Protect your kids....IMPORTANT (Edited)

[AngelDawn7]

A lot of you have been asking about how to set this up. My DH, the computer guru, did it. The following are links to the programs he is using. For the email, all you have to do is set up your child's email to automatically send you a copy of everything her email receives and sends. To do that depends on the email you are using. If you are not sure how to do it, then contact the help for your email.

http://www.cyberpatrol.com/family.asp

http://www.cybersitter.com/

This article not only warns of what is going on, but also gives some practical advice that we should all be taking to protect our children. I believe that this same advice should go for any other communication device. (ie - computer)

My daughter knows that nothing she does online is private. I have a program that not only blocks her from certain websites, but also sends me a daily report of every place she has gone, ever one she has spoken to, and every email she has sent or received. I told her this upfront. It's not that I don't trust my daughter, it's that she is 8, naive, and I don't trust the perverts. I fully intend on keeping most of the safeties on her computer as long as she lives in my house.

Sexting, Seduction and Spring Breaks

by Chuck Norris (more by this author)

Posted 03/18/2009 ET
Updated 03/18/2009 ET

Sending nude photos and sexual videos via cell phone (called "sexting") is a fast-growing and dangerous trend among youths. And with spring breaks upon us, YouTube won't be the only one streaming videos during these juvenile siestas.

Sexting is not new, but it is on the rise. Cases are bubbling up all over the country. Just this past week in Virginia, at least two Spotsylvania County students were facing child pornography charges in a sexting case. The naked images of three girls (including an elementary-school student) were discovered on seven phones and traced back to the two accused students.
   
Last month, high-school girls in Greensburg, Pa., also were charged with child pornography after they sent semi-nude photos of themselves to male classmates.
   
Other similar incidents have resulted in charges in Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Georgia and Florida. Law enforcement has been called out recently to investigate sexting-related crimes by dozens of teens in many states across the nation.
   
And sexting is not just a male-dominant problem. A new national survey says that at least one-fifth of all youths have sent nude or explicit photos or videos of themselves via cell phone or have posted such images online.
   
Most astonishing, sexting is becoming a normative part of the dating scene and protocol among youngsters. Marian Merritt, who is Symantec's Internet safety advocate, writes and speaks about issues impacting the online security and safety of kids and families. She writes:
   
"Teens believe taking and sharing the sexy photo of themselves is a natural progression point in a romantic relationship. It's not just 'step 1, hold hands; step 2, kiss'. Now it's 'step 1. Friend on social network; step 2. Chat on IM or text; 3. Send sexy photos.' Crazy!"
   
So who's responsible? That's easy. First, there's the juvenile committing the crime. But there are two other culprits, as well -- accomplices to these acts. Who's providing the electronic devices? Who pays the phone bills? Whose names are on the plans? And what examples are these guardians setting as those who frown upon pornography? And thirdly, there's a culture that is moving away from moral absolutes, and that includes calling pornography wrong and even a sin.
   
So are your kids or grandkids involved in or at risk of sexting? Are they practicing safe cell phoning? Merritt advises parents and guardians to ask their kids these five questions to protect them from this latest strain of cyberporn:

    "1. Give me a tour of your cell phone. Any cool features or tricks you can do with your cell phone?

    "2. Show me how you take a photo with the phone. How do you send it to another email or phone?

    "3. Where do you save the photos? Show me what you've got saved. …

    "4. Has anyone ever sent or shown you a sexy photo of themselves or someone else?

    "5. Anyone ever asked for your photo? If yes, how did you handle it? If no, what would you do and why?"

How can we stop a sexting proliferation? First, parents no longer should pass out cell phones like pancakes to their families, and parents should monitor how the phones are used. Guardians need to reconsider purchasing cell phones for communication and security when children are using them for seduction and porn. Teens need to be educated about sexual illegalities and immoralities and reminded that if convicted of child pornography crimes, they could face felony consequences and see the words "sex offender" on their juvenile records.
   
We might live in a technological wonderland, but that doesn't mean it's good to eat from all of its fruits. Most especially, we never should throw up our hands in surrender to marketing and peer pressure to give our kids everything the Joneses have, especially when those things expose them to others' exposing themselves. As a wise man said many centuries ago (well, sort of), "If your cell phone causes you to stumble, cut it off from your family's communication plan."
   
It's time not only to answer the question "do you know where your kids are this spring break?" but also to know what they're doing with their cell phones.

[livingangle]

Mar. 24, 2009 at 6:24 PM

bump

[yovonna]

Mar. 24, 2009 at 7:59 PM

I don't trust the perverts. I fully intend on keeping most of the safeties on her  your a good mom thanks ... May JESUS bless you for all you do for your family I am a granny .....

[ckarmadillo]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 12:23 AM

That is true here in Texas also. At the schools the boys are even saying that the girls are being stupid for doing this. Nothing is sacred or private any more. They can be charged with pornography & spend years in jail. Now more then ever we need God back in Schools & every where else.

[Lb128f]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 1:27 AM

Thanks for passing this on!

[godzgirl21]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 5:13 AM

[Aemelia]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 8:09 AM

OP- What program do you use to keep track of your daughter online?  I would be interested in looking into it for my sons.

[Borealis]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 8:19 AM

Sigh.  Whatever happened to a piece of paper with the words "do you like me?' and two boxes labeled "yes" and "no" for the recipient to check?  I cannot even imagine what my 1 yr old will be facing as she heads into her teen years. 

[saltycoqui]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Very good journal!
I can see where my kids have been using the parental controls the security suite program I have through my internet provider. It's been successful so far. They don't have cell phones, yet.

[geminilove]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 10:02 AM

My son is going to be eleven and we already talked about cell phone use. (He doesn't have one yet, but he starts middle school across town in September, so that may change.)

He thinks it's ridiculous for anyone his age to have a phone for anything but emergencies, mainly because he has classmates whose phone go off in class and he finds it annoying.

We've already talked about sexting, and I doubt it will be a problem for a few more years anyway - since I plan for his phone to not be able to send or receive calls except from numbers I select.

As much as I hate to do it, he will have to grow into the responsibilities of something like a cell phone.

[Borealis]

Mar. 25, 2009 at 10:29 AM

Sigh.  Whatever happened to a piece of paper with the words "do you like me?' and two boxes labeled "yes" and "no" for the recipient to check?  I cannot even imagine what my 1 yr old will be facing as she heads into her teen years. 

I KNOW!!! Things are just out of control :-/