| Did you know...? | | | | online with who they think is part of their peer group. |
| 1 in 5 children who use computer chatrooms has | | | | Children are curious and trusting. Unless they are well |
| been approached over the Internet by | | | | prepared for what can happen in live chat, they may |
| pedophiles.89% of sexual solicitations were made in | | | | innocently believe what they are told online by |
| either chat rooms or Instant Messages.13 million | | | | strangers.Predators target children online who appear |
| youth use Instant Messaging.1 in 4 kids has been sent | | | | lonely, have low self-esteem, and lack parental |
| a picture of naked people or people having sex | | | | supervision. It is not uncommon for a pedophile to |
| online.1 in 33 kids received AGGRESSIVE sexual | | | | become the online "confidant" of a lonely child, and |
| solicitation (asked to meet, called them via phone, | | | | they will often teach the child how to keep the online |
| sent mail, money or gifts).25% of youth who | | | | friendship a secret from their parents. Online, just as |
| received sexual solicitation told a parent.Nine out of | | | | offline, it is the child who is left alone who is most at |
| 10 children aged between eight and 16 have viewed | | | | risk.Children who have been seduced, lured or abused |
| pornography on the Internet. In most cases, the sex | | | | online in real-time chat generally have parents who |
| sites were accessed unintentionally when a child, | | | | are not Internet experienced.So whats the solution |
| often in the process of doing homework, used a | | | | for todays parents?Top 10 Internet Safety Tips: |
| seemingly innocent sounding word to search for | | | | 1. You need to educate yourself in the use of the |
| information or pictures.Children are reported missing | | | | computer and the Internet. Both pre-school and |
| at the rate of 750,000 per year, 62,500 per month, | | | | school children generally have more of a working |
| 14,423, per week, 2,054 per day, and 85 per hour or | | | | knowledge about computers and the Internet than |
| 3 children every 2 minutes.44 percent of children | | | | their Parents.2. As with any other topic, you should |
| polled have visited x-rated sites or sites with sexual | | | | openly and frequently talk with your children about |
| content. Moreover, 43 percent of children said they | | | | the usage and expectations of the computer and the |
| do not have rules about Internet use in their | | | | Internet usages.3. Put the computer in a common |
| homes.11/98 - 11-year-old Josh had been looking at | | | | room so it and the child activities can be easily |
| graphic violent porn on the Internet for 20 minutes | | | | observed.4. Get to know the Internet and any |
| immediately before stabbing 8-year-old Maddie Clifton | | | | services your child uses. Are the services appropriate |
| to death.6/29/98 - 13-year-old (boy) was in the | | | | for your rules and your child's age?5. Tell your child to |
| Phoenix Burton Barr Library viewing porn on the | | | | NEVER EVER give out identifying information such as: |
| Internet. He followed a 4-year-old into the bathroom | | | | home address, school names, grade, age, telephone |
| and asked the younger boy to give him oral | | | | number, etc. With the information available on the |
| sex.While 75% of parents say they know where | | | | Internet and a little time and effort, it is easy to |
| children spend time online, the truth about kids' | | | | locate information about a person.6. Keep track of |
| Internet habits show 58% of teens say they have | | | | the amount of on-line time your child spends on-line, |
| accessed an objectionable Web site: 39 % offensive | | | | and what your child is doing while on the Internet.7. |
| music, 25% sexual content and 20% violence.62% of | | | | Never allow your child to arrange a face-to-face |
| parents of teenagers are unaware that their children | | | | meeting with another computer user without your |
| have accessed objectionable Websites.21/5/02 - was | | | | permission and supervision. If your child has a special |
| the first death of a child linked directly to an Internet | | | | friend, have they received gifts, computer programs, |
| Predator? | | | | phone calls or any other favours?8. Never respond to |
| The Internet is a wonderful tool for communications, | | | | messages or bulletins if they are from an unknown |
| education or leisure. It is a library with an incredible | | | | source. Do not reply to the remove me from list or |
| 100 million books on every topic known, easily | | | | similar message. This will confirm your email is a valid |
| accessible for research and study . It gives you the | | | | one.9. If there is a problem or suspected problem |
| ability to chat in real time to anyone, anywhere | | | | with a Chat Room report it immediately. Try to |
| across the world. Its high speed electronic mail routes | | | | obtain:a) What is the name of the chat channel or |
| link up the entire world into a true global village. Its an | | | | chat room?b) What is the nickname or screen name |
| exciting and essential resource for all our children - as | | | | or the suspect?c) Time and dates are very |
| essential as learning to read, write and do Math.But | | | | important.d) If possible, save the chat or at least |
| there are some risks to our children when they are | | | | print a copy of the chat log or user list.10. Use |
| using the Internet, risks which parents need to be | | | | technology to help you protect your child. Internet |
| aware of. Internet technology is a tool. A tool can be | | | | Monitoring Software gives you the ability to review |
| used or abused.For a long time now the biggest | | | | your child's Internet usage. Even if you don't look at |
| concern for parents about the Internet used to be | | | | each and every email or instant message they send, |
| pornography. Today there is an even greater fear, | | | | you'll have a good idea if they are making smart |
| live chat rooms.The live chat rooms are the main | | | | choices online. |
| areas of the Internet where sexual predators cruise | | | | By following these steps and becoming an aware |
| searching for vulnerable children.Due to the relative | | | | and informed parent you can help keep your child |
| degree of anonymity online predators are able to | | | | safe.Profile: SavvyApps is a privately owned |
| deceive children. They may lie about their age or | | | | software company which specialises in leading |
| gender. Online predators often establish intimate | | | | Internet Monitoring & Surveillance Software Solutions |
| relationships with children under the pretense of being | | | | for parents who want to monitor their child's Internet |
| part of the child's peer group. Since age identification | | | | usage. |
| is impossible, kids need to be careful when chatting | | | | |