Webupon

2SEXY4U SAYS: ASL?
HOTGURL14 SAYS: WHO IS THIS???
2SEXY4U SAYS: SIMON.
HOTGURL14 SAYS: 14/F/HFX. U?
2SEXY4U SAYS: 15/M/HFX
HOTGURL14 SAYS: WHAT SKOOL DO U GO 2?
2SEXY4U SAYS: ST PATZ U?
HOTGURL14 SAYS: OMGZ DO U NO BRAD? MY FRIEND HAS THE HUGEST EVER CRUSH ON HIM.
2SEXY4U SAYS: YEAH, HE’S IN MY ENG CLASS. WUT SKOOL DO U GO 2?
HOTGURL14 SAYS: SACRED <3
2SEXY4U SAYS: O KEWL. WUTS UR NAME?
HOTGURL14 SAYS: ABBY.
2SEXY4U SAYS: NICE 2 MEET U ABBY.

Could Abby be your daughter? The chat transcribed above is fiction, however every day very similar chats start up online, and not all of them are innocent fun. Maybe Simon is really a 15 year old boy attending St Pat’s and maybe he really does know Brad. Or, maybe Simon is older. Say, 45.

A couple conversations down the road maybe Simon suggests that they engage in what is known as cyber sex. Abby is reluctant at first, but he says it’ll be fun. It’s his first time too he says, but everyone is doing it. Maybe later Simon convinced Abby to buy a cheap webcam, to make it more real. And then one day, Simon asks Abby to come over. Abby makes a detour on her way home from school and winds up on his front steps, ringing the doorbell.

Unfortunately, this is not outside the realm of possibility. To flesh out the background story a bit, let’s say Abby’s mother died last month and her father has become overbearing and distant. Considered the most dangerous predator out there, the cyber predator is looking for vulnerable children. And cyber predators, in this case Simon, provide exactly what they are looking for, love, understanding and acceptance.

Often cyber predators groom a number of children at the same time. Predators are seasoned liars. They are very patient, sometimes spending months grooming a victim. Instant messaging programs and internet chat rooms are a haven for these predators.

2SEXY4U SAYS: BRB GOTTA GO DOWN & GET DRINK.
HOTGURL14 SAYS: KK
2SEXY4U SAYS: BACK.
HOTGURL14 SAYS: THAT WAS FAST WHERE’S YOUR COMP?
2SEXY4U SAYS: IN MY ROOM.
HOTGURL14 SAYS: O KEWL, MINE 2.

Cyber predators like the fictional Simon want to know where your child’s computer is. Predators need secrecy, they need to know that parents can’t suddenly come on the scene. They gradually gain the child’s trust encouraging them to talk about problems and share secrets. This is easy for the child because it is not face to face, and the assumed anonymity of the internet provides a sense of false security.

The internet can be a wonderful tool for research and connecting with friends, but it can also be a very dangerous place. You alone can protect your kids. Make sure they know the rules for safe surfing. Make sure they don’t add people they don’t know to MSN, Y, AIM and ICQ. If they have a blog, ask for the URL so you can read it and talk to them about posting only non-indentifying information. Most importantly keep the lines of communication open, encourage them to talk about what they see online.

For further reading check out these sites: CyberWise , StaySafe