SHERIFF CARMINE MARCENO’S MARCH 2024 SAFETY & SECURITY TIP: TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE RISKS

For those of us old enough to remember life before the internet, today’s access to information online is remarkable.

However, like most other technologies, criminals and wrong-doers have found numerous ways to turn this extraordinary tool into something dark, devious and dangerous.

Despite ongoing and endless warnings to parents and their children, minors continue to be lured into horrific online situations. Criminals establish rapport with children and later arrange to meet. They coerce children into sending sexually-explicit photos and videos. They convince and compel minors to become involved in illicit and unsafe behaviors. Threats are made online and, as a result of the violence that this nation has endured, these threats are taken very seriously.

The only effective intervention appears to involve parental participation and communication.

It is imperative for parents and guardians to spend time educating themselves about social media, software, games and apps that your children have on their devices. While we may have no interest in these games and forms of communication, it is critical that we understand how easily information can be shared/taken when using these programs/apps.

Make certain that children understand the permanency of posts…of photos…of sharing personal and identifying information. Discuss the potential harm that can arise when sharing photographs, school/home locations and identity-related information.  Trying to retrieve/remove posted and shared information is much like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube…it isn’t going to happen.

Children must understand that they cannot communicate with anyone that they don’t know in “real life.” Contact should only be made with classmates, neighbors, relatives and friends. “Friends of friends,” not personally known, should be avoided.

Additionally, children must be made to realize that even adults can be fooled by online scams and fraudulent activity. They should understand that there is no issue or concern that they cannot discuss with their parent or guardian.

Using privacy settings and strong passwords are important and children should be made to understand their value.

Lastly, children must be made to understand that threats made online…made by them or to them…are crimes and, in many cases, will be met with severe punishment.

Parents and guardians are asked to immediately report all inappropriate contact to law enforcement.