The Internet, Computers, and Kids

Your children talk to their friends via the Internet.  They play games, research school papers and learn about the world in cyberspace.  Many youngsters use a computer or the Internet everyday for all kinds of reasons - and that use is likely to grow.  One national study found that two out of three preschoolers now use computers and one in four has already visited the Internet.

But while surfing the Internet many open many doors, it can put your children at risk as well.  A recent survey found that one in three children (ages 10 to 17) had been exposed to unwanted sexual material online.  One in seven had received a sexual solicitation.  And one in 11 had been harassed or bullied in cyberspace.  Your children may feel safe.  But they cannot always know who's on the other end of their online chats, and their personal information could be misused if they're not careful.  Also, if they download certain material, your children could break the law - and you, as the parent, could be liable.

Is it ever illegal for an adult stranger to contact my child online?

Yes.  It is against the law for adults to send sexually explicit or obscene material to minors.  it is also against the law for an adult with sexual motives to seek to seduce a child online or to arrange an in-person meeting with the child - even if the adult fails to show up.  Just setting up such a meeting is a misdemeanor that could leave to a year in jail.  And if the meeting does take place, the adult could face four years in state prison for online enticement.

What should I do if my child is solicited or sent obscene material online?

Contact the 240hour CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or at www.cybertupline.com.  By law, Internet Service Producers (ISPs) must report any child sexual exploitation or child pornography to the federally mandated tipline.

Should I worry about online sexual predators if my child frequently socializes on the Internet?

There is a risk.  Monitor his or her Internet use - and openly discuss the dangers.  Spending time online can be a beneficial, mind-expanding experience for your child.  But the Internet is also an ideal meeting place for sexual predators seeking contact with children.  Many young people socialize online with "friends" encountered on the Internet.  In one 2006 survey, more than 60% of teenagers ages 13 to 17 had posted personal profiles on social networking Web pages.  Nearly one in three had considered meeting their new online friends in person, and one in seven had already done so.  The problem, of course, is that the new 14-year-old "friend" could actually be a 43-year old sexual predator.

Are there any laws to help protect my child's privacy online?

Yes.  Under the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), operators of children's Web sites that collect personal information from youngsters under age 13 are required to post a privacy notice.  The notice should state the type of information gathered and whether such information will be sod or forwarded to a third party.  Generally, such sites also must obtain parental consent before collecting a child's personal information.  In agreeing to provide personal data, the parent can request that the information not go to another party.  In addition, parents have the right to review the information collected from their children, revoke their consent and have such information deleted.

Is there a law against selling or renting violent video games to children?

Yes, but in early 2007, it was no tin effect -  and its future remained unknown.  The new state law (currently, tied up in legal challenges) would prohibit store owners and managers from selling or renting "violent" video games to minors.  Under the pending legislation, store owners or managers could face up to $1,000 in fines for selling or renting "violent" video games (in general, any game hat involves the killing, maiming, dismembering or sexual assaulting of a human being) to a minor.  In addition, all such games would have to be labeled with a solid while, two-inch "18" outline in black.

Bt while it might soon be illegal to sell or rent such games to minors, keep in mind that your child may, however, be free to play them without restriction in video arcades open to the public.