Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Parents and families, have you ever wondered about the safety of your children on the Internet? Read this article to your children to help them understand the difference between "good" and "bad" people.

Steps

1. 1 Ask yourself, is this person awkwardly cute? Why is he / she interested in my name, age and / or gender? Anyone who asks such questions should be instantly blocked, these are common signs of an internet predator. NOTE: It's okay if someone asks for your name, but never give out your real name. Use the imaginary one instead, and don't write the last name, because you could endanger a real person.
2. 2 Internet predators agree with you on almost everything. Their main goal is to gain your trust and then make you their prey. So be very careful.
3. 3 It could be an internet predator if he asks for a face-to-face meeting with you.
4. 4 If a person just says "hello" and behaves politely, then that is one thing. But if a stranger suddenly and unexpectedly says "hello", in your head immediately should ring a bell or alarm.
5. 5 If your child gets involved in a "relationship" at a very young age, get involved right away. This is usually an internet predator.
6. 6 A good person who is not going to harm you and ask different questions, after a short conversation, will say something like, "May I know your name so that I can call you something?"“No more questions should be asked. They will have their own point of view, and you should only speak strictly about business (buying, selling, official affairs) or their interests, without mentioning anything about your personal life.
7. 7 Avoid common nicknames like "Hotmomma210" or "Sexy7". Some internet predators may pretend to be of the opposite sex. It is important to stay safe and not meet with anyone in reality. If you do decide to meet, get ready and ask your mom or dad to come with you.
8. 8 Public figures will always have a real email address, such as [email protected], not [email protected]. In most cases, this will personally identify them, but sometimes the email address can be spoofed.
9. 9 If you suspect that an internet predator is trying to make you its victim, immediately report it to someone you trust or a government official. Let them help you find out if this is really the case. Don't wait or try to figure it out alone. You can trust the wrong person. Pay attention to reports of missing persons who may not have received a second chance to protect themselves and warn people who might interfere in their fate. Better to be safe than sorry.
10. 10 Do not post your name, phone number, or your gender information on websites. You never know how many people can use this to get more information about you.
11. 11 Try to avoid posting personal information on websites. Internet predators may search for information about you before they write. Always ask yourself Why would they know this?.
12. 12 In fact, you should never leave your personal information. This puts you at risk.

Tips

• If you are a parent and feel that your child / teen needs more protection / control, get a site blocker or monitoring software. For starters, don't let online enemies enter your home. Make sure you know what your kids are doing online.
• Do not think that it is your fault: it is the fault of a predator taking advantage of someone.
• Don't be afraid to block a user on MySpace.
• Don't be afraid to say no to an inappropriate site.
• Look out for user profiles on social networks that have been "hacked", but whose links are displayed online outside the network (eg Facebook), although the links do not work. These links can move traffic for the perpetrator anywhere; but the half-killed links also make it clear to social media users that they are helping to identify the 'suspect' or perpetrator and their sites so that they can get away with it.
• Anyone can be a sexual predator; however, there is a definite demographic pattern.
  • The group profile of those arrested and / or on treatment shows that they are predominantly men over 30, white, unmarried; men who do not fit into the system of social ideals and values; with a deficit in social, interpersonal and intimate skills; identified with children; having an income above average; with problems with the stability of work; overly preoccupied with sex; with deviations in sexual arousal, sexual interests and preferences; abused at an early age; with psychopathic tendencies; with intelligence above average; possibly with previous criminal records of sexual assault committed with them; with distorted beliefs and thinking that support antisocial activities to justify violence (advocate violence); disagreeing with treatment or supervision
• If you don't like the responsibility of identifying so many signs of a "bad person" or a stranger, then just don't talk to people you don't know in real life. This is the safest.
• Understand that social media isn't bad. MySpace can be great and secure. Make sure you have a hidden profile and you know all your friends in real life.
• Always remember that if a user of a particular website makes you feel uncomfortable or you find that they are an internet predator, there are other sites that you can visit without putting yourself in danger. For example, you visited a gaming website that has a chat room. In case of danger, you can find another gaming website. There are a lot of them on the Internet.
• According to experts, including the Center for Sex Offender Management, which has an article on The Myth of the “Sex Offender Profile” and the US Department of Justice (analysis of data on violence and rape, sexual crimes and criminals); National Conference on the Sex Offenders Registry

Warnings

• Sex predators connect through unsuspecting parents, child care professionals, and other adults associated with children.
• Sex offenders can live, work and play in different areas.They may or may not register the place where they work and live. There is very little information about where registered people work from registration. Registered persons may deliberately distort information about their place of residence. He could have been in the same zone when the registration rules came into effect. And after registration, a person could simply leave this zone, while, at the same time, it seemed as if they were observing the registration requirements.
• Don't be fooled by someone who shows the same opinion of sex offenders as you do, while hiding who they are.
• Law enforcement and government agencies do not update information on where sex offenders are registered. Even known information, such as distinctive signs on the body, which help the public to recognize predators (for example, a large tattoo of a gecko or salamander is difficult to hide on the lower leg). However, these obvious signs are overlooked by the national database of information.
• Never underestimate someone's situation or mental capacity. Effective manipulation is part of a scam.
• Never meet someone on the spot in real life, as they say on the Internet - "in real life", it is not safe. If you need to do this, bring an adult with you or make an appointment at a public place, mall or McDonalds. This could be a public library or a guarded location.
• Don't expect others to be on the alert when children are alone with an adult. This is what many predators are counting on. Some of them behave well and pretend to be before they are arrested and taken to the justice system.
• In online databases, information about criminals is rather incomplete and scattered. Therefore, it is important to review all available records. A predator can be registered in one area and commit a crime in another, which will confuse your search. For example, you found a prison database with information about all the criminals held there. There may be many precise details of the crime committed, but there is not enough photograph of this person. The photo can be found in another database, in the national register or in the account of a certain region. There may be no details of the crime. For example, a perpetrator produced pornography, and a 4-year-old female became the victim of his violence. Some crime reporting sites provide this information.
• The same approach can be used to research all the ins and outs about the people with whom you want to create some kind of personal relationship - live in the same apartment or house, start a romantic relationship. This person can become not only your friend, but also your roommate. The more opportunities that a person comes into your life, the more you need to eliminate potential risks. Sex offenders can rent or lease an apartment, receive or pay child support, cohabit and have all general rights such as the right to occupy a living space, access or control a joint bank account.
• No restrictions have been developed for predators, even fugitive ones, that would impede their movement around the country. Sometimes such criminals can obtain or renew a passport. There are no systems at the airport that can prevent fugitives from boarding a plane. There is no terrorist alert system that will alert the authorities that a criminal of this kind has just bought a plane ticket.
• Never express your suspicions directly, much less the results of your investigation, good or bad. The results, even good ones, can offend them or suggest how to be more careful.

• Although legal restrictions require criminals to adhere to certain conditions, they often live near health centers, schools, parks, etc., where large groups of children are concentrated.
• Informally renting a house, a room, or looking for a registration when a background check fails is a risky business. Check the person's passport, try to check his data on documents, driver's license. Ask to see and write down your social security number. Perform your own background checks on state and provincial crime records. Sometimes a website or database may lack certain information, so look carefully for the information. Once accused sex offenders take ownership of a home and are no longer prosecuted, they have the right to lease and rent a home. Check your criminal records ahead of time. There are online applications that, for little or no cost, can help you find the standard information you need to check your bio.
• Never ignore your instincts if something or someone seems suspicious to you. Test your instincts with trusted sources (e.g. law enforcement, government agencies, special verification companies) that are not personally interested in any research findings.
• Never share any personal information online other than your nickname or name.
• Never let your financial situation create the possibility of any kind of exploitation. An inexpensive nanny may have their own goals and will not treat your child well.
• Never take information from a person about him / her on faith, check all the facts and do not allow yourself to be deceived.
• Criminals who try to remain unnoticed and stand out from the crowd may avoid clauses that would force them to sign a lease. Some apartments, including government buildings, restrict criminals from signing contracts. In addition, some organizations require you to send notifications if a criminal becomes one of the residents. Therefore, "searching for a listing", renting from other people and renting a home together can be a way to avoid detection.
• A signal of potentially hazardous origin would be if someone has little or no record of recent address and / or employment with an official organization. A personal recommendation from someone is not considered a good filter. A legitimate business is registered as such with government agencies, has a physical address, is listed in a business directory, and may appear on other lists in your country. A single room / house application must ask for previous jobs and residences. A credit check with major companies will also help uncover a person's past employers and addresses.
• There is an indisputable fact, again and again confirmed by authorities and organizations, that predators move in the environment where children live, including places that use serious verification measures.
• Don't let children under 18 use the internet to meet people. The Internet is not designed to meet new people under 18. Dating sites do not register minors.
• If someone out of nowhere adds you as a friend and asks you "age, gender, location?" (or similar in any other form), block them immediately. There is a chance that these are either predators or other unwanted people. This is usually the first step that predators take.
• Registered sites often have a warning in their databases: Do not use this information to illegal, abuse, or commit crimes against any registered members living or working at the specified address. Such actions may entail administrative or criminal liability. There are examples of civil lawsuits against bloggers or others being filed by criminals.
• Use technology not only for fun, but also to avoid potential risks.Stay up to date with news, information and technology for your own safety. Find and join parenting, anti-predator, and law enforcement networks. Be on your guard. Read about how predators work. Find out ways and tools. Make no mistake, determined predators spend a lot of time wanting to use new technologies and networks. To stay safe, do the same and more.
• Use the dedicated investigation resources to find out information about any person who comes into contact with you, your family, loved ones, or friends. Do not rely only on your feelings for someone to take the necessary measures in time. Countering and controlling harm can be more difficult and less successful than prevention.
• Some areas, such as yoga, can be the main places for possible attack by predators. There is little control and regulation in such areas when it comes to background checks or routine screening of practitioners. People there usually have 'stage' or 'professional' names. This allows them to circulate among people, while others are not able to verify their biography by real name. It also allows them to interact with others online, enter into business relationships, communicate at conferences, seminars and other places with direct access to children. A red flag for you is if it is not possible for a person to conduct background checks through law enforcement or a legitimate third party. The background check must include a photograph of the person. Do not rely on image recognition, signature or "name" of the person in the photo. Photoshop experts and service providers can change the appearance and other identifiers, for example, the tattoo of the culprit may be on the other leg, etc. A smart move would be to get a photo of the person you are interested in or ask someone to secretly take it to conduct research on him / her biographies.