McLean County native Ben Tracy is on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of social media through a planned 3,100-mile run from coast to coast.
Tracy has been engaging with students and educators about online safety over the last several years, but over the next four months he aims to run a marathon-length distance each day. He is committed to raising awareness about how young people can navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
“Some of us have a more positive experience and some have a more negative one, and that, of course, exists with the kids as well, right? But overwhelmingly, kids are telling me they are having negative experiences online, that they are exposed to online predators and inappropriate content,” Tracy said in an interview on WGLT's Sound Ideas.
Tracy, a Colfax native and 2012 Ridgeview High School graduate, founded the Safe Social Network. He learned firsthand about the potential harm of social media. In 2017, he was fired from his job with then-Gov. Bruce Rauner on his first day due to years-old inappropriate social media posts — an experience he describes as leading to feelings of embarrassment, shame, and guilt.
Tracy said this led him to realize the potential harm improper use of social media can cause. He believes his story can serve as a lesson for others.
"I thought maybe I can turn this into something good," he said. "It just snowballed from there."
In his outreach efforts, Tracy emphasizes the importance of educating children about online dangers.
“First of all it's educating the kids about these dangers, how to recognize this inappropriate content and the bad people online,” he said.
Tracy also encourages parents to foster open communication with their children about online issues.
“The number one thing I would say to parents is to have open communication. What these kids need to hear is, 'There is nothing you can't come talk to us about,'” he said.
Tracy’s efforts are also extending beyond individual conversations between parents and children. He argues that social media companies have a crucial role in ensuring user safety, particularly young users. He calls for these companies to take greater responsibility in monitoring and managing content that appears on their platforms, and believes that more rigorous measures need to be implemented to protect children from online dangers.
“There needs to be legislative action at both the state and federal level to help keep kids safe online,” he said, adding he supports legislation to require social media companies to police their own content — and to grant parents access to monitor their kids' online use.
As part of his project, Tracy received a sendoff from his hometown on Sunday before beginning his journey with his team that includes a media manager and the driver. He and his team have acquired an RV for lodging and are headed to San Francisco.
His objective is to reach Ocean City, Maryland, just a few days before Christmas, helping families and sharing their stories along the way. He plans to interview about 20 parents who have lost children to cyberbullying, extortion or acquiring fentanyl online.
Tracy advises children to think critically about their online activities, emphasizing the need for young users to consider the long-term implication of their online actions with a simple and straightforward saying.
“Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your grandma to see,” Tracy said.
