Hot on HuffPost Parents:
Louise Pennington: Teenage Pregnancy, Patriarchal Hypocrisy and…
'Rules Of Engagement' 100th Episode Series Finale
Online Predators - Just an Urban Legend?
Filed under: Opinions
It's enough to send a chill up any parent's spine: a 14-year-old girl agrees to meet an online friend, presumably another teen, without telling her parents. Only the "teen" turns out to be a 38-year-old man ... and a predator.To parents and child safety experts, the Internet is a virtual version of a dark and scary wood, where our Little Red Riding Hoods might meet up with the Big Bad Wolf if they take the wrong path. But when a task force of 49 district attorneys recently took a closer look at actual cases of sexual solicitation and abuse, they discovered the the Big Bad Wolf may really be just a fairy tale after all.
"This shows that social networks are not these horribly bad neighborhoods on the Internet," said John Cardillo, a member of the task force. "Social networks are very much like real-world communities that are comprised mostly of good people who are there for the right reasons." When children are solicited, the report says, they're likely to be willing participants. Which honestly doesn't make me feel any better.
Critics say that the information the DAs used is outdated, and that companies are responsible for making their online applications safer for kids.
As both a parent and a user of social networking sites, this is report a great relief to me. Yet when my kids are old enough to surf the Internet alone, I'll still keep safety measures in place -- a family computer in a central location, no personal information published online, etc. The Big Bad Wolf may indeed be just a legend, but there's also no point in inviting trouble.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Protecting Children Online, from Jennifer Jolly
Tech Expert Jennifer Jolly discusses some ways parents can protect their kids from Cyber-Bullying and other online dangers. Part of the series Mondays With Marlo on MarloThomas.com
-
Mom's the Word on Dinner
Every mom knows making everyone happy at dinnertime can be a challenge. To help Ragú has launched “Mom's the Word on Dinner,” an online community that brings moms together to laugh, learn and share their stories about what really happens at dinnertime. Each month mom bloggers and notable parenting experts, will join moms across the country to tackle various dinnertime dilemmas from dealing with picky eaters, to getting kids to eat their vegetables, to table manners.
-
Parents Online: Privacy and Your Kids
Parents are blogging, posting pictures and videos, participating in communities like DadLabs.com, but where do you draw the line? What is appropriate in terms of sharing images and stories online about your kids?
-
Children Find Dates for Parents on This Website
Ask any single parent how tough it is to find a good, accepting partner. While some turn to online dating, others try blind dates. There are even professional matchmakers available for assistance.
But, who can be a better matchmaker for a single mom or dad than their own flesh and blood. That's where website, “My Lovely Parent” comes in.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-15-2009 @ 11:34AM
ninainindia said...I think we already knew this. Who actually believes all those scare tactics? Just the word predator makes me laugh to be honest. It's so overdone. People think that if they leave their child alone for 1 minute their child will surely be snatched, but in reality that chance is minuscule.
Please give your children some freedom to explore, to grow and become an independent adult.
Reply
1-15-2009 @ 12:54PM
LS said...It's about time we start applying some common sense to these issues. Yes, we should be vigilant, but at the same time, I see parents who, like Nina mentioned, won't leave their children alone for a single minute. Who won't walk away from them in a park to sit 20 feet away and chat with another mother while their children play.
Yes, it's our job to protect our children. But it's also our job to teach them how to be independent... and part of that means teaching them to protect themselves. If they never have to think for themselves, what is going to happen when they're finally faced with a crisis?
Reply