INTERNET SAFETY for Parents

1. INTERNET SAFETYfor Parents Rosanne Vandenbilche, Cst School Liaison Officer Lake Country RCMP

2. Social Networking Sites • Facebook - Habbo • Myspace - Friendster • Nexopia - Blogger • Blogspot - You tube • Windows Live Space - Flickr • Adultfriendfinder - Linkedln • Twitter

3. Social Networking • Become common and some cases primary means for youth to communicate • Many sites, “adult only” but no way to check that only adults using it • Someone who is banned can create a new account with a new name • Blackmail is a tactic used by predators • Once photos and information is gained – used to manipulate child • 1/3 of top 50 favourite web sites listed by kids - 28% violent - 32 % highly sexual

4. Cameras, Pics, & Video • Pictures reveal a lot about a person, their home, family, where you live • Background information for a criminal to select a target (luring, break & enter, fraud…) • ONCE THEY ARE OUT YOU CANNOT GET THEM BACK

5. Chat Lingo • Chat abbreviations used to save typing & encode conversations • <3 show love and affection • lol laugh out loud • asl age sex location • b/c because • Imao laughing my a** off • cyl see you later • fyeo for your eyes only • jk just kidding

6. Child Pornography • Youth take pictures & videos of themselves - THIS IS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY • Typically NOT a criminal charge UNLESS distributed beyond consenting partner • g/f sent picture to b/f • b/f sends it out -> distribution • Should be discouraged

7. Risk Factors to Sexual Exploitation? • Sexual, physical or emotional abuse & neglect • Alcohol or drug abuse or exposure to parental substance abuse • Poverty or unemployment • Low self-esteem and insecurity • Lack of sense of belonging, lonely, troubled youth • Mental health, learning or cognitive disabilities

8. Risk Factors to Sexual Exploitation • Running away or being forced to leave home at an early age • Unsupervised and uninformed Internet usage • Sexual orientation

9. Who are the Perpetrators • They use power, manipulation, intimidation, grooming to get children and youth to participate in sexual acts • Victim’s parents, extended family, circle of friends

10. Online Grooming • Request personal information • Become friends • Request photos • Identify with child’s family, friends, problems • Contact progresses – web-cam, telephone conversations • Meeting (England to Canada) • Grooming parent/family – to access child

11. Something to Ponder • Would you drop your child off in a neighborhood where more than ½ of the buildings were adult stores and it was full of predators? • Of course not. • Do not let your child explore internet unsupervised. 60% of all sites on the internet are pornographic. • On average takes 2-4 weeks for child to be lured

12. Child Molesters and Predators • Use internet to pose as youngsters themselves to communicate with children, expose them to pornography, arrange to meet them in person • National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children • 1 in 5, aged 10-17, regularly use internet have received sexual solicitation while online • Children being lured with games and establish relationships with them online • Chat rooms and instant/private messages – 2 tools pedophiles used to contact children • How they do it? • Seduce their prey – attention, affection, kindness, gifts • Listen, empathize with problems, knowledge of latest music, hobbies, interests • Lower the inhibitions of the victim – intro sexual context and content

13. Chat Rooms • 100% chance of meeting a predator in a chat room • Predators are smart and they get information from your children even without them knowing it

14. Safety First • Use security features of the programs & websites • Safe Surf/Net Nanny • PeaceFire.org – website devoted to bypassing/disabling blocking software and teaching children how to use this • Many operating systems & web browsers have built in content filters BUT easy to overcome • Educate yourself • Cypertip.ca – national tipline to report

15. Warning Signs Child Maybe at Risk? • Child spends large amount of time on line, especially at night • Find pornography on your child’s computer • Sex offenders supply victims with porn to open sexual discussions and for seduction • Child receives phone calls from men you do not know or making phone calls, including long distance calls • Phone sex and then meeting for real sex

16. Warning Signs Child Maybe at Risk? (con’t) • Receives mail, gifts, packages from someone you do not know • Send letters, photos, gifts, plane tickets for meet • Turn off computer monitor off or quickly change the screen • Withdrawn from family • Using on-line account belonging to someone else • Offenders provide victim with computer account for communications with them

17. Guidelines to Internet Safety • Become more computer literate - check software history folders - share or have access to their email - be present when they enter private chat rooms - monitor communications • Caution to not give out personal information online • Never use real name, address, phone number, school name, work place, financial information

18. Guidelines to Internet Safety • Keep computer in common room & limit time online • Never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the internet to people you do not personally know • Never download pictures from unknown source • Never respond to messages, bulletin board postings which are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or harassing

19. Guidelines to Internet Safety • Guidelines for face to face meetings by online friends • Obscene or threatening material – delete, call police, advise internet server • Keep communications open – talk about potential online dangers • Spend time online with your child • Set guidelines for internet use from the start

20. How to talk to youth • Educate yourself on the issue • Set clear rules & expectations about internet use • Let them know you are there to help if they encounter an uncomfortable experiences online • Do not spy or use programs to record online conversations • Understand even if child is willing participant, he/she not at fault and is the victim

21. How to talk to Youth (con’t) • Never accuse them of anything • Conversation should include how your child needs to be safe • Facebook, myspace, twitter – minimal age requirement of 13 years, but many lie

22. Computers • RCMP cannot access information without search warrant even if computer owned by parents and parents gives consent. • Child/primary user of computer needs to give consent

23. Resources for Parents • Internet101.ca • DEAL.org. • Chatslang.com – slang for text messaging, social media, email, online chat, online gaming, web forums, general slang