Is Your Child Victim Material?
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there are several indicators that internet pedophiles look for when choosing their target.
First and foremost, they look for a child or teenager who is spending a lot of time online. Predators need time to build trust in their victims -- what they refer to as "grooming." This usually involves lots of online contact, the exchange of photos or gifts, and then offline contact via telephone or in person.
It makes sense that this requires a kid who spends a lot of unsupervised time at a computer.
Next, predators look for someone who is naive, curious, adventurous, and eager for attention or affection. These kinds of kids are more likely to believe that this predator is harmless.
Signs of a young person who might be easy to manipulate include rebellious or angry kids, kids who are curious about or confused about sexuality, and lonely kids.
Of course, talking to your child is the first step towards protecting them from internet predators. But if your child resembles any of the above descriptions, its best to get some kind of parental control software. You can't control what they're doing when you aren't around, but at least at home, you'll know exactly who they're talking to online, and when.
First and foremost, they look for a child or teenager who is spending a lot of time online. Predators need time to build trust in their victims -- what they refer to as "grooming." This usually involves lots of online contact, the exchange of photos or gifts, and then offline contact via telephone or in person.
It makes sense that this requires a kid who spends a lot of unsupervised time at a computer.
Next, predators look for someone who is naive, curious, adventurous, and eager for attention or affection. These kinds of kids are more likely to believe that this predator is harmless.
Signs of a young person who might be easy to manipulate include rebellious or angry kids, kids who are curious about or confused about sexuality, and lonely kids.
Of course, talking to your child is the first step towards protecting them from internet predators. But if your child resembles any of the above descriptions, its best to get some kind of parental control software. You can't control what they're doing when you aren't around, but at least at home, you'll know exactly who they're talking to online, and when.
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