•90% of kids 8-16 years old admit they have seen online porn.
•71% of teen girls & 67% of boys have posted or sent sexual content to other people.
•61% of young people had their first social media account at age 12 or under.
•46% of girls stated that social media had a negative impact on their self-esteem.
•44% of children and young people spend more than 3-hours per day on social media.
•31% of kids ages 12-18 have lied about their age to access a website online.
•29% (Almost three in 10) parents let their kids use the internet without any restrictions or supervision.
•22% of teen girls say they posted nude or semi-nude photos or videos of themselves online.
•One in 20 children admitted arranging a secret meeting with someone they met online.
The Internet has become a necessary part of life.
And why not?
There is a lot of great information to be had there.
It’s like the Netsmartz Video Julie’s Journey, which says: “It’s a tool that has to be used properly.”
Turning your child loose on the Internet without any guidance or instruction is like giving them the keys to your car and never giving them a driving lesson. They could figure it out; but at what cost?
Sometimes, it is at the cost of their life. There are some tips that are important measures to help protect your child.
These dangerous apps can expose your children to a range of things from bullying and unwanted sexual messages, some apps can even give strangers your child’s location.
Here’s what you can do to help protect your children:
• Approve every app on your kid’s phone
• Check privacy settings
• Talk with your kids about phone use, apps, and social media with your kids
• Find out what is popular in your region, different apps catch on in different locations
BUMBLE is similar to the popular dating app “Tinder,” however it requires women to make the first contact. Kids have been known to use Bumble to create fake accounts and falsify their age.
LIVE.ME is a live-streaming video app that uses geolocation to share videos so users can find out a broadcaster’s exact location. Users can earn “coins” as a way to “pay” minors for photos.
ASK.FM is known for cyber bullying. The app encourages users to allow anonymous people to ask them questions.
SNAPCHAT is one of the most popular apps of 2018. While the app promises users can take a photo/video and it will disappear, recent features including “stories” allows users to view content for up to 24 hours. Snapchat also allows users to see your location.
HOLLA is a self-proclaimed “addicting” video chat app that allows users to meet people all over the world in just seconds. Reviewers say they have been confronted with racial slurs, explicit content and more.
CALCULATOR% is only one of several secret apps used to hide photos, videos, files and browser history.
KIK allows anyone to contact and direct message to your child. Kids can bypass traditional text messaging features. KIK gives users unlimited access to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
WHISPER is an anonymous social network that promotes sharing secrets with strangers. It also reveals a user’s location so people can meet up.
HOT OR NOT encourages users to rate your profile, check out people in their area and chat with strangers. The goal of this app is to hook up.
National Resources
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force
If you think you have seen a missing child, or suspect a child may be sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
Local Resources
Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office
650 W State St, Rockford, IL 61102
(815) 282-2600