I found an article at CNN.com about online child predators and what parents can do to protect their kids. I think that this is a very serious topic and a huge issue that relates to the dangers the Internet can bring. Like online scamming, plagiarism, or identity theft, online child predators use the Internet as a foundation to seek unlawful and just plain discussing behavior. There is an obvious misuse of the Internet by these criminals. What is so true about online child predators is the fact that the access to being a victim is so open. Many parents think that it will never happen to their child, yet it is still strongly encouraged for parents to monitor what their children are doing online. I liked this article because I thought it gave good bases on what parents may be facing and how to deal children’s use of the Internet.
I 100% agree with the fact that there are people out there, some who may seem absolutely ordinary, but are misusing the Internet by breaking the law (example: sexually soliciting an underage individual). And just how might we prevent this illegal act? Well, MSNBC’s Dateline “To Catch a Predator” has already started accomplishing that goal. I think that a complete prevention of online predators would be an enormous goal to accomplish because of availability to the Internet and chat rooms, but I do think that a decline can be accomplish. Datelines “To Catch A Predator” has helped bring many guilty predators to the table and off the Internet chat rooms.
In regards to the concept of “To Catch a Predator,” I find it interesting, yet clever, how the predators are caught. The conversations between the victim and predator are real, yet the luring in of the predator is all set up. The camera crews are on “set” and the host of the show Chris Hansen is ready to confront the predators. I agree, that although the predators can say they have been “set up,” the best way to catch predators is to win them at their own game.
Beyond chat rooms, social online networks like MySpace are another great potential for child predators and stalkers to be located. Especially with MySpace, the amount of personal data that can be shared can but individuals at risk for danger. For stalkers or other people with the motive to do harm to others, these online networks are a prime location to find their victims. For protection, having security measures such as privacy control and limiting personal information on MySpace can cut down the possibility of becoming a victim.
In a culture with very popular Internet communities, the Internet seems to be the place to go for private conversation and illegal act. From watching “To Catch a Predator” I have noticed that many of the predators felt they could get away with their acts because they hide their communication from others by using online chat rooms. This misuse of the Internet shows a negative side to what the advancements in communication and technology can bring.
News articles at
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/23/safeonline.101/index.html and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9878187/
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5 comments:
I agree with you about the predators. It is wrong that bad people have seen the internet and its various uses as a tool to support their evilness. I found an article in Popular Mechanics May 2006 page 84 titles “The Digital Detectives.” These are internet gumshoe detectives that use the fact that whatever has been downloaded or typed on your computer is there forever and they know how to access it. They included a real story of a young girl who met a guy in a chat room and decided to meet him in person. He kidnapped her. Because of the skill of these detectives, they found the hidden folders, "deleted" files and internet cashes that hide clues these criminals thought were gone forever, and track them to the source. The story had a happy ending. Fortunately police work has changed to accommodate technology and the various types of people who use it, including the evil ones.
Terrific blog! I completely agree with your thoughts on this subject. As soon as I saw what we had to do this week, that was the subject matter I was gunning for...although, somehow it's not what I ended up with!?!? Go figure! Coincidentally, my husband was the mastermind behind getting a group at his police department started doing the same thing - going on-line and posing as children to lure predators. Unfortunately, he never got to work it as he receive an early medical retirement due to an injury at work. Anyway, great blog! :)
"Please, take a seat." -Chris Hansen. So, I am glad you like my idea of mini-Chris Hansen's running around the globe solving all child predator problems but what it doesn't solve for is the ones that don't get caught and the men that are showing up to children's doors...instead of Chris Hansen's. I think that children need to be better educated on strangers and what to do about their own information on the internet. Google has started a program in India doing this working with the Police force their. I do agree with you that education should start in the home but considering the amount of broken homes these days it isn't always easy for a single parent to monitor their child's every actions. Good post.
My question is this: has the new medium created a new problem... or has it given awareness to a rampant problem already in existence?
Do we think these pedophiles are not out there, more locally possibly, trying the same thing via conventional means; or has this new method of interaction created a new breed of criminal? Have we created our own Frankenstein's monster?
I am not sure honestly. On one hand, we have created an ease of access that has never existed before. A new basket of potential victims.
On the other hand, do we really think evil has been denied just because they didn't have computers to use as bait?
The problem is that these people (predators) who use to hang out at playgrounds or schools now can do this from their own homes. Which makes them even more dangerous because the possiblity of a witness seeing and calling the police disappears with this new form of technology.
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