Broadband for America

Stacie Rumenap is president of Stop Child Predators, an organization that combats the sexual exploitation of children by helping parents of child victims tell their stories, law enforcement and advocates develop solutions, and decision makers find stronger and more effective policies.

The growth of the internet—including broadband and wireless access—has the unfortunate side effect of putting children at potential risk.  For the most part, the connections our kids make on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace allow teens the opportunity to connect to other teens from around the world—something that would not have been possible just a few years ago.

But along with this new ability to “hang out online” has also come the danger of predators looking for ways to lure children into dangerous or even fatal situations.

So mom and dad, it is your job to understand who your child is talking to online and what your child is accessing.  If your household is like so many others around the country, the interest among parents to better understand what their kids are doing online will probably lead to eye-rolling, heaving sighing, and even slamming bedroom doors.  But hold your own, mom and dad—safety is not a matter of not trusting your kids, it is a matter of not trusting the person lurking on the web who may want to contact them.

Make sure your children know the dangers of talking to someone they have only met online, and remind them never to physically meet with anyone they have only become “friends” with online.  Predators share information about how best to lure children into situations that the child may believe are safe and friendly. Read more