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| January 2004 |
| Internet offers plenty of good and
bad to children |
Gene Young
Managing Editor |
In the information age of the 21st century,
almost everyone would agree that computers and the internet
offer a great deal of good, all at our fingertips. But left
unchecked or unsupervised, the same information superhighway
can bring danger and trouble into a family’s life.
Officer Greg Schmit, of the Sioux Falls Police Department is
a crime prevention specialist. He is also a member of Christ
the King Parish, Sioux Falls, where he serves on the parish
youth council and as a resource person when it comes to internet
safety and crime.
“What law enforcement suggests is pay attention, get involved
with your kids,” Schmit said, “If you don’t
know a lot about the computer, have your child teach you. What
better way to get interaction between mom and dad and the kids.”
Schmit says sitting down with your children and having them
show you what they know about computers is a great family learning
experience. “You build up a rapport with your children
and can then start talking to them about the dangers of the
internet, pedophiles and chat rooms,” he said.
Schmit has some basic suggestions for parents in managing the
computer and internet in their home:
• Do not hide the computer. Keep it in a family room or
kitchen area where family members spend a lot of their time.
• Monitor where children are traveling on the internet
and what websites they are accessing.
• Set up rules about using the computer including times
for using it, making sure a parent is in the house when children
go on-line.
•Remind children not to give out personal information
on the internet or in a chat room.
• Learn about and use filtering software.
Schmit points out that while children may complain about mom
and dad keeping tabs on what they do, children do want rules
and want mom and dad to be involved in what they are doing.
The State of South Dakota is also involved in trying to keep
children safe from internet predators and internet crime.
The state has an Internet Crimes Against Children Enforcement
Unit with its own website (www.sdcybersafe.com) where parents
can go for help and guidance in managing the computer and internet
in their home.
Officer Schmit and the state each warn parents to take internet
crime and the concern about internet predators seriously.
According to the SDICAC, there are over 12 million pornographic
websites on the internet and 17,000 of them are devoted to child
pornography or pedophilia.
Another recent study showed that of children between the ages
of 10 and 17 who use the internet, one in five was the target
of on-line sexual solicitations in the last year and one in
33 was actually asked to meet someone; was telephoned; or was
sent mail, money or gifts after an online encounter.
With 25-million children logging on to the internet today, Schmit
says there is great risk to children if they go unsupervised
while surfing the net.
“Parents need to do research, they need to be looking
themselves as to what is out there and what is safe,”
he said.
Officer Schmit equates getting a computer at home with buying
a teenager’s first car. He says parents would not let
the child get behind the wheel without training and supervision.
The same should be true with the computer and internet.
Children also need to be encouraged to tell adults about any
threatening or dangerous encounters they might accidentally
have while on-line. “They need to tell someone if someone
has threatened them, if pornography has come up on their computer,”
he said.
Federal law outlaws making threats over a computer. So children
who report problems can lead to someone going to jail.
Officer Schmit tells parents not to erase threats so law enforcement
can access the information as part of a case against a perpetrator.
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