Keeping children safe online

The Internet is full of information and wonderful sites that teach and entertain.  It has changed the way we live and placed the world at our fingertips.
It has also made keeping children safe a much more challenging job.
According to Benton Police Investigator Mike Andrews, communication is key in keeping children safe online. 
"Talk to your children," Andrews told parents and school officials gathered in the Benton Grade School Commons Tuesday evening.
The school sponsored an Internet safety program presented by Andrews. Andrews is attached to the cybercrime unit with the United States Secret Service.  Andrews is also a forensic examiner and is attached to the Illinois Attorney General's Task Force, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC).
"He's gone through extensive training," Benton Police Chief Kyle Melvin said. "He's been doing this for about 10 years."
Andrews presented 90 minutes of information on Internet safety using his personal experience in the field and relating safety practices and protocol he uses with his own family.
Where online dangers once existed mainly in chatrooms, today's dangers are everywhere and on virtually every device. Smart phones and video game consoles such as the XBox One are completely connected to the outside world. If the ability exists for communication with children, predators are there.
Andrews told parents, "if you're not talking to your kid, they are," referring to predators. "You have to be engaged in your kid's life."
Andrews related one case he worked in which a 12-year-old boy was "groomed" by a sexual predator he originally connected with on XBox. "That graduated to talking on the phone and the child sending photos and videos," he said. This predator was caught, Andrews said, because the mother overheard her son on the phone pleading with the perpetrator to not send the shared photos to his online accounts.
"This is how they (sexual predators) operate," Andrews said. "They get the child to share photos or videos, then they ask for more or more explicit ones."
Andrews said predators often will threaten children with sharing documents to social media, where friends and parents will see them.
"Children are not equipped to fight this," Andrews said. "Again, talk to your child. Be straight with them. Prepare them for what could happen and assure them that they are not in trouble."
Online predators are usually very good at communicating with children. They provide an open ear.
"They are ready to jump in an listen when you kid is mad or claims you don't understand him," Andrews said. The predators will try to drive a further wedge to enhance the problems and gain more intimate access to the child.
Even though they may be scared, children rarely tell what is happening out of fear of the consequences, like having a phone or online access restricted or removed.
According to the Child Rescue Network, the incidents of cyberstalking by child predators is alarming. Citing a 2003 report from the Justice Department, its website states that one in every seven children ages 10 to 17 was solicited online. Seventy percent of these solicitations happen on a home computer. Half of the children surveyed did not tell anyone.
The CRN tipline has received more than 2 million reports since 1998.
Andrews stressed the importance of properly reporting inappropriate photos or video on a phone to law enforcement. 
"We can do our job and see where things have been shared," he said. He also emphasized that once an image is on the Internet, it's likely there forever. 
While courts usually are willing to grant warrants, it's not always easy to find the information needed by law enforcement to build a case.  "These companies are not designed to help law enforcement," Andrews said. He also warned about the dangers of the SnapChat platform. 
"Nothing is saved," he said, "but there is a way to screenshot the photos."
Andrews reiterated that maintaining open communication with your child is the key Internet safety.
"You have to be the 'Alpha' at your house," he said. "Look at the devices. Your child can't have total freedom. But the key is communication.
"The fact that you're here puts you a step up," he said.
Fourteen parents and educators attended the workshop. There are 1,100 students in the school.