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What Procedures Could IA Students Follow to Avoid Online Predators When Using the Internet?

Lilliana was a 14 year old girl who loved browsing the internet. She knew many random facts from the databases she read and the information she saw on websites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. However, she knew where to draw the line. Her parents were rather paranoid about the internet and were worried about the amount of time their only daughter spent online. They had talked to her about sexual predators that pose as innocent kids in chat rooms and social networking websites. So when Lilliana chose friends on Facebook, she chose carefully. She looked at their profile, took note of their friends, and read their walls. The instant she noticed something suspicious, she blocked them. Sometimes it wasn’t necessary, but she was always safe rather than sorry. Also, she was careful not to mention anything remotely personal on her own wall.*

Lilliana is one of the few teenagers in the U.S that follow safe online protocol. She knows that there is nothing wrong with the internet itself, but she’s cautious when using her most valuable resource. Every child should act like her, but they don’t. In fact, 75% of children are willing to exchange personal information online in exchange for goods and services. And only 25% of children who have been sexually approached told their parents or a trusted adult. These numbers reveal that those who follow in Lilliana’s footsteps are few in number. And that does nothing but increase the risk of children everywhere being targeted by sexual predators. Another shocking statistic reveals that one fifth of United States teenagers that use the internet regularly admit to receiving unwanted sexual solicitation via the Web. Obviously, the internet, though a valuable tool for Lilliana and others like her, could be a dangerous and deceiving nemesis for those who don’t know or don’t care about using the internet safely.

   Online predators usually have several hidden characteristics reveal themselves from their cover of a false identity. The main characteristic of a child predator is that they seek children that are susceptible and easily controlled. By doing this, they prey on a child’s need to be accepted in society. If they are shunned in the physical world, but are treated with respect by a select few online, then they are much easier to influence and forced to do a predator’s bidding. Online predators also tend to have a strong desire for power. They enjoy the feeling of being in control and bask in the admiration of others. They believe that by doing what they do, they are becoming greater in power and more in control not only in their own life, but in others’ as well. Also, online predators will be very attentive to the person they target. They need information about them, including their name, their beliefs, and possibly their schedule or the location of their home. When speaking online, they may pretend to be innocently curious about their target’s life. However, they are constantly gathering information until they could attempt to corrupt their target’s life forever.

Though online predators are malicious and controlling, they could be recognized. After all, it is true that their intentions and actions are rather frightening, but with the right application of knowledge, one could protect themselves from the bondage created by the predator. However, in order to do so, one must familiarize themselves not only with the dangers that online predators pose, but also with their general personalities and main characteristics. By knowing and understanding such information, one would be able to recognize an online predator. Once the predator is recognized, actions must be taken. First, one must ensure their personal safety. One could do so by reflecting on past conversations and remembering what personal information was released. This gives the danger level of the situation so that the next few actions could be made with haste. If possible, one must immediately block the predator’s email address of screen name. Once this is done, remove any personal information released on your page, just in case the predator is able to gain access once again. Then tell a parent or trusted adult so that they can help make the right decisions. As soon as possible, call the local police department or law enforcement and explain the situation. If one has any information whatsoever about the predator, they must release it so that he or she may be caught. 

The World Wide Web itself is one massive library, filled with the digital knowledge of the ages. It has evolved to include copies of documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble, and others. Its wealth of information is a haven for hardworking students around the globe, as well as a comfortable getaway. For the internet has evolved to include chat rooms and social networking websites that are not always safe for online users. If used improperly, popular websites such as Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook could endanger people’s lives. Even search engines such as Wikipedia, Google, and Ask.com could offer unwanted pornography or sexual information.

Katherine* knows that better than anyone else. She was having loads of fun tweeting and retweeting friends and strangers alike through the use of her new Twitter account. She loved to gauge their reactions to what she posted in writing, but would never say aloud. However, one of her tweets reached the eyes of a sexual predator pretending to be a 15 year old boy from Minnesota. Slowly, he was able to gain Katherine’s trust and offer her guidance. They developed a bond over their conversations online. He acted like an older brother until the day they decided to meet. He flew to Florida from Minnesota in what he declared was a “family vacation”. Katherine released her home address and they settled on a date and time that he could visit. Two days later from that conversation, Katherine was never found and the predator was never caught.    

In order to reduce the potential risk of being lured by an online predator, one must update their safety settings in their internet browser and/or social networking site. In Facebook, for example, one could select a privacy setting under their profile that would increase or decrease the safety of the information on their wall. However, Google in particular has settings that warn its users about the authenticity and safety of a particular website by filtering images and websites to the selected setting. Also, in order to protect one’s computer from pop-up messages and unwanted e-mails, firewalls could be set up or Norton Internet Security could be installed for free. Only 1/3 of households currently use firewalls, which is a meager amount. Such a small change could make a big difference. Keep in mind that these simple alterations do not restrict one’s freedom to browse the internet, but it does protect one from unwanted inappropriate pictures and messages. 

Unfortunately, many teenagers are confronted with pornography, online predators, and other dangerous images and/or people via what is known as the World Wide Web. However, with the correct application of safety precautions, one could possibly avoid most lures and confrontations by strangers online. The measures that Lilliana (as described above) applies in her use of the internet are exemplary for all teenagers in order to reduce the risk of emotional or physical seduction by a predator. The permissiveness in which Katherine (as described above) treats her most valuable resource is considered rather perilous. The loftiness in which she talks to both strangers and friends alike online is not recommended. By employing the appropriate safety settings on one’s computer, understanding the main differences between a safe and unsafe website, recognizing an online predator by understanding their main characteristics, and following the correct procedures when confronted with an online predator one could enjoy the internet with a pretense of safety and easiness.           

Google Settings:

The popular search engine, Google, in an effort to protect its users, has installed a fairly simple way of recognizing safe and unsafe websites. Luckily, this precaution is not necessary to install. Instead, every time one attempts to enter an unsafe website via Google, a warning message appears that mentions the unsafe images and/or applications on the website. One then has the choice to enter the site or leave the warning page. As always, one should leave the warning page and not attempt to enter that website once again. 

Norton Internet Security:

Norton Internet Security is a program that protects a computer from viruses that may appear online through emails, unsafe websites, and other such online resources. It also has the ability to stop unwanted pop-up messages and block pictures it considers to be harmful. Unfortunately, the newer versions of Norton Internet Security, such as the newly formed Norton Internet Security 2010, are rather expensive. Norton is offering the price of $69.99 at the website below:

http://www.norton-security-online.com/?mv1=aUS050&gclid=CKCG7ajxpp0CFSMNDQodnGqW1w

However, one will do well to remember that each and every life is priceless, and the applications of the above program have the potential to protect an entire household from dangerous online users and programs. Please consider installing Norton Internet Security or another similar program. 

*Stories are fictional

Works Cited:

A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm>

Child Predator Characteristics. 2009. Life Tips. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://childprotection.lifetips.com/cat/63584/child-predators/>

Digital Images. Google Images. <http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi>

 “Google Warns on ‘Unsafe’ Websites”. 7 Aug. 2006. BBC News. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5251742.stm>

Internet Safety. Sep. 2008. Kids Health. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html#>

Norton Internet Security 2010. 2009. Norton Internet Security. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://www.nortonsecurityonline.com/?mv1=aUS050&gclid=CKCG7ajxpp0CFSMNDQodnGqW1w>

Shocking Statistics. 2009. SentryPC. 1 Nov. 2009.

<http://www.sentrypc.com/statistics.htm>

Reviewed and Written by: Ines Blondet, Nisreen Salka, Anna Zimmerman, and Hannah Watts

November 10, 2009