The Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications at the University of South Florida (USF) was recently tapped by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tampa Filed Office (FBI Tampa) to create a public service announcement (PSA) about the dangers of posting personal information online and on social media.
Students from The Zimmerman School tour the FBI Field Office in Tampa. (Photo by Ferdinand Zogbaum)
Due to an increase in the number of cyber schemes targeting young people, such as cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and sextortion, FBI Tampa said they routinely look for new avenues to raise cyber awareness and responsibility.
The PSA was created and produced by USF senior Jenna Hernandez, features USF alumna Claire Mercier, and was supervised by Zimmerman School assistant instructor Ferdinand Zogbaum.
Hernandez said that the PSA was originally created as part of a course she is taking in The Zimmerman School.
“I made the PSA for my promotional videography class last semester, and my professor Ryan Watson sent it to the FBI marketing team. They really liked it because they started reaching out to me asking if they can use it, and that’s when we started collaborating,” she explained.
“I came up with the idea for the PSA concept once I realized what I wanted the PSA to be about. I watched some other PSAs online and started writing down different ideas until I really produced an idea that I liked,” she said. “I learned how to work with their team and myself. Most of the videos I make I was the only one to have say in the graphics and scene clips.”
"Partnerships like this are incredibly important, because there is so much learning to be done outside the classroom. Also, working with a partner like the FBI gives our students a unique advantage in a very competitive job market," Zogbaum said. "Working with the FBI is a huge eye-opener for our students. They learn about professionalism, teamwork, and making our community safer."
FBI Tampa shared that the PSA would be included in presentations as a part of its online safety outreach programs, which are shown to middle and high school students.
"The internet and social media can be very dangerous,” Zogbaum explained. “We hope the PSA hits home and is uncomfortable enough to make students think twice before sharing personal information."
Hernandez, who is preparing to graduate from USF in the Fall, is already in talks with FBI Tampa to produce another PSA.
“I am working with FBI Tampa right now to come up with ideas for a human trafficking PSA. We don’t have a release day for it, but I am working to finish it by the end of the semester,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez hopes this experience and her work completed during her time in The Zimmerman School will help propel her into a career in entertainment media.
“My dream is to work for NBCUniversal and create sitcoms like, ‘Parks and Rec’ or ‘The Good Place.’ I hope to be a director of photography since I love being behind a camera and coming up with different shot ideas,” she said.
David Walker, FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge, says PSAs like the one the students created is a benefit to the community at large.
“Part of the FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and public safety education is a key component to fulfilling our mission,” he said. “This PSA will help to enhance our efforts to make our communities safer, and we are grateful for the USF Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications for collaborating with the FBI on this project.”