INTERNET SAFETY

While much about the internet is helpful, potential dangers are also just a click on the web.
Even something as private as email can be a potential danger. Child predators, posing as children, often begin a relationship with a child in a chat room and then turn to using email and instant messaging to deepen the relationship. The rate of children being abducted by people whom they met on the internet is increasing every day. The child predator operates by initially
luring the child with kindness, friendship and gifts. Often the predator will then transition into a
phase of manipulation and possessiveness in which they begin to assume control over the child's life and decisions, either aggressively or subtlety. The predator's final and most dangerous move
is to entice a child to meet him in person.
What to do: Instruct your kids never to give out their personal information or download anything from someone they don't know. Remind them not to read or respond to emails or instant messages from people they do not know. Make sure they understand that they should not meet anyone in person without your permission. Talking with your children about websafety may not always be easy, but it is always worth it.