The Frontier

What you need to know

The Internet is a primary source of learning and socializing for your kids. They often know their way around the ‘Net by the time they learn to read. And your teens may well be more sophisticated about the Internet than you are.

This wonderful tool for learning and exploring the world can also be troublesome.

The most common abuse of the Internet for and by children is bullying and malicious gossiping. Initially, the gossip and bullying may be intended for each other only. But it swiftly spirals out of control because the Internet knows no borders. It truly is the World Wide Web.

You may have heard of incidents of bullying that have resulted in humiliating images of a child being transmitted globally through the Internet. One famous case is the Starwars Kid, where one 15-year-old boy from Quebec had goofy images of himself in fight scenes, stolen and uploaded onto the Internet.

Fifteen million people downloaded that video and countless clone videos have been produced. The poor kid has suffered international ridicule from his peers. If your kids aren’t careful, this kind of a nightmare can happen to them too.

The Internet is a vast global network of individuals. And they don’t always have the best interests of your children in mind.

Predators on the Internet are actively looking for children to sexually exploit. They will use fake identities, like posing as a 13-year-old girl, to lure children. Sometimes they use the kids to make money in Internet child pornography and sometimes for their own perversions.

The Internet is like the Wild West. It’s frontier territory. There’s no sheriff to keep the law. Unless your kids know how to protect their privacy, cyberspace can be a dangerous place. Predators can – and will – prey on them. Anonymously.

It’s your job to ensure your kids are safe when they’re surfing the ‘Net and meeting new people. Making sure your kids are Internet safe – not just Internet smart – is simple. It’s similar to teaching them not to talk to strangers.

There are laws (See THE LAW) that dictate what is legal regarding communicating with children on the Internet. Cyber crime police units have been established to combat Internet luring, Internet pornography and a host of other cyber crimes. Nonetheless, child sexual exploitation has become a significant problem that is difficult to prosecute.

Laws vary from country to country and perpetrators often carry out their crimes in distant and diverse parts of the world. Who investigates? Who prosecutes? Under which nation’s law? You can see the perplexity of legalities issues.

So it’s important that parents and children understand how to protect themselves from the criminals that lurk in cyberspace, even as they sit comfortably at their computers behind locked doors.

Above all

1. Trust your instincts. Don’t be intimidated by the Internet. It’s like other environments. Children need parental moral guidance and adult judgment to help them navigate the world.
2. Encourage your children to talk to you about their Internet experiences.
3. Don’t freak out, react critically or blame your children when they tell you about meeting a predator on the Internet. You’ll alienate them and play right into the predator’s hands. Your kids need your support. Listen and take them seriously.

So, what do you think you know?

What parents tell us
My child will tell me what they are experiencing on the Internet.

What kids tell us

• 2 in 5 youth say a stranger on the Internet asked for personal information such as a photo, phone number, street address or school.
• Half of those who were asked for personal information say they gave all or some of the information requested.
• Fewer than 1 in 10 say they told their parents about the request.

The Internet is a world that kids own and they value that as a symbol of their independence from parents. Involve yourself in your children’s Internet explorations and make sure they protect their privacy.

What parents tell us
My child is able to deal with individuals that want to take advantage of them on the Internet. 1 in 20 parents say their child has met in person with someone they only knew online.

What kids tell us

• 1 in 4 youth say someone they met online asked to meet them in person.
• 1 in 7 youth say they have met in person with someone they knew only online.
• More than 1 in 10 say they went by themselves to meet their Internet friend in person for the first time; 4 in 10 say they took a friend with them; fewer than 1 in 10 say they took an adult.

Your children need your guidance. You need to make sure they know the rules of Internet safety and how to protect themselves.

What parents tell us
I can’t do anything about cyber predators targeting my child.

What kids tell us

• 2 out of 3 youth who used the Internet at home say their parents never sit with them while they surf the Internet.
• 2 out of 3 say their parents never use filters to block sites they don’t want them to visit.
• Half say their parents never check to see which sites they have visited.
• 2 out of 5 say their parents never check on them while they are online. Young Canadians in a Wired World

You can and need to take simple steps to keep your children from being targeted by predators and criminals on the Internet. You can begin by informing yourself about the Internet.

We offer resources to help you do that (see Chat Rooms and Sites we Like).

You can install Internet filters or firewalls (see What you can do).

You can ensure your child knows the rules of Internet safety (see Predator Proofing Your Kids).

And you can monitor your children’s Internet use (see What you can do).