Protecting Your Kids From Pedophiles Online

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And it brings up an old issue that’s becoming increasingly difficult to police: how do you keep track of where your kids are going online? There’s all kinds of tracking software available, but savvy young people can often figure out how to get by it.

And you can’t control what they do when they’re not home – or you’re away.

Add to that the often-grim reality that the older a child gets, the further ahead of their folks they seem in understanding computers.

“My son I know knows a whole lot more than I do,” admits Mona Doiron. “That’s why I have my computer in the living room.”

But experts warn even that may not be enough unless parents know the lingo and understand what their kids are actually doing in plain sight.

And then there are the dangers of webcams themselves.

“Children are buying their own and parents have no clue that there’s even a webcam in their house,” worries author Rob Nickel. “One of the things they have to realize is predators or pedophiles on the Internet, that’s ammunition for them.”

Still, there are some things you can do to lay down the law in your house and keep your kids away from the pedophile trolling ground that the Internet has become. Here are a few suggestions:

• If the family only has one computer, keep it in a visible place where you can see what they’re doing.
• If they plan to go into chat rooms, remind them of the number one unbreakable rule – under no circumstances can they ever give out personal information, such as their real name, age, address, gender, email contact, passwords, credit cards or phone number.
• They should also never agree to meet with anyone they ‘talk’ to.
• Never let them go into ‘private areas’ in chat rooms.
• If someone tries to get their names or sends them questionable content, contact police and your Internet service provider. They may be able to trace the user.
• Familiarize yourself with short forms teens often use online. “P.O.S.”, for example, stands for “Parent Over Shoulder”. It indicates they don’t want to let you see what they’re doing.
• Install a program like Net Nanny to keep young surfers away from sites you don’t want them to see.
• Tell your children to choose pseudonyms that are gender neutral, to further hide who they are.
• Limit their time online. There are other things in life, like sports, homework and friends.
• If your kids are younger, make sure they use your email address to receive messages, so you can monitor who’s been in contact with them. Don’t allow them to respond to instant messages or any letters from strangers.
• If available, check out their personal home page at sites like myspace.com. You may be surprised by what they reveal there.
• Remember the computer is yours, not theirs. You paid for it, so you get to say what it’s used for. Don’t be afraid to take away your child’s surfing privileges if they don’t play by your rules.

The Tricks Pedophiles Use

Some pose as kids, lulling the younger set into a false sense of security. But the talk gradually turns sexual, followed by demands for explicit photos or even a face-to-face meeting.

Others will send gifts to the innocents, trying to strengthen their bonds and create a sense of obligations for kids who have accepted the presents.

And a few won’t even try to mask their intentions, immediately going to hardcore sex talk and making explicit requests.

Signs Your Child Has Been Targeted

Spending a lot of time online.

This one’s tricky, because kids and teens can spend hours on the Internet for legitimate reasons. You may be wise to limit the time they can go online.

Pornography on the PC

Pedophiles often lure kids with pornographic images as a means to open a sexual discussion door. Watch for hidden files and if you find them, ask where they came from.

Strange phone calls to numbers you don’t know

Whether they’re received or made from your home phone or a cell, ask who they’ve been talking to. Predators are sneaky and can use 800 numbers that won’t show up on a phone bill. Some have asked kids to call them collect in order to hide the call from you and retrieve their phone numbers on call display.

Strange gifts

If your children have something you’ve never seen before or you didn’t buy for them, like an MP3 player, a Game Boy or a cell phone, ask where it came from.

Other accounts

Some pedophiles will actually set up kids with a separate account so they can use the computer without you knowing. If you see them logged on in a way you don’t recognize, demand an explanation.

To learn more ways to help your kids, click here.

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