What is Online Exploitation?
So many youth are online and vulnerable to online exploitation.
In 2020 alone, we saw over 21 million reports to the nation’s Cybertipline. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.
So, what practical tools are available to PROTECT and PREVENT children from being exploited online?
Family Sharing through Apple:
Did you know that every Apple device comes factory set to explicit settings for internet browsing, apps, music and videos?!!
Your child’s Apple product (iphone, ipad, computer etc..) can be set up with an Apple ID, under your Apple ID- this will allow you to set up screen time, limit any app - determining what you want on your child’s device, set parental controls for content, block in app communication and so much more.
Instructions: Go to Settings → Apple ID/iCloud/Media Purchases → Family Sharing → Add member → from there set up various settings for your child added
Family Sharing allows you to set boundaries for your child’s device, adjusting as needed and models that the internet, devices and social media should be used with boundaries and limitations.
Bark APP
Bark monitors texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for signs of issues like cyberbullying, sexual content, online predators, depression, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more.
You can get email and text alerts when Bark detects potential issues so you can talk to your child and make sure everything is OK.
The Bark app allows you to talk things through with your kids if an issue comes up, encouraging transparency and open communication which hopefully develops greater connection in your relationship.
Protect Young Eyes APP
The Protect APP provides simple quick resources and videos for parents and children to navigate through technology together. The bite size lessons simplify complex digital subjects; resources aide parents in building rapport with their child, and quick videos give children the tools they need to protect themselves online.
These simplified resources give parents and children together the lodown on various apps, games and platforms and how to use them safely and what things parents can put into place to do so.
Guardrails on highways and roadways prevent us from what? Going off the road, right? So, why wouldn’t we as parents and caregivers also put guardrails up for our kids in the highly online world we all exist in? It’s the playground of our current age. You don’t just drop a 5 year old off at the playground and hope for the best. You stay and watch them play. You read a book closeby. You talk with other parents on the bench as the kids run around. The same posture needs to be taken with our parenting in the online/device world. Be present. Be proactive.
Protecting our kids from online exploitation and inappropriate content is daunting, but it’s worth it. Innocence is lost when we don’t protect it. Innocence is lost when we don’t prevent it from getting lost in the first place. Put one of these tools above into play in your family to help protect the most treasured gifts we’ve been given- our kids.
3 Benefits for using these tools:
PROTECTION: Provides a layer of protection for your child- just like we have our kids buckle up when they get in the car. It doesn’t mean they will be guaranteed safety or injury while in a vehicle- but rather adds a layer of protection.
CONVERSATION: The tools we recommend are prompting a conversation between you and your child about what is going on in their online world and relationships. These conversations can build deeper connection with you and your kids.
BOUNDARIES: utilizing these tools communicates to your child that online use, social media and technology should be used with BOUNDARIES. A benefit from any kind of boundary is what? We don’t go to places we don’t need to go.
So 3 benefits for using prevention tools are PROTECTION, CONVERSATION and BOUNDARIES.