Teach Your Kids the Red Flag of Online Predators
There are a lot of things that parents have to worry about when our kids start using social media, multiplayer online games and the Internet in general on their own. For starters, there is cyberbullying , hate speech, and porn . But sex predators should also be at the top of the list, with online multiplayer games and chat apps being the best place to find and care for young prey.
It is very important to talk to our children about Internet safety, set limits on how much and what they can get, and help them navigate (and report if necessary) inappropriate content or conversations. Michael Salter, assistant professor of criminology at the University of New South Wales in Australia, told the New York Times that parents can start by giving their kids a checklist of red flags that can’t be trusted by an online “friend”:
- They tell the child to keep the relationship a secret.
- They ask for a lot of personal information.
- They promise favors and gifts.
- They communicate with the child through several platforms and services.
- They initiate intimate discussions about the child’s appearance.
- They insist on meeting in person.
You might even want to write these red flags on a piece of paper that you hang next to the device your child will use to reinforce ideas.
Be sure to keep the online security dialogue open and ongoing. Children who fear getting into trouble because of what they (or someone else) said or did on the Internet are more likely to keep it to themselves. Instead, you want them to feel comfortable talking to you about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable so that you can help resolve the situation.