internet safetyThe Internet has drastically changed the way that children interact with the world. They have access to a wealth of knowledge, tools, and news, sites to aid their creativity, and immediate access to different cultures and ways of life.  Along with offering a fascinating, new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers numerous potential risks, and the possibility of breaking laws.

Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology.  Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to cyber bullying statistics from the Cyber Bullying Research Center –

  • Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
  • More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyber threats online.
  • Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
  • Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.

Cyber bullying is a crime in many states. Click on the link below to see what the law is in your state – http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/

Exposure to inappropriate material

In many ways the Internet is like a gigantic library; both have content to teach and entertain. And similar to the content in a library, not all Internet content is appropriate for children. Libraries create children’s and young adults’ sections in order to help youth (and their parents) identify which materials are appropriate for them. On the Internet, however, all of the content may be equally accessible; websites about ponies and websites featuring pornography are both a click away.

Sexually Explicit Material

Sexually explicit material, such as legal adult pornography and illegal child pornography, are readily available online. Consequently, many young people are learning about sex from the Internet, media, or their peers. According to developmental pediatrician Dr. Sharon Cooper, “The more often a person is exposed to potentially harmful materials, the more normal it seems and the more desensitized the person becomes.” Without the counsel of parents and guardians, children may develop flawed views and opinions of their self-image and sexuality, which could affect their development.

Other Inappropriate Content

In addition to sexual content, children may be exposed to materials which glorify risky and illegal behaviors, making teens think it is “cool” to copy these activities. For example, some sites offer text or video instructions on anything from picking locks to playing alcoholic drinking games to making bombs. Other sites encourage dangerous behaviors such as cutting, anorexia, and suicide and may even have tips about how to hide the behaviors from family and friends.

Children do not have to look hard to find inappropriate content; it is as easy as typing a word into the search bar on Google.  Even blocking, filtering, and monitoring software can be overcome by a determined child. A child may also accidentally click the wrong link or misspell a Web address and be led to websites with inappropriate content. That is why when it comes to dealing with inappropriate material, adult guidance and supervision are key.

Online predators

One of the biggest fears that parents have when their children use the Internet are online predators, especially since more than 40 percent of kids have computers in their bedrooms with webcams.  The following statistics are frightening –

  • Approximately 1 in 7 (13%) youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations.
  • 9% of youth Internet users had been exposed to distressing sexual material while online.
  • 1 in 25 youths received an online sexual solicitation in which the solicitor tried to make offline contact.
  • In more than one-quarter (27%) of incidents, solicitors asked youths for sexual photographs of themselves.
  • The most common first encounter of a predator with an Internet-initiated sex crimes victim took place in an online chat room (76%).
  • In nearly half (47%) of the cases involving an Internet-initiated sex crimes victim, the predator offered gifts or money during the relationship-building phase.
  • Internet-based predators used less deception to befriend their online victims than experts had thought. Only 5% of the predators told their victims that they were in the same age group as the victims. Most offenders told the victims that they were older males seeking sexual relations.
  • 15% of cell-owning teens (12–17) say they have received sexually suggestive nude/semi-nude images of someone they know via text.
  • Of respondents to a survey of juvenile victims of Internet-initiated sex crimes, the majority met the predator willingly face-to-face and 93% of those encounters had included sexual contact.
  • 11% of teenagers and young adults say they have shared naked pictures of themselves online or via text message. Of those, 26% do not think the person whom they sent the naked pictures to shared them with anyone else.
  • 26% of teenagers and young adults say they have participated in sexting (12 different forms of sexting were examined), a 6% decline since 2011.
  • Nearly 40% of young people in a relationship have experienced at least one form of abuse via technology. A large majority (81%) say they rarely or never feel their significant other uses technology to keep tabs on them too often.

What Can You Do?

Communicate, and talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential on-line danger.

Spend time with your children on-line. Have them teach you about their favorite on-line destinations. Have them use their smartphone and mobile apps with you and tell you what the hashtags mean.

Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child’s bedroom. It is much more difficult for a computer-sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.

Utilize parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software. While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interest, it is also prowled by computer-sex offenders. Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored. While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.

Always maintain access to your child’s on-line accounts and randomly check his/her e-mail, as well as the smart phone. Be aware that your child could be contacted through the U.S. Mail. Be upfront with your child about your access and reasons why.

Teach your child the responsible use of the resources on-line. There is much more to the on-line experience than chat rooms.

Find out what computer safeguards are utilized by your child’s school, the public library, and at the homes of your child’s friends. These are all places, outside your normal supervision, where your child could encounter an on-line predator.

Instruct your children:

  • Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met on- line;
  • Never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or on-line service to people they do not personally know;
  • Never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number;
  • Never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images;
  • Never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing;
  • Whatever they are told on-line may or may not be true.

Learning to recognize the warning signs of these risks will allow adults to intervene and lessen potential negative impacts. By acting as a resource, parents and guardians can help make the Internet a safer place for their families. As a parent or guardian, you should stay well-informed about current issues to understand what your children are experiencing on and off the Internet. If they are social networking, instant messaging, using webcams, or blogging, help them use these tools safely by learning how to use them yourself. Children whose parents and guardians regularly talk to them about personal safety are more likely to exhibit responsible behavior on their own.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a number of local resources for parents, click on the link below.

http://www.sheriff.douglas.ga.us/forthekids.html

Should you find yourself in need of legal advice, seek an attorney with experience in Family and/or Business law, they’ll be best able to guide you.

Sources
http://cyberbullying.us/
http://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html
http://www.netsmartz.org/InternetSafety
https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide
http://www.nsopw.gov/en/Education/FactsStatistics?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
The information found on the Gerstenberger Law site is for educational purposes only.  Your situation and the situation of others is unique and more complex.  This is neither legal advice nor to be considered legal advice.  Contact us for advice about your specific situation.

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