Protecting Your Kids From Online Perverts
Protecting Kids from Online Perverts (WSB Radio) -- In an increasingly technical world, parents who aren't the most Internet-savvy may have a tough time figuring out how to protect their children from online predators. But one metro Atlanta law enforcement agency has a free book to help parents learn how sexual predators operate and spot warning signs their child may be at risk. WSB's Veronica Waters reports the Forsyth County Sheriff Department's Internet & Cell Phone Safety for Your Kids book, introduced two months ago to positive response, is now available online. The book helps both parents and kids know how to look for and recognize danger signals while on the Internet. "It's filled with cartoons that make a good point," says Forsyth Sheriff's Captain Frank Huggins. "For example, the cover has a picture of a dog talking to another dog sitting at a computer. And one dog says to the other, 'On the Internet, no one knows you're a dog.'" Huggins points out that is a common tactic of online sexual predators-claiming to be someone they're not. The book explains, "Someone indicating 'she' is a '12-year-old girl' could in fact be a 50-year-old man." The 17-page book, completely paid for by seized funds from drug dealers, includes safety tips for both computer and cell phone communications, and points out red flags that children may already be in communication with predators. The book is free to read online, to print out, or to save and share copies with friends. Printed copies are also available in the lobby of the Forsyth County Administration Building. Recent statistics say one in every five kids is solicited sexually on the Internet; only 25% of those kids ever tell a parent about the come-on. "An ounce of prevention is worth many pounds of cure," says Huggins. "We want to stop it before it gets started." http://wsbradio.com/news/101805onlineperverts3a.html