Sheriffs warn of online predators
BY VICI PAPAJOHN Gulf Breeze News vici@gulfbreezenews.com

Both Escambia County and Santa Rosa County Sheriffs' departments are concerned about online predators. As members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NFICAC), they are doing something about it.

Area educators and administrators gathered in the media center of Gulf Breeze Elementary School recently to study the issue. "If you are offended by the strong sexual language or content of this presentation, I'm sorry," Escambia County Sheriff's Department Investigator Chris Wilkinson said to attendees. "But it is what your kids face every day on the Internet."

Wilkinson detailed the immediate access to hard porn and the vulnerability of chil- dren using the Internet. "If you think your kids at home or your kids at school are safe, you are wrong," he warned. "The largest consumers of internet porn is children between the ages of 12 and 17. Plain and simple, adolescents are vulnerable. It is out there, they are seeing it and it is affecting the sexual desires and morals that they are developing."

Social messages in our society are selling children on the fact that sex is power, according to Wilkinson. "They do not have enough life experiences to differentiate fact from fantasy," he said. "And they feel safe at home exploring things they would never do in public."

The two greatest threats to teens are the readily available porn sites that dodge every known filter or safeguard, and teen confidence in an internet that is not private, is not always safe and can lead them to online vulnerability to those who want to do them harm.

Both Sheriffs departments go after online predators with their computer crimes team in affiliation with NFICAC. They actively look for Internet child porn as well as monitor chat rooms, my space and maintain mock juvenile profiles as a means of locating potential predators.

"We set up the normal teen and pre-teen site with all the normal parameters, and we try to find out if inappropriate conversations or requests are taking place," explains Sgt. Scott Haines, Public Information Officer for Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office. "If chat commences with the juvenile portrayed,

we investigate any inappropriate conversations to determine

if an adult is behind the action. There is no reason for an adult to initiate contact with a clearly underage teen. Unfortunately, we get contact on a regular basis."

Computers in the home and in school are a common occurrence. Teens routinely use the Internet for news, shopping, banking and homework. Many upload pictures to social networks like Photobucket, My Space, Facebook and chat rooms, and email photos to "friends" they've met on AIM and other instant message sites.

"The problem with photographs, whether provided, or covertly captured by hackers, is that once on the internet, always on the internet." Wilkinson warned that many child porn sites have files that have been spread around the world within seconds of their posting. "Your child may be talked into sending a promiscuous or pornographic photo to one "friend" on the Internet, but it won't stop there. And a plugged-in web cam or microphone can be remotely activated, allowing hackers to see and listen when you think you are safely alone. Predators routinely use these plug-ins to capture personal information and endear themselves to our children. Such stolen information can then make themselves seem like a "friend" who apparently knows all about them. They will let their guard down."

Surprisingly, Wilkinson listed free sites for downloading music as a major problem as well. Not only can the parent be held responsible for illegal downloading of intellectual property, but these same sites are a common source for shared pornography as well.

"How many parents understand that they could be charged with stealing copyright music and for illegal child porn? Very few. But the adult owner of a computer is responsible for the contents on that hard drive," Wilkinson warns. "So you need to be concerned for your children and for your own livelihood. Every site visited, and every downloaded file has left its print and an investigation will uncover it all. You need to monitor your child's computer use for your sake, too."

Computers are great for homework, fun for interaction," Haines summarized. "Unfortunately, criminals use the same technology to prey on innocent victims. Computers and the Internet have made the predator's job easier. Today, with so many children online, the Internet provides predators a new place, cyberspace, to target children for criminal acts. This approach eliminates many of the risks predators face when making contact in person."

According to the ICAC, studies reveal that 1 in 5 children who regularly access the Internet received a sexual solicitation last year. One in 33 received an aggressive solicitation where the predator attempted to reach the child outside of the Internet, either by phone, mail, or in person. Predators can now use the Internet to contact hundreds of children without ever leaving their homes. With over 77 million children regularly using the Internet today, the potential number of victims is unimaginable. ICAC Task Forces are in all 50 states, and they tackle the victimization of children on the Internet through a cooperative, multi-agency approach.

"The truly critical message here is that we are out there doing what we can, but parents need to make sure that Internet access is not in a private area of a house. They should be in a common area so parents can monitor them. Teach your children how to safely use the Internet and monitor them with whatever method is at your disposal," encourages Haines. "You can control it, yes, but more importantly, know the threat that is out there and teach your children well."

Actions for safekeeping your teen can be found on the ICAC web at floridaicac.org/resources/forkidsandteens. html.