SAFETY TIP: Protecting your children from online predators.

Children today are introduced to technology at an early age. The modern world provides them with easy access to the internet. It’s become common for children in elementary school to have access to an iPad and for those a little older a cell phone. With advancements in technology, it does bring dangers. It allows predators an avenue to pray on our children. We as parents must be aware of the dangers. Below are some safety tips courtesy of the Nassau County Police Department to help protect your children online.

Children That Online Predators Target

• Children who visit chat rooms.

• Children who share personal information online.

• Children with low self-esteem.

• Both boys and girls are victimized in equal numbers.

Parents Can Prevent Problems

• Warn your child about dangerous people who may try to contact them online.

• Become computer literate and Web savvy. Parents need to learn the lingo of instant messaging: POS is short for "Parents are looking over my shoulder" and LMIRL stands for "Let's meet in real life.”

• Use parental controls provided by the service provider or blocking software.

• Do not allow a child to have a computer in his or her bedroom. Keep it in a public place in the house.

• Report suspicious activity to the Internet Service Provider, and local and federal authorities.

•Monitor chat room usage.

•Do not allow your child to use a screen name profile.

•Do not allow your child to meet someone they have connected with online.

•Forbid your child from giving out personal information online.

Warning signs

•Your child turns the computer off or changes the screen on the monitor when you walk into the room.

•Your child spends a large amount of time online.

•Your child is online late at night.

•There is pornography on the computer.

• Your child receives phone calls from people you do not know.

• Your child is making phone calls to people you do not know.

• Your child withdraws from the family. Predators try to separate the child from the family by honing in on family problems.

• Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else. Sex offenders provide computer accounts for communi- cations with them.

If An Online Predator Approaches Your Child.

• Write down as much information as possible screen name or email address of the person who contacted the child, URL of the chat room and the date and time of contact.

• Report the incident to the Nassau County Police Department.

I hope you found these tips helpful and thank you for taking the time for reading my blog.

For residents of Wantagh and Seaford join the Wantagh Seaford Homeowners Association’s neighborhood watch group on Facebook.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/229638877142433

Also like the Wantagh Seaford Homeowners Accociation’s main Facebook page.

https://m.facebook.com/Wantagh-Seaford-Homeowners-Association-WSHA-106550622712950/

Christopher Carini is currently the Vice Presisdent of Seaford for the Wantagh Seaford Homeowner's Association as well as the Director of the Wantagh Seaford Homeowner's Association Neighborhood Watch Commitee. He is also the administrator of the Wantagh Seaford Homeowner's Association's Neighborhood Watch Facebook group and Co-Administrator of the Wantagh Seaford Homeowner's Associations main Facebook page.