PRIVACY BEAT: Searching for Safety on the Online Playground

You worry about your child when they're out with friends or away from home. You feel that they are safe when they're home, in their room, playing on the computer. The truth is, the danger has just begun.

A June 2000 study by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children (CMEC) found that one in five children ages 10 to 17 who use the Internet regularly were sexually approached online in 1999. One in five. One in four children received unsolicited pornographic email. And a smaller percentage received an aggressive sexual solicitation that included phone calls, postal mail or a request to meet in person. The FBI and other sources recorded 785 cases of children agreeing to meet strangers they had met online in 1999. Shockingly, 70 percent of these solicitations took place while the child was in their own home.

Harvesting Your Personal Information
Children take naturally to the Internet, and it to them. Marketers know that kids represent a huge consumer block and the best way to reach that block is to learn as much as possible about their interests, preferences and demographics. In a random survey, the Center for Media Education found that 95 percent of children's Web sites collect personal information. A new law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires Web sites to verify parental permission before accepting personal information from children under 13. Unfortunately many children under 13 that are savvy enough to use a computer are also able to fib about their age.

Unseen Predators
Much more troubling than marketers are cyberstalkers that intentionally disguise their true identity in order to get close to children. According to NetNanny.com, it can take as little as one minute for a child to be approached by cyber predators in chat rooms and instant messaging programs. Not only can such interactions lead to your child being sent sick and disturbing material, as described above some children have been lured to meet with these predators.

Look Who's Talking
A study released in May 2000 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center said that kids are only too willing to disclose personal information online. Two out of three kids between the ages of 10 and 17 were willing to disclose the names of their favorite stores in exchange for a free gift. Fifty-four percent were willing to supply their parents' favorite stores. And 26 percent would agree to give out details about what their parents do on the weekend.

Kids Recognize the Problem
A 1999 survey by SmartGirl found that kids understand their privacy is at risk, and they don't like it. However, they are worried about constraints on their online freedom, and oppose attempts to restrict their access. Of the 16,000 kids ages 8-17 surveyed, 80 percent said they didn't want their email address or personal information sold. Fifty-eight percent said they didn't want people to know their true identity in a chat group. And 50 percent said they got a lot of email they didn't want and it "drives me crazy."

Despite these high numbers, kids also feel they should be trusted to make the right decisions to protect their privacy. Seventy-six percent of kids surveyed strongly agree with the statement "I don't want my parents to keep track of the Websites I visit,"·and 45 percent believe if they have permission to use email, with whom they exchange email is "none of their parents' business."

Even when they experience something frightening online, children are reluctant to tell their parents. The CMEC study found that only 25 percent of children receiving a sexual solicitation online told their parents about it.

Steps You Can Take to Protect and Educate Your Kids
There are many steps that you can take to make your computer-savvy kids safety conscious. Talk openly with them about the risks associated with Internet use so that they will be careful even when you're not around, and remind them that Internet use is a privilege that must be earned. The following steps can help you establish a safe environment to allow your child to explore the wonders of the Internet.

1. Follow the Rules: Just as you wouldn't let your kids borrow the car without knowing how to drive, you should set standards for their Internet use before giving them access. Create Ground Rules for Internet use, sign them with your children, and post them next to the computer.
   
   
2. Don't Talk to Strangers: The old rule applies just as much to the Internet as it does to people your children encounter outside the home. Even worse, emailing with strangers brings them into your home, where they can gather personal information about you. Encourage your kids to limit emails to people they know, and set a rule that they must check with you before making a new pen pal. Instruct them never to open an email from someone they don't know.
   
   
3. Honesty is the Best Policy: Encourage your children to tell you if they receive upsetting or pornographic email, and explain that it's not their fault. If you or your children are victims of such spam, do not reply. Save the email and report it to your Internet service provider and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline (1-800-843-5678).
   
   
4. Fasten the Seatbelts: There are many products available to filter inappropriate Web sites and establish secure email accounts. We recommend an anonymous Web browser. Another great product is PerfectlyPrivate Mail, a private email service that encrypts your confidential information and prevents it from falling into the wrong hands. There are also family-friendly Internet service providers that block objectionable materials. The cost for these services is usually about the same as other ISPs.
   
   
5. Don't Take Candy from Strangers: Many Web sites encourage children to enter personal information to become eligible for a great prize: concert tickets, a trip to an amusement park, you name it. Adults also fall prey to this tactic. Talk to your kids about this, and tell them the main point of such contests is to get their personal information. Make it a game for your kids to outwit such lame attempts to fool them.
   
   
6. Share and Share Alike: Locate the computer in an open, well-traveled area of your home. Children will be less likely to intentionally explore inappropriate sites if they know you will be walking by. Let your kids know the amount of time that the computer will be available for their use, and be specific about the time of day that they can use it.