Danger on the Web
Remember when the interactive video games just began to come on the scene? Those of us who had video gaming tweens and teens would have taken note of the memorable evolution of being able to talk with each other while battling one another in a game while in different locations. How could it get any better? Parents try to understand how it all works, and every now and then, check in on the “virtual conversation… or argument” just to see how things are going. There’s life lessons to be had when using dialogue in cyberspace. In the heat of the moment, you make remarks you really didn’t mean to say and regret it later – which basically teaches one how to communicate in today’s world and to simply “think” before you “talk” or “type”. Those “check-ins” by parents are important. The sound of an “adult” voice as part of the virtual conversation can send alarms. As adolescents are on the internet more with school and socialization, it’s important to continue the “check-ins” with everything pertaining to communicating in cyberspace.
The Dangers
Recently, my Intro to Criminal Justice class had guest speakers on one of our Zoom sessions. They were Aberdeen Patrol Officer Gypsie Adcox and Aberdeen PD Detective Shannon Darling. Detective Darling is also assigned to a Computer Crime Task Force made up of detectives from the county, state and federal levels, where they try to catch child predators on the web among other things. They will often go into certain sites posing as a juvenile and wait for predators to engage them, which happens much too often. I witnessed such activity in a training class years ago, where a State Trooper went on the web in the middle of a Monday afternoon, posing as a 12-year-old boy, and to our amazement within minutes there were more than one pedophile starting a conversation with him which quickly turned extremely inappropriate, and you could hear a pin drop in a room of approximately 100 law enforcement personnel. Our class has also watched episodes of Dateline’s “To Catch a Predator” where this scenario is played out over and over. Detective Darling advised us that they have actually arrested such predators right here in Moore County, and the surrounding areas.
The Sources
Cyberbullying adolescents by way of blackmailing victims for sexually explicit images is called “sextortion” and happens via threats, established relationships and sometimes in an effort to make the offender go away.
Per Detective Darling, inappropriate activity is most witnessed within the following platforms:
1. Common social platforms are Facebook, Instagram, Kik Messenger
2. Common virtual games: Platforms and games where gamers can chat while playing such as: Fortnite, Minecraft, Xbox Live, Discord and/or Twitch.
3. Chat rooms: Less common than social platforms and gaming, but most common is Omegle
Almost all cases involving inappropriate activity with an adolescent are with youth ages 12 and up. Internet Safety Education for Teens: Getting it Right is a document created by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. It is a great way to get the explanations behind the statistics.
The FBI also has a 2-part story that was first published a year ago that is very informative.
What You Can Do
Be aware! Know what sites your child goes to, check their computer history. Have the computer somewhere in the house where you can see and hear what they are doing. Do an occasional walk by the screen and take a look. Look for warning signs. Is your child quickly getting out of sites every time you come near the computer? Are they trying to take the computer to a more private area of your house? Does this mean you have to stand over their shoulder every second that they are on the computer? Of course not, we all have too many things on our plates to do that; however, with a little bit of curiosity, you may be preventing something that could affect your child’s life. When he/she complains that you don’t trust them, let them know it has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with your love for them! Have a great week and stay safe and healthy!!
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