The Internet has made all of our lives easier. Banking, shopping, communicating with friends and family are all easier because of advances in the Internet. Unfortunately, the Internet has also made it easier for those who wish do us harm. The vast amounts of information available on the Internet, and the speed at which it can be acquired, has created new vulnerabilities for the safety and privacy of those who use the Internet.
The same advances in technology that allow our children to expand their realm of knowledge are also leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and harm by computer-sex offenders. For example, approximately one in five youths who use the Internet regularly received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in the last year.
It is important for parents to educate their children about the risks online and how to avoid becoming a victim.
The Attorney General's Youth Internet Safety Task Force
Joint Statement on Key Principles of Social Networking Sites Safety
Q & A on Peer-to-Peer File Sharing
Sources: FBI, A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety (www.fbi.gov)
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com)