You’ve probably heard the reports or seen the news shows. Online predators have unprecedented access to children on the Internet. The perpetrators who troll the Internet to prey on underage youth use gifts, bribes, and threats to gain access to their victims. If your child is targeted by a predator online, would you know the warning signs?

The Warning Signs

Gifts

You might think that if your child is receiving gifts from a predator that you would know all about it – and quickly. However, predators aren’t leaving dozens of roses on the doorsteps of their victims’ homes – with a calling card for parents to see. Instead, the gift-giving is more subtle, at least as far as what is easily visible. Some of the gifts predators use to groom children never actually enter the physical walls of your home.

• Teens and tweens are some of the largest audiences for digital entertainment. Online predators can give your children gifts of access to and downloads of their favorite movies, music, and even games. The most frightening part is that most parents never even know that these gifts are being given to their children because they are invisible gifts – never entering the home further than the computer monitor or playlist.
• Not all predators only give gifts online, however. Some send small tokens of affection in the mail or even meet their victims at the mall and shop with them.
• Pay attention to the entertainment files your child has on the computer. Most modern music selections are not available for free online, so your child’s playlist has to be coming from some source.
• Know how much money your child has access to on a regular basis. If you notice that your child has new clothes, gadgets, video games, or spending money, make sure you find the source of these financial windfalls. Some predators will simply give cash to their victims because they understand that at these young ages, teenagers and tweens are drawn to the freedom that extra money can bring.

Communication

Be aware of the communication patterns of your children. If you notice they are using the Internet more than usual at night, don’t just assume they are chatting with friends or doing homework. If your child becomes secretive with cell phones and text messages it can be a warning sign of a questionable relationship – either a digital predator, a situation of bullying, or something else that makes your child uncomfortable.

• Pay attention to changes in your child’s schedule, especially if your child appears to be anxious if he or she is unable to have access to a computer or cell phone at a particular time. Online predators are skilled at gaining control over their victims, including controlling their schedules.
• Know enough about your child’s friends to notice a difference in how your child interacts with peers. Online predators gradually work to isolate their victims from their friends and family members. If your child is spending less time with friends and more time alone in the bedroom or on the computer, find out why.
• Pay attention to how your child is acting. Even though the teenage years are so difficult to navigate even on a good day, the added dangers of the digital world require that parents remain diligent.
• Dedicate time each week to talk with your teens where there is no pressure to answer your questions.
• Keep track of your teen’s sleeping and eating habits. Keeping your child healthy physically is an important part in helping your child stay emotionally and mentally healthy.
• Safeguard the technology your family uses. Use parental controls to protect and monitor the devices to which your children have access.

References:

http://www.parenting.org/article/victim-grooming-protect-your-child-sexual-predators

http://childrefuge.org/online-predator/warning-signs-children-at-risk-for-online-predators.html

Image credit: incaseimgone.com

AUTHOR OVERVIEW

Lisa Shaw Senior Director, Child Online Safety and Protection at SpectorSoft

What do five kids ranging in age from kindergarten to high school, a Harvard MBA and years of protecting kids online get you? It gets you Lisa Shaw, COO of her very busy household, and a Senior Director at SpectorSoft, the number one leader in monitoring and protecting your kids online. She's an expert on the technology and trends that you need to arm yourself with to be the best parent you can be in today’s digital world.

Tags: online predators, warning signs of online predators