Internet Safety 101

(Washington) - Internet meetings through instant messaging for children have become very dangerous over the past five years. More and more studies have been completed internationally which show the frequency of personal meetings that occur after someone has met online. Government agencies have worked to produce written and video information available for parents and teachers to educate them to the dangers that exist when using the internet. The United States Justice Department has called their initiative “Internet Safety 101” and do so in collaboration with an organization called, “Enough is Enough (EIE).” They have developed a five-part series available for everyone on video and hope to streamline this production. “We desired to create a plug ‘n play program, bringing the experts to parents, educators, and other guardians of children, in a thorough and easy to use multimedia program. We wanted to duplicate the power of in-person trainings without the need for an expert teacher or trained facilitator on site,” said EIE President Donna Rice Hughes.  Enough is Enough (EIE) was formed in 1994 to help with the serious problem of internet sexual predators.  Chris Clapp, an EIE representative said, “93 percent of our children are online,” in a presentation held in February of last year at Kingsport’s Robinson Middle School. There is no surprise that youths and teens are online daily and that they have a greater chance of being victimized in some type of predator scam. “Teens are willing to meet with strangers: 16 percent of teens considered meeting someone they've only talked to online and 8 percent have actually met someone they only knew online (Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later. 2006).”  This danger extends internationally; it is not just happening in the U. S., it is a global travesty. Today in Taiwan, statistics were released by the Child Welfare League Foundation. They conducted a study which investigated children’s social networks online. They found that “77 percent of primary school students were habitually surfing the net.” And of the group of children that go on the internet, “approximately 45 percent of them have made friends from this interaction.”  Officials from the foundation said, “Most of the children meet via online games or MSN messenger and 15 percent of those who meet new people online arrange to meet their online friend in person.”  Earlier this year the Associated Press reported that in the United States the Wisconsin Justice Department was overwhelmed with sexual predator cybercrimes. “Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said, “he doesn’t think very much significant progress has happened yet."Our community leaders don't even know how bad the problem is. The general population has no idea," he said. A growing need for much more police funding is very necessary to combat the growing influx of children who use the internet everyday to either play games or to do school work.  One study by eMarketer showed that 75% of children are willing to share personal information online about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services. Statistics from Crimes Against Children Research Center reported that only approximately 25% of children who encountered a sexual approach or solicitation told a parent or adult.  They also claim that “77% of the targets for online predators were age 14 or older.  Another 22% were users ages 10 to 13.” These are overwhelming statistics since teenagers have so much more time alone and there is a greater chance that they are able to organize a meeting with an online friend without a parent finding out.  Recently the news has reported many instances of missing children.  One such sad story is about a New York teen named Brittanee Drexel who had "her mind set" on spring break in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Her mother didn't allow her to go away but her 17-year-old daughter went anyway without her permission. She's been gone since the beginning of May and who knows if she met her assailant online or not.  We will have to wait until the next report which usually ends up breaking the hearts of so many concerned parents and teachers who try so hard to protect their children from sexual predators, and criminals. Anyone wanting more information relating to online help to keep your children safe should contact www.kidshealth.org and www.netsmartz.org for valuable information.