Safety Tips for Your Family
Learn more about keeping your child safer from child predators in real life and online.
Facebook Among Top Social Sites for Human Trafficking Activity
In today’s hi-tech world, it’s too easy for predators to find and contact potential victims. Children and teens love making friends and posting on social media. But do they really know their online “friends”? According to the 2020 Human Trafficking Report distributed by the Human Trafficking Institute, the...
Follow These Easy and Important Steps to Keep Your Child Safer Online
Parents should be proactive in protecting their children from online predators. Here are some to things to do now. The internet is a very powerful tool. It gives us instant access to enormous amounts of valuable information, amazing entertainment, and keeps us connected with friends and family. However, as useful and enjoyable as it is, the...
Shining a Bright Light on Social Media’s Shadows
Sexual predators have come to rely on the cover and anonymity of social media to identify, groom, and ensnare victims. It is easier for criminals to cover their tracks in the digital realm than the terrestrial realm. In addition, social media platforms, video games and other digital platforms provide predators with the ability to reach out nationally, far beyond their own zip codes....
2020 App Roundup – Safety Recommendations for this Year’s Popular Apps
We often see questions from parents about the new apps their kids are using. Are they safe? What does this app do? Are there any parental controls I can use? Here are some recommendations from the OffenderWatch Team to help navigate this year’s most popular social media platforms. Discord This app originally started as a meeting place for video gamers to chat but has evolved into a platform for...
Sexting Prevention 101 – Tips for Parents
Parents—Are Your Kids Sexting? What is sexting? Sexting, slang for “sexual texting,” is the sending or receiving of a sexually suggestive text, photo, or video via a device. Teens often participate in this kind of interaction to look cool, fit in, flirt or have a “safe” alternative to sex without physical interaction. While it may not transmit...
What Parents and Youth Should Know About Sextortion
Sextortion is an internet crime in which young girls and boys are being increasingly targeted. A young life can be turned upside down by an online predator who takes advantage of youth and vulnerability to terrorize and demand sexually explicit images.Sextortion [sexual + extortion] is a form of sexual exploitation that happens when a perpetrator uses coercion to obtain sexual images, videos,...
How to Defend You and Your Children Against “Zoombombs”
While many of us and our children have gone back to work and school, a lot of people across the country are still dealing with blended online and in-person meetings, lectures, webinars and school lessons. The FBI continues to educate the public about the threat of “Zoombombing,” or the infiltration of malicious actors in private online meetings, and has reported over 240 instances of Zoom...
The 22 Dangerous Apps Parents Should Look for On Their Kids’ Phones
The average person has over 45 apps. Parents should look out for these potentially dangerous apps on their child's phone. ASKfm is a social media app that encourages people to allow anonymous users to ask them questions. It is known for cyber-bullying, trolling, swatting, and encouraging suicidal behaviors. Avoid this app. Badoo is an adult dating app. While age restrictions are...
Is your child at risk online? 5 Questions for Parents
Is your child at risk online? Here are five questions for parents to reduce the risk that your child would become a victim of online exploitation, sextortion, or sex trafficking. What is your child’s age and gender? Teens and preteens (11-15) are most vulnerable as they are most curious about sex and most naïve about predators. Girls are targeted and exploited 5 times more...
Tips for Talking to Children About Sex Offenders
You may have received a notice of a registered sex offender that moved close to where you live. Maybe you are concerned because your child walks to the school bus past the home of a registered sex offender. Many parents print the map of offenders in their neighborhood before their children trick-or-treat or sell candy door-to-door for school fundraisers. Maybe you have the OffenderWatch App on...