SafetyWeb Announces $8 Million in Funding Led by Battery Ventures

DENVER, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- SafetyWeb (www.safetyweb.com), the leading Internet safety, identity and reputation protection service for parents, announced today that it has completed an $8 million round of funding led by Battery Ventures with participation from First Round Capital.

Launched in May 2010, SafetyWeb is the first subscription-based service of its kind that enables parents to monitor their children's online social networking activity (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Bebo, etc.) in real-time. SafetyWeb identifies positive and negative activity and alerts parents to any action, communication or relationship that could be harmful to the child (e.g., cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking, a "friend" has been convicted of statutory rape, etc.).  Since launch, over 1,000 affiliates are distributing SafetyWeb.

The service protects the person instead of the device or hardware, empowering parents to intervene if they suspect their kids' online safety or reputation is at risk, regardless of how they access the Internet or where they go on the web. SafetyWeb is also available as an iPhone application so parents on the go can continue to access the information they need to protect their children.

"SafetyWeb is unlike any other web-based solution for child online activity monitoring in the market today. It monitors the most diverse set of social networks for unparalleled access to engagement and activity data," said Roger Lee, general partner at Battery Ventures. "The market is ripe for a better online child safety and reputation solution; SafetyWeb's vision coupled with the quality of their management team positions the company for exceptional growth."

SafetyWeb's initial focus has been on activity taking place on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Bebo, etc. The service is evolving to incorporate data from cell phones, gaming consoles, criminal background checks and geo-location services, providing parents with a comprehensive dashboard that helps pinpoint concerning behavior. SafetyWeb will use this most recent financing to expand its national footprint through marketing, partnerships, and outreach.

"With the increase in cyber bullying and Internet addiction, plus the growing impact of online reputation on employment and college admissions, it's more important than ever for parents to get a handle on how their children's online activity can have offline repercussions.  SafetyWeb is the only service that makes it easier to track public information about your children across all of the social networking sites," said Geoffrey Arone, co-founder and co-CEO of SafetyWeb.com.

Today, the average child aged eight to 18 is spending more than 7.5 hours a day using a smart phone, computer, or other electronic device, making it nearly impossible for parents to keep up with their kids' digital lives and the constantly evolving Web. "We launched SafetyWeb to help parents identify and respond to Internet  threats, and we're excited to expand our mission to  reach even more parents nationwide," said Michael Clark, co-founder and co-CEO of SafetyWeb.com.  

SafetyWeb provides you with detailed reports on a weekly basis and 24-hour access to website services for $10/month for the first child. To learn more or get started visit SafetyWeb.com.

About SafetyWeb, Inc.

SafetyWeb is the leading service simplifying online safety by helping parents guard their children's online safety, identity and reputation.  The service monitors the web to deliver reports and immediate alerts on irregularities and dangers associated with kids' and teens' online activity. Because SafetyWeb acts as an online guardian angel, the service arms parents with information to determine acceptable and healthy online behavior. The company was founded in 2009 by Michael Clark and Geoffrey Arone, who have worked on web sites that combined, serviced over 200 million register users. For more information on helping parents be online parents, visit: www.SafetyWeb.com.  

About Battery Ventures

Since 1983, Battery has been investing in technology and innovation worldwide. The firm partners with entrepreneurs and management teams across technology sectors, geographies, and stages of a company's life -- from start-up and expansion financing to growth equity and buyouts.

Battery has supported many breakthrough companies around the world, including: Airespace (acquired by Cisco), Akamai Technologies, BladeLogic (acquired by BMC Software), Netezza, Omniture, and ProfitLogic (acquired by Oracle). Battery currently manages more than $3B in committed capital and invests from offices in Boston, Silicon Valley and Israel. For more information, visit: www.battery.com.

SOURCE SafetyWeb, Inc.