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Parental Control Software for MySpace Safety

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For Internet Safety, It's OK to Spy on Your Kids!
 

16 yr. Old Girl Raped By Internet Predator

The Latest Internet Safety Forum Topics:

Do You Ever Read Your Child's emails?

Have Your Kids Infected Your Computer?

Are Your Kids Spying on You?

Rape Victim Identified Rapist on MySpace

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When protecting their children from internet predators or unsafe behavior, the first step for parents is to get over their fear of monitoring them. Parents must learn how to monitor internet activity. It is a parent's job to protect their children and foster a healthy, safe lifestyle. It is a parent's job to watch over them and be there to correct potential bad decisions that are all too common in a teenager's life. Different parents may choose different degrees of monitoring, but all parents need to deploy some strategy to monitor online behavior. What level of monitoring a parent may choose will depend on the parent, the child, and the relationship. One thing should be clear, it is OK to monitor your children. If you feel uneasy about this or you think it is wrong to monitor myspace activity for example , you may some day regret it. Read some of the headlines on the sides of this page, many of the teens were good kids just being kids .

 

internet safetyFor more information on the debate of "to spy or not to spy," feel free to read two compelling articles written exclusively for SpyOnYourKids.Net right here.

11 and 14 Year Old Girls Sexually Molested by MySpace Predator - Informed Parents Could Have Prevented It.

March 2006, Connecticut: In two separate cases, 11 and 14 year old girls were sexually molested by men they established relationships with on MySpace. The parents were unaware and under-educated about their children's online activities and poor judgment.

 

     
  First, Have the Right Discussion about Internet Safety  
   

Columbine-Type Shooting Found to Be Plotted on MySpace

April, 2006: At Riverton High School in Kansas, police arrested five teenage boys after detailed plans for a school shooting massacre were discussed on MySpace.

(CBS News affiliate)

Regardless of what level of online internet monitoring you choose, one tactic should be executed first: talk with your teen. Maybe you have, but did you say the right thing? You want to understand their level of knowledge about internet predators. Make the conversation casual, try to blend in to it from another similar topic so the child does not feel they are being lectured. Determine whether they are naive to internet danger or not. This will help you plan your strategy. Ask them if they meet new people online or just communicate with existing friends. Ask if they are aware of cases where children were put in danger from meeting people online. Ask if they are aware that the people they meet may not be the age or sex they say they are. There is no reason not to instill a little bit of fear. Fear is the body's natural protection system. Keep this in mind when talking with your teen. Read more about the talk in step by step Low Level Internet Monitoring strategy a little further down.

High School Boy Arrested for Illegal Handgun Possession After Posting Pictures on Myspace

February, 2006: A 16 year old boy was arrested for juvenile possession of a handgun and faces being expelled from school after posting pictures of himself with guns on his MySpace profile page. Concerned pArents alerted police.

(Fox News)

     
  Why Would You Spy?  
     

Six Arrested for Raping Female MySpace Acquaintance

March, 2006: Six men were arrested on rape and robbery charges. The incident took place after a teenage girl arranged a "party" with her MySpace "friends." The teen never actually met the men, they were acquaintances developed through the MySpace social networking web site.

(ABC News)

 

There are two basic things a parent needs to protect their child from on the internet: predators and bad behavior. The first one is obvious. The second one is not so much caused by the internet, but is divulged through the teen's use of the internet. You may not know that your child is engaged in sex, drinking, or drugs, but chances are you can find out through their MySpace pages. The teen may post blatant photos (see some examples that may surprise you), or the content may be cryptic and difficult for a parent to understand (see some good lingo examples).

Remember, it is a parents job to watch over their children and protect them. Teens, by nature, do make bad decisions. Straight "A" students heavily active in sports and study have become victims. Why? Because they just didn't realize that what they were posting online intrigued a predator. They weren't aware that that predator could "connect the dots" to determine where the teen lived, worked, and played.

17 Year Old Boy Sexually Abused and Held Against His Will by MySpace "Friend"

September, 2006: a 17 year old boy met a 58 year old man who he thought was much younger. They developed a friendship and the older man eventually bought him a plane ticket to visit him. The boy did so and ended up being held against his will and sexually abused.

(FOX News)

 

  Two Effective Spying Techniques for Parents  
     

Teens and Parents Being Sued for MySpace Activity

September, 2006: An assistant principal at a San Antonio High School has brought a lawsuit against two teens and their parents for a false MySpace page claiming the woman was a lesbian.

(My San Antonio News)

LOW LEVEL: MySpace Internet Monitoring

This strategy for MySpace safety is geared toward parents that are quite sure they have an honest and open relationship with their child. The parent(s) are sure that their teen would not hide anything from them and would be open to sharing their online activity with their parents.

Caveat: Parents, whether they can admit it or not, are usually gullible to this scenario. It feels good to think that you have this type of relationship with your teen, but all too often you don't. The teen may be a great kid that does little wrong, but remember that most teens that get into trouble were once good kids. Step by Step Low Level Internet Monitoring Strategy can be read by clicking here.

Teens Bragging on MySpace Get Arson Charges

June, 2006: Two Montgomery County 17 year old boys are facing 22 counts of arson. The police were tipped off that the boys made the bad decision of bragging about their arson activity on their MySpace pages.

(MSNBC)

 
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"66% of teens solicited online are females and 1 in 4 children are solicited every day."

(Curtis Somerville, Alabama State Trooper)

HIGH LEVEL: MySpace Spying

The high level strategy is for those parents that are in one or more of the following situations:

  • Their child will not allow them to see their MySpace profile
  • Their child is hiding the fact that they have a MySpace profile
  • The child has been in situations in the past that involve dishonesty (so even if they allow the parents to see a MySpace profile, it may not be their only MySpace profile)
  • The teen is suspected of bad behavior, such as drug use, drinking or sex

Warning: Always read and abide by the MySpace terms of service agreement.

High Level MySpace Spying Strategy: Spy on Your Kids

 

MySpace is a very dangerous breeding ground for pedophiles who used to stalk at malls and playgrounds. Depending on how much information the teen has posted on their MySpace page, figuring out contact information and location can be determined in a matter of minutes.

(Curtis Somerville, Alabama State Trooper)

  (the next level is Stealth Operations to view private profiles)  

27 Year Old Man Charged with Raping a 16 year old Girl He Met on the Internet

(WTNH Monroe)

 

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Teens often create multiple MySpace accounts: one "safe" for family and figures of authority, and others for friends they wish to portray their more promiscuous, dangerous, or cool lifestyle to.

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Is your child being abused online?