Children And The Internet: Do You Know What Your Child Is Doing?

We give our children so many techcentric toys, because we want them to feel part of and have a sense of belonging. Computers, webcams, cell phones, and high end gaming consoles, with messaging and WI-FI capabilities are hugely popular items.. Many of us assume our children can be trusted to use good judgement with these hi tech tools. Often this assumption is wrong.

Lately, in the news, many crimes, committed by youngsters involve the use of the computer and the 'net. Horrific crimes, including homicide as was the Colombine massacre, and the murder of Kara Borden's parents, by her boyfriend David Ludwig. These events beg for an answer to the question: How well do you know what your children are up to?

I'm going to try and inform parents of some activities and places young people hang out on the 'net, and just what goes on there. One of the most popular here in California, is a site called My Space www.myspace.com. Parents need to be aware that the site is a place where a lot of sexual activity occurs, known on the net as cybersex. The chat word is C boy or girl, at My Space. Pedophiles typically lurk around sites like this, masking as a fellow teen, and even pretend to be female, when in fact they are male. It's just too easy, and so many children, for whatever reason, too willing to engage in such behaviors.

Other sites like the Habbo Hotel: www.habbohotel.com, Delphi Forums: www.delphiforums.com or Talk City: www.TalkCity.com, allow minors on site along with adult romance chats, bi and gay chats, and other overtly sexual forums. Parents must learn to not just accept the old adolescent plea, of "everybody goes there"

Take a look at this from My Space

http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.ListGroups&categoryID=28&Mytoken=75D3CF7C-CEE2-4AB1-841E6B4FA72FBBA22341811875

I Just Want Sex (public group)
Find Some One That just wants sex

So Cal Make-out Club (public group)
This group is for people that live in so cal and wanna get together to make-out

Make Out Club (public group)
--Make Out Club--
The name pretty much speaks for itself, For people who want to meet others make out and make it a night.

HoT gUrLs & GuYs (public group)
This group is 4 people who think they are hot enough 2 chat with ppl they know and even find new friends! Dis group is da fastest growing group in myspace that features a chat room & a music player!!!

http://www.talkcity.com/homepage.htm?flash=y Check out what your teen sees when looking for new fweinds here!

Instant messengers are a two fold danger, in spite of their convenience. Many run off IRC-Internet Relay Chat, which opens up holes into computers and cell phones, for skilled hackers. You may believe that if your child is not on the net, but simply using a text messenging cell phone, they are safe from both predators and undesirable behaviors. Add a camera to the phone, and you have a tool that can spell trouble. Everything from swapping nude or explicit photos, to allowing criminals access to your home and children. These camera phones are banned in all Federal and state buildings, and here in our school district, cell phones are banned in school-period.

Web cams in the hands of teens is so risky, I simply cannot believe parents allow them. There was a terrifying case recently, where a young 8 year old had accidentally, left his webcam on, and was watched by a known pedophile during the whole time the thing was connected. If you think this is simply paranoia, go to http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm and check on what they have to say about internet safety.

If we are to prevent more children from getting hurt, or indulging in risky behaviors, we must become extremely aware of exactly where they are going, and what they are doing. It is not safe to assume that our children are able to exercise correct judgments about the internet, especially given the fact so many adults can't or won't.

Bottom line, neither you, nor your child don't really know who many of the people they meet online really are. And as parents we have the right to insist on our children being accountable to us for what they do. And legally, you the parent are liable for any criminal actions your child commits, especially if you fail to act as a responsible parent.

Before you make another high tech purchase for your child, ask yourself if it's really needed , or even better -is it safe. Enabling your child to give in to peer pressures may put your child or others at risk. Is it really worth that?