquille O'Neal's law enforcement experience and his commitment to helping children made him the perfect ambassador for this campaign and the iPhone app," Mason said in a release.

O'Neal has served as a deputy sheriff in various cities where he has played.

To get the Shaq Shield app, visit the Ohio ICAC website.

Shaq Shild App features include:

  • Sex offender registry search
  • Internet safety tips
  • A glossary of Internet terminology
  • Definitions of lingo that kids use online
  • Pledges by parents and children for shared Internet responsibility
  • Email alerts on registered sex offenders


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