JOPLIN, Mo. — Many kids love the shows and games they find online – but don’t realize the risks that comes with it. Now a digital gathering is hoping to help parents keep those kids safe.

It’s the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce Joplin Regional Innovation and Technology Summit. The speech, Thursday night, at Joplin High School focused on “helping our children thrive on the internet.” Keynote speaker, Shane McCombs, with the Innocent Lives Foundation says teaching our children early about the dangers that can live on the internet is crucial.

“One of the statistics we talked about tonight was it 10-percent of eight year olds have already been exposed to sexting. So, if you use that as a marker, it should be pretty clear that we need to start protecting our kids very early nowadays,” said Shane McCombs, “Innocent Lives Foundation” Chief Operating Officer.

“Aside from starting early and very open and frequent communication, I do make sure that I monitor what they are looking at online. I do make sure I monitor any type of games that they’re playing. I monitor that content. I put as many parental controls on their electronics as possible,” said Kelsey Little, Joplin Parent.

The two-day seminar will cover a wide range of tech-related topics, ranging from from emerging technology and business innovation to cyber resiliency.