Since children have been spending so much time online since the pandamic began, they are at much greater risk for child predators. National data shows an increase of 28% in cyber-crimes against children from 2019 to 2020. Today, all you need is good internet connection and a smart phone, along with a few social media sites, and you can groom 5-15 kids all at the same time.
It isn't if your children will be targeted on social media, it is when will they be targeted. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's tip line is reported to have received 21.7 million reports of child sexual exploitation last year. That averages to about 41 tips per minute.
Experts say that any App that has the ability to direct message someone, whether it is an online game, a game that you can download onto your phone, or whether it is Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok is an open door to child predators. Most social websites have a minimum age of 13 years old to use, therefore, a lot of children lie about their age to gain access to the site.
With the pandamic, children are spending more time socializing and studying online. Every child wants to be told they are beautiful, handsome, important or valuable. On the other side of that computer screen are the bad guys who are more than willing to tell them that. Showing interest is how the grooming process begins.
This is a legitimate concern for parents. We don't want our children to not be able to contact their friends via social media but it is so important to monitor your child's screen time. Talking to your child, explaining the dangers out there and leave a line of communication open so the child feels comfortable talking to you. There are apps that can help you monitor your child’s web surfing. Start a community group with other parents that have the same concerns about child predators.
There is nothing more important than protecting children and preventing them from becoming a statistic.