| Revision as of 20:22, 18 January 2008 edit161.13.3.95 (talk) Removed the line 'only males can be preditors'.← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:42, 19 January 2008 edit undoCalton (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users78,494 edits Undid WP self-reference by probable sockpuppet MegaMom (talk)Next edit → | ||
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| ==Parental controls== | ==Parental controls== | ||
| Using education and technology, parents can help mitigate the chances of their own child being a victim. Youth are spending more and more time online. Even using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to share their personal information and lives online with their friends. The downside that this is information sexual predators can use to victimize youth. Fortunately both of these sites provide ways of reporting abuse |
Using education and technology, parents can help mitigate the chances of their own child being a victim. Youth are spending more and more time online. Even using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to share their personal information and lives online with their friends. The downside that this is information sexual predators can use to victimize youth. Fortunately both of these sites provide ways of reporting abuse. | ||
| Monitoring and restricting a child's activity using parental control software could also help mitigate their risk.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} | Monitoring and restricting a child's activity using parental control software could also help mitigate their risk.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} | ||
Revision as of 02:42, 19 January 2008
An online predator is an Internet user who exploits vulnerable people, usually for sexual or financial purposes. The people these predators are after are usually younger in age as well.
Children and the elderly are most often the victims of online predators. Experts recommend not providing personally identifiable information such as a name, password, phone number, address or credit card, or even Social Security numbers.
Online victimization of children can include solicited/unsolicited requests to engage in sexual activities or discussions by an adult; unwanted exposure to sexual material (opening junk mail with naked pictures, etc.); online harassment, threats or other aggressive communications that aren’t sexual in nature but cause distress, fear or embarrassment .
While chat and instant messaging is a widely known playground for online predators, they also appear in other places. For example, MySpace has received much attention regarding online predators looking up profiles of children in hopes they can use any information the child provides against them and start the predatory process.
Many parents are not aware of the danger their children may be in with regards to providing personal information on their blogs, profiles, etc. Some parents on the other hand do understand that they need to discuss the potential dangers with their children and explain to them that they should never provide any personal information online.
Monitoring software which attempts to keep an eye on kids' computer activity has also seen some popularity with parents.
Statistics
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children funded a study by the Crimes Against Children Resource Center and found in 2006 that youth Internet users over a five year period:
- Increase in encountering unwanted exposures to sexual material (from 25% to 34%)
- Increase in cases of online harassment (from 6% to 9%)
- Decrease in those receiving unwanted sexual solicitations (from 19% to 13%)
Other stats include:
- 4% of all youth Internet users said online solicitors asked them for nude or sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
- Only a minority of youth who had unwanted sexual solicitations, unwanted exposures to sexual material, or harassment said they were distressed by the incidents.
- One-third of the solicitations (31%) were aggressive meaning the solicitors made, or attempted, offline contact with youth.
Parental controls
Using education and technology, parents can help mitigate the chances of their own child being a victim. Youth are spending more and more time online. Even using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to share their personal information and lives online with their friends. The downside that this is information sexual predators can use to victimize youth. Fortunately both of these sites provide ways of reporting abuse.
Monitoring and restricting a child's activity using parental control software could also help mitigate their risk.
References
- "Online Safety Rules For Kids". FEMA For Kids. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Snyder,H;Sickmund,M:Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report",p38. National Center for Juvenile Justice, March 2006
- Williams, Pete (2006-02-03). "MySpace, Facebook attract online predators". MSNBC. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Study: Online teens need more supervision". CNET. 2005-05-23. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Donna Rice Hughes. Answers from an Internet safety expert (Internet). Answering parents' frequently asked questions: MSNBC.
{{cite AV media}}: External link in|location= - WOLAK, J; Mitchell, K; Finkelhor, D: “Online Victimization of Youth: 5 Years Later”, page 1, CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN RESEARCH CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2006.
External links
- Blog Safety Resource
- Just The Facts About Online Youth Victimization; Researchers Present the Facts and Debunk Myths, May 3, 2007