The anonymity of the Internet means that trust and intimacy can develop quickly online. Predators often take advantage of this. Learn how to protect your children.

Online predators establish contact with children using Internet communication tools such as social networking, chat rooms, e-mail, and instant messaging. Many children believe they are aware of the dangers of predators, but in reality, they are quite naive about online relationships.

Parents can help protect their children by knowing the risks related to online communication and being involved in their children's Internet activities.

How do online predators work?
They seduce children through attention. Gradually the predators ingratiate themselves by showing affection, kindness and even giving gifts. They use a lot of time, money and effort doing this. They know the latest music and hobbies likely to interest children, and they listen to and sympathise with children’s problems.

Gradually predators try to ease young people's inhibitions by gradually introducing sexual content into their conversations or by showing them sexually explicit material. Some predators do this at once, and this kind of direct approach might entail harassment or stalking. Predators might also evaluate the children they meet online for future face-to-face contact.

How can parents minimise the risk?

• Talk to your children about sexual predators and potential online dangers.

• Follow age limits on social networking Web sites. Most social networking sites have a recommended age limit of 13 years.

• Young children should not use chat rooms – the dangers are too great. As children get older, direct them towards well-monitored children’s chat rooms. Encourage even your teens to use monitored chat rooms.

• If your children take part in chat rooms, make sure you know which ones they visit and with whom they talk. Monitor the chat areas yourself to see what kind of conversations take place.

• Instruct your children to never leave the chat room's public area. Many chat rooms offer private areas where users can have one-on-one chats with other users – chat monitors can't read these conversations. These are often referred to as "whisper" areas.

• Keep the Internet-connected computer in a common area of the house, never in a child's bedroom. Even when the computer is in a public area of your home, you ought to to regularly sit with your children when they are online.

• When your children are young, they should share the family e-mail address rather than have their own e-mail accounts. As they get older, you can ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to set up a separate e-mail address, but your children's mail can still reside in your account.

• Tell your children to never respond to instant messaging or e-mails from strangers. If your children use computers in places outside your supervision – public library, school, or friends' homes – find out what computer safeguards are used.

• If all precautions fail and your children do meet an online predator, don't blame them. The offender always bears full responsibility. Take decisive action to stop your child from any further contact with this person.

How can your children reduce the risk?

• Choose a gender-neutral screen name that doesn't contain sexually suggestive words or reveal personal information.

• Never reveal personal information (including age and gender) or information about your family to strangers online.

• Do not fill out online personal profiles.

• Never download images from an unknown source – they could be sexually explicit.

• Use e-mail filters.

• Stop any e-mail communication, instant messaging conversations, or chats if anyone starts to ask questions that are too personal or sexually suggestive.

• Tell an adult immediately if anything that happens online make you feel uncomfortable or frightened.

What can you do if your child is being targeted?

• If your child receives sexually explicit photos from an online correspondent, or if she or he is solicited sexually in e-mail, instant messaging, or some other way online, contact your local police. Save any documentation including e-mail addresses, Web site addresses, and chat logs to share with the police.

• Check your computer for pornographic files or any type of sexual communication – these are often warning signs.

• Monitor your child's access to all live electronic communications, such as chat rooms, instant messaging, and e-mail.

Source:

Microsoft

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