Parents learn Internet safety

Kalista

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:type: Parents usually admonish their children to never talk to strangers; however, they may be doing just that, right in their very home.

Advocates for Internet safety gathered last night at Horace Mann Middle School and asked parents: Do your children (or you) know who they are talking to online?

"Internet crime is the fastest growing crime in the United States and children are the fastest growing victims," said FBI Special Agent David George. He said kids often are targeted even as parents watch them use the computer.

About 35 parents attended the more than two-and-a-half-hour, interactive Internet Safety Awareness Night.

Hosted by Rep. James Vallee and Voices Inc. (Voices of Involved Citizen Encouraging Safety), the program included George and other speakers including members of Attorney General Tom Reilly's office and two Franklin Police officers.

While the Internet can be a useful tool, it can also present dangers, especially to children, according to George. He said the goal of the evening was to "arm parents with knowledge" and prevent children becoming victims.

According to FBI statistics, six out of 10 kids online have received an e-mail or an Instant Message from strangers. More than half wrote back.

"A lot of (personal) information can be given through Instant Messaging and in live chat rooms," said George.

As an undercover agent, he will pose as a 14-year-old boy on Internet chat rooms, one of the ways he sometimes finds those who prey on children. He demonstrated how easy it is to get into a chat room and begin a conversation via computer.

Typically, he said, a predator will assume an age just a few years older than the child with whom they are chatting online. After gaining the child's confidence and becoming their online friend, they often ask personal information. "They will slowly, taking weeks or months, weave in the topic of sex," said the FBI agent.

Often, he said, the child doesn't realize he has given out personal information. Eventually, the predator may try to meet the child.

George also addressed the issue of child pornography and how predators meet their victims online. Once they get pornographic pictures of the kids, they sometimes distribute the images on the Internet.

George also spoke about bullying online and how kids can adopt another kid's screen name and spread rumors about them.

That kind of problem goes on all the time at Franklin High School, said school safety Officer Jason Reilly of the Franklin department. "Threats and bullying online is a nightmare for us," he said.

Reilly and school safety Officer Danny MacLean said parents best defense is to keep up with the technology and stay "one step ahead of the kids."

Speakers emphasized parents should not let their children have computers in their own rooms. "You have to watch them (kids) all the time," said Reilly, who acknowledged Franklin has its share of Internet crime including child pornography.

"It's here in Franklin," he said.

Carrie Kent said she wanted to learn more so she can monitor her 12-year-old. "I got much more information than I anticipated," she said.

Principal Anne Bergen said the program was powerful. Her only complaint was that more parents didn't attend.

"I think that parents truly don't understand what their kids are doing," she said, "they have a certain naivete about what's going on."

Lincoln Purdy, who considers himself a savvy parent when it comes to computers, said he came "just to stay ahead of" his 10 and 7 year olds.

"It's pretty scary to know how easy it is for kids to get into places (on the computer) they have no business being," said Purdy.
 
if has my kid, i wont let her or him talk to stranger online.. i will put safety for them to play game or do homework... also give them limit use online.. i will put pw and protect them so they wont get in..
 
IMO, it is important not to buy your children ( under the age of 18 ) a computer to put in their bedrooms otherwise the parents will never know who your child may be talking to and what they're really doing on the computer etc....

I know my brother and sister ( who's only 15 and 14 ) have their computers in their own bedroom and I don't approve of that as a parent, I only allowed my children to use my computer where I can check up on them to be sure they're not doing what they're not suppose to be doing on my computer....I also made sure they don't join no chat rooms or looking into porno sites or anything generally that I won't approve...

That's just me as a mother and I want is best for my children, other parents can do whatever they please for theirs but being on the interent isn't safe, people are going to lie to your child and pretend they're children themselves or they could trick your child into doing something, who knows...
 
^Angel^ said:
IMO, it is important not to buy your children ( under the age of 18 ) a computer to put in their bedrooms otherwise the parents will never know who your child may be talking to and what they're really doing on the computer etc....

I know my brother and sister ( who's only 15 and 14 ) have their computers in their own bedroom and I don't approve of that as a parent, I only allowed my children to use my computer where I can check up on them to be sure they're not doing what they're not suppose to be doing on my computer....I also made sure they don't join no chat rooms or looking into porno sites or anything generally that I won't approve...

That's just me as a mother and I want is best for my children, other parents can do whatever they please for theirs but being on the interent isn't safe, people are going to lie to your child and pretend they're children themselves or they could trick your child into doing something, who knows...


Word! Too many perverts on-line.
 
:werd:
I´m agree with you totally, ^Angel^.

That´s why I won´t have my children to use computer or TV in their bedrooms.
I told them that they won´t have internet in their bedroom until they are between 16 and 18 years old or after leave school/college. They understood respectful with no complication.

We have no problem to share one computer with my children because they knows their limit.

My children have their own password to open the computer but they don´t have special password to open internet.
They can´t open internet without internet password. All what they do is ask me for the permission because I´m one who know internet password number. I check and know that they use children forum etc. The computer is in study room on the same floor as dinning and 2 living room.
 
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