| Most people would agree the internet is a fun | | | | hobbies. Online predators often spend a |
| and convenient resource to make new friends | | | | great deal of time, energy, and even income |
| and learn new things. As technology advances | | | | getting to know their victim. Some predators |
| so does the accessibility of the internet. | | | | try and earn the victims trust by |
| People can now surf the internet via cell | | | | sympathizing with their problems and then |
| phones, laptop computers, and palm pilots. | | | | gradually introduce sexually explicit |
| The internet is everywhere from Libraries, | | | | material to their targets. This process if |
| internet cafes, and school campuses across | | | | often referred to as "grooming". |
| America. | | | | |
| | | | Now that we understand how the predator works |
| While the internet has made it easier to | | | | we need to understand which type of young |
| shop, communicate, and research it has also | | | | people are more susceptible to becoming |
| made the world much more complex from a | | | | victims. According to bewebaware.com, |
| technical viewpoint. Software companies | | | | "teenagers who are new to online activity, |
| spend millions of dollars trying to protect | | | | actively seeking affection or attention, |
| users against hackers, predators, and | | | | curious about their sexuality or attracted by |
| scammers. Sadly, these companies seem to be | | | | sub-culture apart from their parents world |
| one step behind the cyber criminals who are | | | | are most likely to become victims ." This |
| very intelligent and skilled at exploitation. | | | | makes sense because this is the time where |
| These criminals do not lurk in alleys or | | | | teenagers are figuring out who they are and |
| bars; instead they roam the information super | | | | where they belong. This makes them even more |
| highway and prey upon the vulnerable. | | | | of an attractive target to pedophiles, |
| Internet predators come from various types of | | | | because teenagers are opens to suggestion. |
| social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. | | | | Parents can counteract this by talking to |
| Internet predators are very hard to detect | | | | their kids about online threats andkeeping |
| because the majority of them look | | | | communication lines open. Education is the |
| non-threatening and some even hold very | | | | most important tool because like the internet |
| prestigious occupations. A great example of | | | | it can be accessed anywhere. |
| this is Senator Mark Foley, who used the | | | | |
| internet to prey upon teenage boys working in | | | | Most parents would never consider allowing a |
| the White House. | | | | stranger to come into their home and spend |
| | | | time with their kids unsupervised. The |
| Many adults know very little about the online | | | | internet should not be treated any different. |
| world. Most kids end up teaching their | | | | Supervision in this context includes |
| parents how to use the internet. The | | | | monitoring the pc when kids are online and |
| internet is being taught to kids in middle | | | | setting rules for computer usage. Parents |
| school which is overall a good idea, but it | | | | should try to accompany their kids online and |
| can create some problems such as kids having | | | | observe the websites they visit. This is |
| moretechnical expertise than their parents | | | | especially true for kids who are new to the |
| and teachers. The average teenager knows | | | | internet. If a parent feels comfortable with |
| more about configuring, downloading, and | | | | their kid being online they can make sure the |
| installing programs than their guardians. | | | | computer is placed in a common area of the |
| Parents often feel they can not learn | | | | home. Computers with internet access should |
| computer skills so their children are often | | | | never be placed in a child's bedroom. It is |
| left to manage thecomputer. Parents and kids | | | | much more difficult for a predator to form a |
| are both in a bad situation because parents | | | | relationship when the monitor is visible to |
| do not know how to use the computer and kids | | | | the parent at all times. Parents also need |
| lack the experience and maturity to make | | | | to set up some guidelines for their kid's |
| sound decisions about online safety. Parents | | | | internet usage. Most guidelines are common |
| often under estimate the dangers that lurk | | | | sense such as telling kids not to open emails |
| online and sadly our children are paying the | | | | or instant messages from people they do not |
| price for it. At any given moment there are | | | | know. Parents also need to instruct their |
| 50,000 child predators online looking for | | | | kids on what chat rooms are okay for them to |
| their next victim. These criminals use | | | | visit and with whom they communicate with in |
| websites such as Myspace, AOL and Yahoo to | | | | these rooms. I advise parents to go into the |
| facilitate communications with unsuspecting | | | | chat room and monitor the traffic on several |
| kids The best way to keep children safe is | | | | different occasions before letting a child |
| by education, supervision, and installation | | | | chat unsupervised. Daniel Armagh suggests, is |
| of software for protection against online | | | | also a good idea for young kids to share an |
| predators. | | | | email account with their parents, because |
| | | | parents will know exactly what is going on |
| When most people think of the word "predator" | | | | via email. Parents may want to give older |
| they think of a lion or bear, because these | | | | kids their own email address which is okay |
| animals hunt prey weaker and smaller than | | | | only if the parent knows the password and |
| them. According to the American Heritage | | | | monitor all incoming and outgoing |
| Dictionary a predator is defined as: "One | | | | communications Parents should also have |
| that victimizes, plunders, or destroys, | | | | rules regarding meeting people from the |
| especially for one's own gain." Internet | | | | internet. These rules should be strictly |
| predators behave in this manner because they | | | | enforced. One such rule is if a meeting |
| target children who are weaker emotionally, | | | | doestake place a parent needs to be in |
| intellectually and physically and then | | | | attendance. According to Andi Atwater, |
| exploit them for their own sexual | | | | "households who have a rule about meeting |
| gratification. Pedophiles no longer have to | | | | online acquaintances (which 74 per cent of |
| stalk playgrounds or toy stores; instead they | | | | households have) reduces the likelihood of |
| can access the internet and within seconds | | | | this happening by one-half. There are other |
| locate an unassuming child. Parents have a | | | | things parents can do such as choosing a |
| difficult time protecting their kids from | | | | gender-neutral screen name that does not |
| threats they themselves can not see. | | | | contain sexually suggestive words or reveal |
| Internet Predators pose a much bigger | | | | personal information. Good examples of |
| challenge to parents and children because the | | | | gender neutral screen names are Scorpio343, |
| internet is everywhere. | | | | Gametime747 or logic372. Avoid screen names |
| | | | that have words like girl, boy, princess, |
| It is a well known fact, many children know | | | | prince, Barbie, flower, or numbers that may |
| more about how to operate a computer than | | | | indicate age, zip code or area code. Also |
| their parents. Kids typically start learning | | | | avoid screen names that have school mascot or |
| basic computer literacy starting in | | | | logos in it. Children should never have |
| elementary school. The first step to keeping | | | | their photo on a chat room profile. Since |
| children safe is for parents to get educated | | | | the internet can be accessed from virtually |
| themselves about the dangers online. Parents | | | | anywhere it is unreasonable to expect parents |
| can do this by watching television, reading | | | | to be able to monitor their kids surfing |
| newspapers, or talking to their local police | | | | while their kids are at school or at friends |
| department. Parents also need to have basic | | | | houses.. Parents can however find out what |
| computer skills such as learning how to | | | | type of safeguards these places have to keep |
| operate the computer, use the internet, | | | | children safe. The internet is a great place |
| download and install programs. Many colleges | | | | for kids to explore and a great resource for |
| and vocational institutions offer inexpensive | | | | children to learn new things, play games, and |
| computer classes. Parents also can get help | | | | communicate with their friends and parents |
| from neighbors or friends who are computer | | | | should journey the internet with their |
| proficient. Parents then need to educate | | | | children. |
| their children about the dangers online | | | | |
| becauseaccording to the FBI, one out of five | | | | The third and final safety measure parents |
| kids will be solicited by an online pedophile | | | | can take is to install software such as |
| When children understand the dangers that | | | | parental control software.. Parental control |
| exist online they are less likely to become | | | | software is a type of program that can be |
| victims. Most parents spend time telling | | | | installed on a pc that limits where a child |
| their kids about the dangers of talking to | | | | can visit online. Some parental control |
| strangers and this same principal should also | | | | software can even monitor all outgoing and |
| apply online. | | | | incoming communications. This means that it |
| | | | keeps track of every email, instant message, |
| Learning how to use the computer is an | | | | and website your child sends or receives. |
| essential step in keeping children safe, but | | | | This software is typically easy to install |
| parents should equally understand who they | | | | and utilize. Taking these measures will |
| are protecting their kids from and how they | | | | ensure the safety of children on the |
| operate. Most online predators establish | | | | internet. |
| contact with kids via internet chat rooms, | | | | |
| forums, and instant messages. Online | | | | Pamela Arsena |
| predators typically visit local chat rooms. | | | | |
| These predators keep up with local trends | | | | Do you really know how to protect your kids |
| such as popular music, television, and | | | | online? |