Keeping Our Kids Safe Online
At a major online security conference in February 2007, a panel discussed issues related to children's safety while surfing the Internet. Some of the statistics they gave were very sobering.
- Number of children between ages 10 and 17 that have received a sexual solicitation over the Internet - 1 in 7
- Percentage of children between ages 10 and 17 that have reported these solicitations to a parent/guardian - 27%
The panel talked about how children in this age range are vulnerable because of peer pressure and the fact that they're trying to understand their changing bodies. The panel also talked about the psychological impact of pornography and sexual solicitations on the young victims. As the statistics reflect, most victims do not report these solicitations to their parents.
For these reasons and more, you need to understand the issues your children are dealing with and take steps to help protect them from online predators. Open the lines of communication with your kids and monitor their use of the Internet. Tools are available to monitor activity and filter some of the unwanted Web sites. Don't let your kids spend hours of time on the computer; most experts agree that it is not healthy. Keep access to their accounts and spot check them. Kids might not think it is fair, but as parents we have a responsibility to protect them from situations that are harmful to them. The numbers above show that potentially harmful situations occur frequently enough to be concerned.