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In 2002 thirteen-year-old Christina Long became the first murder victim
of an
Internet predator
in the US. Recent media attention is finally making parents aware
of how dangerous the Internet can be
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A recent study by the National Institute for Missing and Exploited Children found that one in five
children are subjected to sexual advances in chat rooms and instant
messengers. 5% received aggressive advances in the form of phone calls, money, mail,
or gifts, and being asked to meet. Almost 70% of all advances happened in the home, but
less then 1/4 of children reported the incident to a parent
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Internet predation is an issue that cannot be ignored. The Long family did not realize their children
were in danger until it was too late. Learn from their loss and take action to protect your children
children before it's too late
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There are many resources and tools designed to provide education to both parents and children.
One of the best is the National Institute for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com).
Here you will learn about the various dangers and how to effectively address them. For example,
one of the simplist changes is moving your children's computer to a high traffic area.
Other valuable tips show how to pick chat room and instant messenger user names that draw less
attention from
Internet Predator
and what type of chat rooms to avoid
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Parents must teach your children is that the Internet is not a safe playground where they can let their
guard down. Children often have a sense of security on the Internet because they believe its anonymous
nature will protect them. They must be taught that behavior that would make them uncomfortable
in person should not be tolerated online. For example, most children would be afraid of a stranger who
talked to them with sexual innuendo or talking about their sexual fantasies, but fail to be afraid
when they are approached online. In fact many children will even engage in conversations when
approached, perhaps because the Internet gives the illusion of personal safety
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Children must be taught that giving out personal information is extremely dangerous. Teach your children
that even the smallest piece of information, such as what softball team they are on, is enough for an
Internet predator
to find them. Also teach them that a stranger online is not always who they say they are.
Internet predators
will often masquerade as children themselves to obtain information they can use to identify
and find children. Your child may think they are talking to someone their own age, when in fact they may be
talking to someone intent on doing them harm
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In addition to education you must put in place
parental controls
and monitoring tools to add a second layer of defense. Quality
parental controls
will filter web sites and log which sites your children are visiting, allowing you to identify risky
behavior before it is too late. Instant messenger controls that permit conversation monitoring, as well as
permitting limits on which contacts your kids can have conversations with, are invaluable since predators
often use these messengers to meet and entice their victims. Finally, quality
parental controls
allow you to watch everything your kids do and will help identify and address risky behavior. Perhaps the
greatest value of installing good
parental controls
is the positive effect it will have on your children’s behavior. They are less likely to break
the rules if they know you are watching
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Educate yourself, educate your children, and invest in
parental controls
to make sure they’re safe. Don’t let your family be the next saying they never thought it could happen
to them
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