Protecting+Your+Child+From+Predators

-online security expert Benjamin Halpert
 * "Your child could be physically harmed by someone he or she encounters online and later meets in person,"**

First of all, we must understand that all children around the world use chat rooms and instant messaging. Not only do they use these things, but the majority of children who use them do so safely! However, it is because of those few (and very real) internet predators out there that this section of the brochure needs to be added.

We must begin by looking at the usual series of events. The predator (usually a male) often lurks in the nooks and crannies of internet chat rooms and waits for a victim who seems vulnerable. When the predator finds an appealing target, he usually invites the child into a private chatroom to get to know him or her a bit better. This is followed by instant messager, then e-mails, then phone, and finally face-to-face meetings.

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One in four US teen girls reported that they met strangers off the Internet. One in seven boys admitted they did as well. While most of these “Internet friends” turn out to be another teen or preteen, that’s not always the case. Unfortunately, children are now dying at the hands of their Internet child molesters and, not all sexual exploitation of children occurs offline.

These child molesters are blackmailing the children into performing sexual acts in the comfort of their own homes, on webcams. Yet, 100% of the children molested by Internet sexual predators went willingly to a meeting. They may have thought they were meeting a cute fourteen year old boy or girl, but they knew they didn’t know the person in real life.

**__There are six types of risks our children face online__

1 . They can access information that might be inappropriate for them. This includes pornography, hate, intolerance, bigotry, gore, violence, hoaxes, and misinformation and hype. ** **2. They can access information, do things, and purchase products that might be dangerous to them. There are sites that offer bomb-building recipes, sites that sell guns, alcohol, poisons, tobacco products and drugs, and sites that offer gambling online. ** **3. They can be stalked and harassed by people (often other children) who are rude, insulting, and make threats, or may send them viruses or hack their computers.** **4. They can give up important and private information by filling out forms and entering contests online, and, as a result, be targeted by irresponsible marketers using unfair marketing techniques.** **5. They can be scammed or defrauded when they buy things online, and risk disclosing our important financial information to others, like credit card and pin numbers and passwords.** **6. They can be lured by cyberpredators who want to meet them face-to-face.** **hate, intolerance, bigotry, gore, violence, hoaxes, and misinformation and hype.**

The link below provides important information for parents on how to teach their children about risks online.[|How can I teach my children about risks online]

If you find yourself in a situation where you are speaking with a person you don't know directly, remember not to say anything that you wouldn't want the whole world to know (i.e. your full name, address, phone number, or any other personal information). When choosing a name to use in chatrooms, don't use one that gives away your full name, nor use one that is sexually suggestive--this will make you a much more likely target. Remember, you can block! If someone says something creepy, don't hesitate! Block 'em! Finally, if it comes to the point that you must meet with an internet aquaintance, do so in a public space (like a mall or town park) and bring friends. If the person you're meeting doesn't want your friends' company, you don't want theirs!

[|WiredSafety-the world's largest Internet safety and help] This website provides all the information a parent will need to help ensure their child's safety. There is a question and answer section to this website with Parry Aftab, an Internet privacy and security lawyer, who provides great information and guidence.

[|Internet Dangers!] This is a good website that has statistics of internet, a guide for parents to use while allowing their children to go online. It also has rules for children to read and understand while they're online.

[|FBI's Parent's Guide to Internet Safety] is a publication from the FBI to help parents understand measures needed for allowing their children to use the internet.

[|The Leader in internet safety edu] i-SAFE incorporates classroom curriculum with dynamic community outreach to empower students, teachers, parents, law enforcement, and concerned adults to make the internet a safe place. Set some ground rules for online use. Have these rules posted near the computer so your child can refer to them when they need to. It would be a great idea to have the family sign a internet safety sheet that states they understand the rules and they will use them.

Here are some simple tips for kids to use when using the internet:

Top 10 Internet Safety Tips for Kids

 * 1) Don’t open e-mail attachments or instant-message attachments unless you are completely sure they do not contain viruses.
 * 2) Don’t click on links inside e-mails or instant messages.
 * 3) Use a screen name (a fake name) in chat rooms.
 * 4) Never agree to meet a fellow chatter in real life.
 * 5) Don’t click on Internet pop-up ads because they might install spy ware on your computer.
 * 6) Don’t use passwords that people can guess (like your pet’s name or the name of your favorite sports team).
 * 7) Never give out personal information about yourself, your family, or your friends (such as your last name, address, phone numbers, the town or city you live in, the name of your school, photos of yourself or your family, PIN numbers for your bank, social-security numbers, etc.).
 * 8) Don’t believe everything you read or see on the Internet because some of the information on the Internet is fake.
 * 9) Don’t download pirated songs or movies and don’t install pirated software or video games you haven’t paid for, because you can get in trouble with the police.
 * 10) Children should immediately tell a parent or teacher if he/she is threatened by a cyber-bully.

If you are a parent  <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif"><span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(242, 28, 31)">   <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif"><span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(242, 28, 31)"> and are worried your child is talking to a predator or is a predator, here are some tips.

Internet Predators are everywhere! PARENTS CAN HELP!
There are many things as a parent that you can do to prevent a child talking to a predator. The following are lists of things that will help you to protect your child from predators.

The best way to help you protect your children from online predators is to be active in their lives. Here are some tips to help you get involved.
 * Protect Your Children from Internet Predators**
 * 1) Talk to them about online dangers, and teach them the information in the Kids’ Club Parents’ Guide.
 * 2) Do not let them have a computer in their bedrooms. Instead, keep computer usage in a public area like the family room or kitchen.
 * 3) Use parental control software to filter Web and chat-room content. For more information, see the section of this guide titled “Chat-Room Safety.”
 * 4) Keep tabs on the sites they visit and don’t be afraid to read their e-mail.
 * 5) Learn what safety methods are used to protect your children at the other places they might use a computer, such as their school, local library, their friends’ homes, your relatives’ homes, etc.
 * 6) Make sure they know how important it is to remain anonymous on the Internet. This means they should never give out personal and private information of any kind.
 * 7) Remind them how dangerous it is to have a real-life face-to-face meeting with someone they met on the Internet.

If you suspect your children of being a predator, these signs may help you.
 * Warning Signs of Risky or Dangerous Behavior**
 * 1) They excessively surf the Internet, use chat rooms, or send instant messages—especially at night.
 * 2) You discover that they have viewed pornography on the Internet and/or saved it onto their computer.
 * 3) They receive phone calls, mail, or presents from people you don’t know.
 * 4) They make local or long-distance calls to numbers you don’t recognize.
 * 5) When you enter their bedroom, they immediately minimize or close the program or website being used, or shut off the computer monitor.
 * 6) They take great steps to circumvent your watchfulness by using the Internet at an external location like a local library or another person’s home.
 * 7) Their mood and/or behavior suddenly changes—for the worse.

If you think that there is a chance that your child has spoken to, or is having a relationships with a internet predator, here are some steps that you could take to help them.
 * If You Think Your Child Has Talked to a Predator**
 * 1) Talk openly and honestly with your kids and ask them about their Internet activities. If they are hesitant to respond, you could say that you are just trying to protect them from the potential dangers of the Internet. You might also consider reminding them that it is a privilege to use the Internet, and that privilege can be revoked if it is being misused.
 * 2) Save and print e-mails written by a suspected predator.
 * 3) Check the caller ID on your telephone to see if any unfamiliar phone numbers have called your home.
 * 4) Follow the advice in the next section�titled �Safe Web Surfing.� There you will learn how to give your children separate Windows accounts with limited privileges, how to follow your kids� Internet tracks, and how to use content filters and/or blockers.
 * 5) Contact the police.

More and more teenagers are signing into social networking sites. Parents can help their children from becoming victims of online predators by following these tips:

Social networks
Have you ever "Googled" your child's name? If you Google people it is a good indicator for finding out what personal information may be out there online. If your child is part of a social networking site such as MySpace, and Facebook, you should have them change the profile to private.You should always read the privacy policy for any site that asks children for their personal information. If a site is specifically child oriented it must meet Federal Trade Commission guidelines. Find out if the sites they visit comply and what rules are in place. Under law, if a child is under 13, Web sites have to get parental permission to get personal information. If your child plays online role-playing games sit with your child while they are playing the games. You will be able to see what happens and hopefully prevent something from happening. Parents should supervise the activities that may put children in contact with potential predators, or people they don't know. Parents should report any suspicious activity to the Internet Service Provider, and local and federal authorities.

__Works Cited__

WiredSafety."The World's Largest Internet Safety and Help." 2004. Mar 27 2008 <[|http://www.wiredsafety.org>.]

"Protect Your Children From Online Predators" Mar 23 2007 http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/23/safeonline.101/index.html

"Protecting Children from Internet Predators." Mar 20 2008 <[|http://www.levelbest.com>.]