Enough Is Enough (EIE), a nonprofit based in Great Falls, was the first of its kind.
The organization that began as a hope to protect children from pornography and sexual predators from the emerging World Wide Web has moved Congress to pass laws and convinced parents to become the front-line of defense for their child’s safety online.
"We were the first Internet safety organization in the country," said President and CEO Donna Rice Hughes. "When it started, the Internet was just starting to become commercialized."
The organization began in 1992. EIE focused on the Internet just two years later as the founders realized that the Internet was a way for sexual predators to hide themselves in plain site online. Pornographers were selling, trading and marketing both hardcore and child pornography. When Hughes joined the organization in 1994, she said she quickly realized how quickly children could lose their innocence in the burgeoning Internet age.
According to the website, enoughisenough.org, EIE convinced Congress to pass the Communications Decency Act in 1996 and the Children's’ Internet Protection Act of 2000.
Due to the effective nature of the organization, Hughes was hailed as "a strong and effective advocate for children’s online safety" by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and "one of the leaders in the fight against pornography aimed at children on the internet" by Oprah Winfrey, according EIE’s website.
However, Hughes said, the law only was effective if pornographers who marketed to children and sexual predators were persecuted. The organization found that this was not always the case, especially with the rise of social media and online gaming.
"At this point, the only way we can protect kids online is by having parents be the first line of defense," she said.
That meant EIE needed to educate parents. The organization launched "Internet Safety 101," (internetsafety101.org) which teaches how to filter Internet searches, monitor children’s online activities and has accounts from victims and perpetrators. Hughes said the DVD, which was mostly filmed at McLean Bible Church, was turned into a three-part television show for the Public Broadcasting Service. The television show won an Emmy last year - and parents can call their local PBS station to watch it.
To contact WETA, call 703-998-2600.
EIE needs interns, volunteers and donations. To contact the organization, call 888-744-0004.
This story was updated. Corrections include: Enough Is Enough, WETA and adding the Internet Safety 101 website.