Why the Internet is Dangerous for Kids

by Joshua Finer

Most people instantly think ‘pornography’ Did you? Porn is certainly a scourge of the net. However, because of one simple fact, there is a much larger looming danger for kids on the Internet. That fact is that pedophiles, child molesters, sexual predators, and other similar undesirables never had such a great way to meet kids as they do now.

Think back to before the Internet. Let’s say it is 1990. How would a pedophile meet your child? A playground? A schoolyard? As a part of some sort of organization? Most likely. Of course we teach our children about situations like this, how to recognize them, and more importantly how to avoid them.

But what about now, 2003. How would a pedophile meet your child? An email? An instant message? A chat room? Not only do these great meeting places now exist, but they also conceal the predator’s true identity. This is a tactic that is used to gain children’s trust, pretending to be a peer and a friend. This would be much much harder to do off-line. It is for this reason that it is so important that parents know who their kids talk to online, and what they talk about.

In my industry, I am often asked “What about the trust issue?” in regards to monitoring children’s Internet activities with software. It is certainly an issue, no question. However, parents need to realize that the Internet is uniquely different then perhaps a child’s phone conversations or writings in a diary. A diary is a child’s own private personal thoughts. It is one-way communication, that is the key. Instant messages, emails and chats, however, are two-way communication. The child can reveal personal and private info such as names, addresses and phone numbers with just the press of a key.

The trust issue also needs to be weighed against the situation your child is in. Not all families are created equally. Some parents have excellent relationships and communication with their children, and some do not. Some kids are talking to their soccer buddies online, and some are meeting people they don’t really know. Most importantly, if you think your child may be talking to someone who could be an internet predator, the trust issue becomes secondary, and knowing exactly what is said becomes paramount.