Online Predators & Internet Safety
The Internet can be a great educational tool for children. However, the Internet can also be used by online sexual predators, who present a danger to children. Parents play an important role in ensuring their children's Internet safety.
Other People Are Reading
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Strategy
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Online predators employ different strategies in their attempts to prey on children. Some sexual predators will gradually incorporate sexual content into conversation, while other predators act more directly. For example, they may send child pornography to convince your child that such activity is normal.
Signs
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Signs that children may be interacting with a sexual predator online include spending a lot of time on the Internet, becoming withdrawn from family, talking on the phone to adults they don't know, receiving gifts in the mail from adults they don't know and attempting to keep what they are viewing online secret.
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Protecting Your Child
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Set up Internet safety guidelines with your child, such as what time of day she can use the Internet, and for how long. If you have concerns regarding your child's online activity, talk to your child directly and explain that the Internet is sometimes used by bad people.
Communicate with Your Child
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Have your child show you his favorite websites and ask about who he talks to online. Make sure you know all your child's Internet passwords, in case you need to view his online conversations.
Considerations
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Morning and afternoon prove to be the safest time for children to be online. This is because online predators with jobs are preoccupied with work during the day.
Warning
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If your child has been a victim of a sexual predator, turn your computer off and immediately report the matter to the authorities. You will want to keep the computer off until authorities arrive, in order to preserve any evidence, such as revealing emails and instant messages.
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