Everyone should read this. Be sure and watch the video clip to get the full idea of how creepy this is.
Catching potential Internet sex predators – Dateline NBC – MSNBC.com
In any home where there are kids with computers, there are parents with concerns. Teenagers can spend hours chatting online, but who are they chatting with? On the other end of that instant message could be a complete stranger – or a sexual predator. It’s a dangerous side of the Internet, one that’s growing and many children are at risk. So we went undercover, filling a house with hidden cameras.Soon, a long line of visitors came knocking, expecting to find a young teenager they’d been chatting with on the Internet, home alone. Instead, they found Dateline.
We want to warn you some of what you’ll read is explicit. But parents need to know what their kids can confront when they sit down at the computer.
Look, here are some simple rules.
1. No computers in the bedroom. Keep any computer hooked to the Internet in a public room like a den or something.
2. Get a filter. Try BSafe Online’s filter free for 10 days. (yes, I work for them, but I get nothing for recommending the product, and I recommended it before they hired me.). If you don’t like their filter, get one you do like.
3. Know what your kids are doing online. There is never any reason for them to go in a public chat room – and Instant messaging should only be with friends they already have – not for making new one.
4. Don’t let them fill out a profile. It only works as pervert-bait.
Did I miss anything?
Popularity: 3% [?]
Thanks for sharing this Ron. It makes me ill, but I made my kids read and watch with me. I “lecture” but seeing it really hits home. I agree with the pc being in open and mine will never have the opportunity for web cams or the “privacy” of their own room access to online perverts. It’s sad we have to resort to filtering our internet usuage but our kids are the future! Be Blessed ….
Even more disgusting is the law is unable to do anything to many of these folks. MSNBC is all over this (at least this week). Laws regarding this must be changed.
This was just one house and one “kid”. Thinking about the numbers out there is horrifying. I urge parents to get involved with the kids and their activities and be a part of them. For example, don’t just send them to scout meetings – go with them – participate – volunteer – help the leader. Make your presence known in their activities instead of looking at these activities to free yourself of your kids. Why have them if you don’t want to participate in their lives. And for those who haven’t had kids – don’t until you really can affort them and have one of the parents stay at home and raise them – Sounds old fashioned – but something has to be done!!!!!!!!! Let your kids know that they can communicate with you and not to let threats of others keep them from doing so. On top of that – be a model parent – don’t abuse your kids – verbally – physically – sexually – mentally – etc. YOU BE THE EXAMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can only blame the parents if their kids get victimized by these predators online. Predators will not find kids online if parents will not make them available to these people. Parents are supposed to be controlling their kids.
I found your show by accendent, I’m glad I did!!! I’m so glad your getting these men off the streets!!! So far all you’ve had are men, I’m sure that there are women out there also. To bad we didn’t have this when I was a kid!!! I was fondled as a little girl, It was very scary for me!!! I was to scared to tell anyone, Keep up the great work!!! Get the perverts and send them to jail where they belong!!! Thank you!!!!
My only comment that I would like to say is I think this is a terrific program. We need to try and catch all of these adults–both men and women who think that having sex–teaching sex(?), experimenting different sexual positions, acts with little kids, or anything else these adults think possible or try to think they can do with these juveniles is not only illegal, it is immoral. We are stealing the innocence away from these kids–I know, I was one of them, but there was no such program for those of us growing up in the 1960′s. I was mortified, and completely ashamed because the men who did these acts to me had me convinced that it was ALL my fault just for being born female. I had NO self defense techniques and was haunted for several decades. Since all of these acts happened just after my 18th birthday, I was convinced by the men in question that I was an adult, and for me to go to the authorities, it would be my word against theirs. Yes, I suffered great mental anguish from these acts, but I think your show about “Catch a Predator” should also include the middle class, and not only the rich–which is where it seems you set up your stings.