I had the fabulous experience of attending the AMI National Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska.While there, I attended a workshop given by Tony Fulton, state senator of Nebraska. Senator Fulton let us know about a website, safekids.ne.gov, that the state of Nebraska has developed to educate parents, young adults, and children about Internet safety.
We know from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that:
1 in 7 children who regularly use the Internet is sexually solicited.
1 in 11 is harassed or threatened.
31 percent receive an aggressive sexual solicitation or are asked to meet.
79 percent of solicitations occur in the child's home.
56 percent of children do not tell anyone about the solicitations.
Although these statistics are frightening, there is much we can do in our homes to help keep our children safe. We will discuss just a few that are found on the Nebraska website:
Explore the Internet with your children. It’s the best way to know what they see and to help them find kid-friendly sites. Once you’re at the sites, remind kids to be careful in giving out their real name, address or other personal information in a chat room, to online pen pals or on electronic bulletin boards.
Use an online filter. Most Internet providers offer a filter to their customers. If they don’t, consider purchasing software that can filter their activity when you’re not around.
Set online rules (when, why and with whom present) and let your children know that using the Internet for personal reasons is a privilege and not a right.
Teach your children the meaning of private and personal – even family – information. Encourage them to post messages only with your permission and supervision.
Show your child the difference between advertisement and entertainment. A young child may not realize when a favorite cartoon is gathering market data or trying to sell them something.
Another way to help keep your children safe is to read their emails, text messages, and comments in chat rooms. The youth of today have their own digital language and so it is important to understand what they are saying. This way you can tell if your child is in danger of a predator.
Some of the abbreviations found at the Nebraska website are as follows:
A/S/L – Age, Sex, Location?
CRBT – Crying real big tears
F2F – Face to face
POS – Parent over shoulder
IPN – I’m posting nude
KOC – Kiss on the cheek
KOL – Kiss on the lips
JK – Just kidding
LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life
NIFOC – Nude in front of the computer
NP – Nosy parents or No problem
OLL – Online love
P911 – My parents are coming!
LOL – Laugh out loud
PA – Parent alert
PAL – Parents are listening
PANB – Parents are near by
SWAK – Sealed with a kiss
TAW – Teachers are watching
TOS – Teacher over shoulder
WTGP – Want to go private
As the statistic stated above, fifty-six percent of children do not tell anyone about the solicitations that they receive online. Therefore, it is important for us to teach our children to keep talking with us about what they read on the Internet and for us to read what our children are putting on the Internet or into their cell phones.
Linda Zenger was the 2006 Utah Young Mother. She is currently serving on the National Board of Directors for American Mothers.