Online Predators - A Real Threat

Your child is not immune to a predator. Internet Safety 101 has a lot of advice for you. In particular, the warning signs: 

 Your child may be in contact with an online predator if he or she:

• Becomes secretive about online activities    

• Becomes obsessive about being online    

• Gets angry when he or she can’t get online       

• Receives phone calls from people you do not know or makes calls to numbers  that you do not recognize    

•  Receives gifts, mail, or packages from someone you do not know       

• Withdraws from family and friends    

•  Changes screens or turns off computer when an adult enters a room    

•  Begins downloading pornography online

 According to this site, there are four types of sexual predators parents need to watch out for:

• The Gatherer: someone gathering child photography or video pornography. The gatherer can become more dangerous as the obsession grows.

• The Producer: someone distributing child pornography to pedophiles. Children who have low insecurity are most vulnerable as the producer could target them to play as “actors” in their movies.

• The Talker: someone targeting potential victims in chat rooms, game forums and social media, taking the time to earn the child’s trust. These predators use their trust to engage in sexual talk and sometimes use webcams. This is the most common type of online predators.

• The Voyager: someone who builds a relationship with a victim and seek face-to-face meetings. When things turn south and the victim wants out of the relationship, the voyager often uses blackmail to keep the relationship going.