Internet Safety Guide for ...

              AZ Attorney General
Terry Goddard
LMIRL
Arizona
Attorney General
,
s
Office
1275 West
Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602.542.5025
400 West Congress
South Building
Suite 315
Tucson, Arizona 85701
520.628.6504
Outside the Phoenix
or Tucson metro area
800.352.8431
www.azag.gov
July 2008
Message from the Attorney General
You may think there’s not much about the Internet that you
don’t already know, and that might be true. But can you
keep your not-so-wise friends and younger brothers and
sisters safe while online? Have you told them that a chat
room that attracts them also attracts predators that are
looking for younger victims? Have you told them how to
identify a cyber predator? Have you warned them about
giving away personal information?
While social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, and chat rooms
allow young people to plan events and get the latest gossip, they can also
lead to trouble. On my visits to Arizona schools to discuss Internet Safety,
students admit they are often quick to add new names as “friends,” thus removing
important security features and giving personal information to strangers.
Cyberbullying is another hazard. Some young people use Web sites, cell phones,
instant messaging, chat rooms and blogs to harass, threaten and ridicule. What
may start as a joke, once launched into cyberspace, can be very serious, and it
never goes away. The impact on the victim can be devastating and even tragic.
The bully may find they have committed a crime, exposed their parents to
liability and/or damaged their own prospects for college or a job.
For more information on Internet safety, visit www.azag.gov. Please also
visit my MySpace page at www.myspace.com/arizonaag for updated tips or to ask
me a question about Internet safety.
I hope you use this booklet to help keep your friends and brothers and
sisters safe online.
Terry Goddard
Arizona Attorney General
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What’s the problem?.......................................2
What you’re doing online..................................2
How predators work........................................3
Online activities and their potential consequences.......12
Cyberbullying............................................15
Cyber Safety Guidelines & Tips...........................16
Resources............................................Center
What ’s the problem ?
The Internet can be a great tool,
fun to surf and totally entertaining.
But remember, we live in a world
where people sometimes take advantage
of others, especially teens. It’s
smart to be prepared.
Anything on the Internet, whether it’s
chat rooms or Web sites, that attracts
you and your friends will also attract
predators.
>>> Read on.
Many predators, who are searching for
children and teens to rape, kidnap or
harm, now use the Internet to find
victims. Predators communicate through
chat rooms and instant messaging
seeking to develop relationships with
young people. They want their trust.
When a trust forms, they ask to
meet somewhere to check out a movie,
window shop or get something to eat.
Typically, a predator does all this
while posing as a young adult or
teenager.
Cyber predators are tough to spot.
Who are cyber predators? Not who
you think.
>> They are likely to have above
average intelligence and income
>> They may have a successful career
>> They may be married with children
of their own
>> They may have no criminal history
or none related to sex crimes
>> Most are male (99%), non-Hispanic,
white (91%) and older than 26 (86%)
>> They may be perceived as “the last
person you would expect to be a
predator”
Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell, and David Finkelhor,
Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later (2006).
Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of
New Hampshire.
How they lure yo ung people
Predators use the anonymity of the
Internet to talk to young people. They
look for clues to figure out what you
care about and even where you live.
Too often, it’s easy because you have
unknowingly provided your personal
information.
2
Abercromshoper89.
prisonerofhermione15.
1/ User names / Scren names
While a user name or screen name
seems like a pretty innocent
thing, it can be a gold mine
of information for a predator.
Many people choose something
familiar and easy to remember.
You might think about your
favorite bands, pets, hobbies
and sports as part of a user
name or screen name. But what
information are you giving
a predator to use?
User name:
This tells the predator that you
like to shop, Abercrombie and
Fitch is your favorite, and that
you were born in 1989.
User name:
This tells the predator that
you are a Harry Potter fan, you
especially like the character
Hermione Granger and you are
likely 15.
Armed with this information,
a predator will talk to
Abercromshoper89 about shopping
and fashion while talking to
prisonerofhermione15 about Harry
Potter and magic.
It may not seem important, but
providing a predator with any
personal information that helps
him learn how to become a
trusted friend is potentially
dangerous.
Z+ d
P
When choosing a user name or screen
name, think of the game “MadLibs.”
Try using one of the following
formulas to select a user name:
>>> Adjective + noun
	
	
stuffed ninja
>>> Size + animal
	
	
	
minielephant
>>> Season + noun
	
	
summerteeth
>>> Random number + ice cream flavor
45cookiedough
>>> Actor’s name + action verb
	
Travoltadancing
A user name or screen name with a
random selection of words such as
“Soupshoe” is much better than
a potentially descriptive identifier
such as “Missy1981.” Make sure your
user identifier doesn’t relate to
you, your age, your school, your
location or your interests.
NOT your
age, phone
number or
address
3
4
2/ Profiles
Profiles can provide predators
with a lot of useful informa-tion.
Profiles ask for
information like your real
name, birthday, address, phone
number, hobbies and what school
you go to. Filling out this
information is meant to be
useful to other teens and young
adults who are looking for
people to chat with who are
interested in the same things.
The problem is that predators
use personal information to
gain your trust and find ways
to manipulate you. Filling out
profiles is not required to use
most chat programs, and filling
them out is a pain in the neck
anyway. To protect yourself,
fill out profiles only on sites
that allow you to control who
has access to the profile.
3/ What yo u say
Some predators will do something
called “cyberstalking” (and yes,
it’s as scary as it sounds). A
predator will go to a teen or
young adult chat room and pick a
user name to follow through chat
rooms. The predator will slowly
accumulate information about
that user by simply reading
what they are chatting about.
Young adults and teens face many
problems with peer pressure,
parents, family members and
friends. Chat rooms seem like
the perfect place to gripe about
all those people, but watch out
for people too anxious to take
your side. Often, predators will
play on your emotions by
saying they went through the
same thing.
4/ Seling st uf
By selling things online, you
can always make a quick buck
off that old Pokemon or Ninja
Turtles collection you got for
your birthday when you were six.
But selling things can also
provide dangerous information to
predators. Sometimes, a seller
will provide their telephone
number so that people inter-ested
can call and ask questions
about the item; predators don’t
always call. Instead they use
your telephone number to track
you down. Providing your phone
number not only tells a predator
what state you live in, it also
can lead them to your house.
5
6
Their Techni ques
Identifying a cyber
predator is difficult
because they sound like
anyone else. Chatting
online can be really
fun and can be a quick
way to make new friends,
but it might not be the
safest way. Predators
have many techniques
that they use to
convince you that they
are just like you, can
relate to your problems,
and would like to become
your real friend instead
of your online buddy.
Giving you special
stuff
When an online buddy
sends you sexually
explicit material,
whether you want it or
not, it is smart to
stop speaking to that
buddy. Predators use
this technique to scare
or befriend you. Almost
all of the time this
material is unwanted,
but if you continue to
speak to this person,
they will push you to
do more than just look
at inappropriate materi-al.
Ending the conver-sation
with this person
will tell that predator
that you are not inter-ested
in what they have
to offer.
Pretending
Predators will often
disguise themselves as
teenagers and young
adults. Most often they
will try to befriend
you as a peer. These
people can be very con-vincing
and, without
realizing it, you may
befriend a predator.
There really is no way
to know who is your age
and who is an adult. But
being safe means end-ing
communication with
any online buddy if they
begin to harass you.
Remember, never give
out personal informa-tion
(not even an email
address) and if anything
mean or inappropriate
happens, don’t be afraid
to tell your parents.
Threats
If an online buddy
begins to threaten you
because you refuse to
meet him or speak to him
anymore, the best thing
to do is tell your
parents. Predators
exploit any weaknesses
they can find. A preda-tor’s
objective is to
make you do what he
wants. Getting advice
from your parents will
help you make the right
decision and will make
sure you stay safe.
7
Cyberstalking
Searching chat rooms
or reading your blogs
are easy ways for a
predator to learn how
to talk to you and
earn your trust. By
following you through
chat rooms, a predator
can gather information
about you and make you
feel comfortable enough
to talk to them about
anything, even reveal-ing
secrets. Beware
of someone who knows
everything about your
conversations or who is
quick to say “the same
thing happened to me.”
Photographs
Putting photographs
online is becoming
more and more popu-lar,
especially with
chat rooms, blogs and
MySpace or Facebook.
Unfortunately, there
are a number of rea-sons
why photographs
are a problem:
• Combining a photo-graph
with personal
information can make
it extremely easy
for a predator to
find his way to your
school or doorstep.
• Photographs can be
manipulated—your
face put onto another
person’s body in
a sexually explicit
photograph—and
posted for anyone,
including your
parents, to see.
• The bottom line is
that you should never
send photos of your-self
to people online
who you don’t know.
And you should always
be careful who you
allow to have access
to your photos on
MySpace or Facebook.
Email
Sometimes you meet
people who you really
like online and you
want to talk to them
more than just in
chat rooms. But be
careful before you give
out your email address
or instant messaging
screen name. Often your
email has a profile
that can be easily
accessed by a predator.
Emails are personal and
are sometimes unsafe to
give to online buddies.
Limit the people who
have your email address
to friends and family.
Don’t give it to people
you meet in chat rooms
and set your chat pro-file
to not display
your email address.
8
1 in 7 young people has
received unwanted sexual
solicitations online.
One-third of these solicita-tions
(31%) were aggressive
and involved attempted,
offline contact with youth.
In more than one-quarter (27%) of
incidents solicitors asked youth for
sexual photographs of themselves.
1 in 3 young people has been
exposed to sexually explicit
materials online without
seeking or expecting them.
1 in 11 young people has been
threatened or harassed online.
Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell, and David Finkelhor,
Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later (2006).
Crimes Against Children Research Center, University
of New Hampshire.
9
10
11
1. Chatting with strangers
in a chat room
It’s easy to lie online because
a person’s identity can be
easily disguised, so you never
know who you are talking to.
Giving out information to people
online is just as dangerous as
giving the same information to a
stranger you meet on the street,
maybe even more dangerous.
2. Using a webcam
For a predator, a webcam is the
next best thing to an in-person
meeting. By allowing people
to view your webcam, you are
essentially opening the shades
to your home or your bedroom and
allowing a complete stranger to
watch you through that window.
Predators will use what they see
to take advantage of you. They
may record the video you send
and post it for the world to
see or simply wait and use it
against you later.
3. Accepting webcam views from
strangers
By accepting an invitation
to view live webcams from
strangers, you could be exposed
to unwanted nudity and sexu-ally
explicit video which could
be disturbing. Remember, that
16-year-old inviting you to see
him is more likely to be around
50, overweight and hairy!
4. Arranging a face-to-face
meeting with someone you’ve met
online
Since it is not possible to know
who you are really talking to
online, you may be unpleasantly
surprised when you discover
that person’s true identity.
Predators arrange meetings
with youth for the purposes
of hurting, molesting,
raping, kidnapping and
even killing them.
& their POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
ONLINE ACTIVITIES
12
13
5. Downloading pictures from an
unknown source
Downloading a picture may bring
hidden viruses, which may
destroy your computer, or place
“cookies” that allow the sender
to track where you go on the
Internet, as well as key stroke
trackers that may be used to
steal your identity.
6. Filling out online profiles
Filling out profiles will
allow predators to see personal
information about you, such
as your real name, phone number,
address, school name, etc.,
and will allow the predator
to “find” you in real life.
7. Posting pictures of yourself
on the Internet
In addition to allowing anyone
to get a look at you, digital
photo manipulation can put your
face on another body, in any
graphic situation. When such
a photo is in the possession
of a predator, it can have
devastating consequences. The
predator might threaten to send
the picture to your parents or
spread it all over the Internet
unless you do as he says.
8. Posting on blogs and social
networking sites
Because these popular online
features are virtual diaries,
they give online predators a
more intimate look into your
thoughts and feelings. By
reading postings on a blog,
a predator can get a greater
insight into your vulnerabili-ties,
likes and dislikes and
can “tailor” his message to you.
It may take a predator some time
to learn about you, but the more
information you place on blogs,
podcasts and social networking
sites, the easier you will make
it for the predator. The next
time you think you have met your
online soulmate, consider that
it is more likely that you have
encountered a cyber predator.
9. Responding to postings that are
belligerent or harassing
These messages are often posted
by the author simply to get a
reaction. If you do respond,
you may open yourself to
harassment.
V
14
15
Cyberb ulying …It’s Not a Joke
Social networking sites, chat
rooms, email and cell phones are
a fun part of life. However,
this way of communicating has
also made it easier to spread
rumors and be cruel to others.
Because they are not saying some-thing
to the other person’s face,
kids often say things online
that they later regret and would
never say in real life. But it
is important to keep in mind that
once you post, there is no taking
it back – even if you feel bad
about it later.
So before you send that hasty
text message or cell phone photo
spreading gossip or making fun of
someone, consider this…
• Cell phones and texts allow
rumors to move quickly, before
the real facts of a situation can
be found out. You don’t want
to be responsible for spreading
something that is false – it can
come back to bite you.
• If you see something you think
is funny but could be embar-rassing
to someone else, con-sider
how you would feel if you
were on the other side before
you whip out that cell phone
camera. After all, everyone
does embarrassing things some-times
and it isn’t a good feel-ing
to know that everyone at
school is watching you with a
cell phone camera just waiting
for you to do something stupid.
Think about the consequences of
what you say, text or post. You
never know what may be going on
inside of another person and the
effect that your words could have
on them. Many kids have trans-ferred
schools or even commit-ted
suicide to escape harassment.
Remember that it is always best
to treat others as you would like
to be treated, even online.
If you see cyberbullying going
on, you can do something about
it. Report cruel postings and
mocking photos to MySpace, or
whatever site you are on, and
they will remove it without
revealing that you were the one
to report it. You can also talk
to your parents or school offi-cials
about offensive postings.
If the mean rumor or gossip is
in an IM or text message or in
a chat room, you can choose to
delete the message…don’t forward
it and don’t join in.
16
Available for download at w.azag.gov.
• Remember that anyone can lie on the Internet.
• Limit giving out information about yourself
only to trusted friends or family.
• Help catch predators. Contact local law
enforcement or the CyberTipline at
www.cybertipline.com or 1.800.THE.LOST
(1.800.843.5678). Report any of the following
issues immediately.
>>> Child pornography -
do not print it or send it, but save it.
 >>> Sexually explicit pictures or streaming
video - save the information.
 >>> Sexual solicitation -
save the communication by copying and
pasting into a text file.
• Don’t stay in an uncomfortable or dangerous
situation online. A bad situation could get
worse if you ignore it. Talk to a parent or
a trusted adult.
• Share these guidelines with your friends
and family.
Cyber safety guidelines
17
RESOURCES
Arizona Attorney
General’s Office
www.azag.gov
Phoenix: 602.542.2123
Tucson: 520.628.6504
Outside the Phoenix or Tucson
metro area: 800.352.8431
Arizona Internet Crimes
Against Children Task Force
www.azicac.org
ChildhelpUSA
www.childhelpusa.org
24 Hour Child Abuse
Crisis Counseling
1.800.4ACHILD
(1.800.422.4453)
Common Sense Media
www.commonsense.com
Community Information
and Referral
www.cirs.org
602.263.8856
(800.352.3792 within area
codes 520 and 928)
GetNetWise
www.getnetwise.org
i-SAFE
www.isafe.org
Internet Fraud
Complaint Center
www.ic3.gov
National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children
www.missing.org
CyberTipline
www.cybertipline.com
or 1.800.THE.LOST
(1.800.843.5678)
NetSmartz Workshop
www.netsmartz.org
www.netsmartz411.org
State of Arizona Department
of Public Safety Sex Offender
InfoCenter
www.az.gov/webapp/offender
/main.do
Web Wise Kids
www.webwisekids.org
WiredSafety
www.wiredsafety.org
www.wiredkids.org
www.teenangels.org
www.stopcyberbullying.org
The Attorney General’s Community Services Program includes Satellite Offices and the
Fraud Fighter Van. Satellite Offices make it easier for residents to get information
on consumer fraud and civil and victims’ rights issues in their own neighborhoods.
Volunteers are available to make educational presentations to community groups and
distribute materials at local events. Contact the Attorney General’s Office Community
Services Program if you would like to schedule an Internet Safety presentation for
your school, church or community group.
Satellite Offices are located throughout Arizona.
A complete list of locations and schedule of
events are posted on the Community Services page
of the Attorney General’s Web site.
The Fraud Fighter Van is the newest tool to bring
services and information to senior centers,
libraries and neighborhoods. The Fraud Fighter
Van is filled with information about identity
theft, scam alerts, Internet safety and much more.
For more information, contact:
Community Services Program
Arizona Attorney General’s Office
1275 West Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602.542.2123 or 1.800.352.8431
communityservices@azag.gov
Other Publications available from the
Arizona Attorney General’s Office:
• Identity Theft
• Consumers’ Guide to
Buying a Car
• Life Care Planning
• Predatory Lending
• Top 10 Consumer Scams
Phoenix
Mesa
Tucson
Payson
Prescott
Flagstaff
San Luis
Tempe/ASU
Sun City
South Tucson
Green Valley
Lake
Havasu
City
Sierra Vista
Nogales
Sedona
Somerton
Yuma
Kingman
Oro Valley
Safford
Tubac
Wickenburg
Winslow
Apache Junction
Florence
Crime and Fraud Prevention Initiatives
• Civil Rights:
> Employment Discrimination
> Housing Discrimination
> Discrimination in Places
of Public Accommodation
> Voting Discrimination
Subscribe to the Attorney General’s consumer alerts and messages on
current issues at www.azag.gov.
29
Internet Survival Tips for Parents and Teachers
1. Be aware and involved.
2. Do your homework.
3. Talk to your kids.
4. Teach safety.
5. Set rules.
6. Report suspicious activity.
7.  Help kids view online information with a critical eye.
8. View your own online habits with a critical eye.
9. Make sure you keep channels of communication open.
10. Embrace their world.
Remember, the Internet is here to stay. It’s our job to help our
kids be Internet safe and smart.
www.commonsensemedia.com
28
Parents, guardians, educators
and law enforcement also have
access to resources, including
NetSmartz411, for learning and
teaching about the dangers
children may face online.
NetSmartz focuses on three basic
rules for Internet Safety.
The games and activities are
designed to give children of
various age groups a better
understanding of the risks they
could encounter online. With
that understanding, they may
be more receptive when you com-municate
your desire to protect
them by setting up rules for
Internet use.
i-SAFE (www.isafe.org)
i-SAFE offers a K-12 curriculum
and community outreach programs
to parents, law enforcement and
community leaders. A number of
i-SAFE programs give students
and parents opportunities to get
involved in their schools and
communities by teaching and
promoting Internet Safety.
Common Sense Media
(www.commonsense.com)
Common Sense Media, a leading
children and media organization,
has released a new guide, “Keeping
Your Kids Internet Safe and
Smart.” The guide describes chal-lenges
faced by parents online and
tips for both kids and parents. It
also includes helpful information
on Internet gaming, downloading
and social networking.
Web Wise Kids
(www.webwisekids.org)
Web Wise Kids offers fun, chal-lenging
and interactive simulations
for kids based on real-life
criminal cases. The program also
provides a special learning
program sponsored in part by the
US Department of Justice and
designed just for parents. By
addressing issues like piracy,
fraud, online romances, bullying,
social networking, blogging, cyber
stalking, online predators, identity
theft and more, Web Wise Kids
helps prepare young people to be
their own first line of defense so
they can safely explore the best
that the Internet has to offer.
INTERNET SAFETY EDUCATION
Many good resources are available
at no cost to teach kids and
parents about Internet Safety
through Web sites, school cur-riculums
or law enforcement agen-cies.
Here are a few examples:
The Arizona Attorney General’s
Internet Safety Initiative
Attorney General Terry Goddard
launched a major Internet Safety
Initiative to ensure aggressive
prosecution of Internet crimes
against children and teamed up
with the NetSmartz Workshop®
and the Arizona Alliance of
Boys and Girls Clubs to provide
Internet Safety education to
Arizona children.
Information on Internet Safety,
including this Guide, Internet
Safety DVD, Internet Safety Tips
and Kids Page, are available on
the Arizona Attorney General’s
Web site (www.azag.gov). Kids
who successfully complete the
NetSmartz Internet Safety Quiz
on the Attorney General’s Kids
Page will get an official Web
License.
NetSmartz Workshop
(www.NetSmartz.org)
NetSmartz combines
the newest technolo-gies
with the most
current informa-tion
to create high-impact
educational
activities that are
well received by
even the most
tech-savvy kids.
27
• Allowing only approved addresses to
email your child
• Filtering Web sites
• Filtering searches or allowing your
child to use child-safe search engines
• Recording instant message conversations
or chat room conversations
• Notifying you when your child tries
to access an inappropriate Web site
• Limiting the time your child spends
online
• Operates in the background without
your child’s knowledge
• Allowing third-party rating of Web sites
• Recording every key stroke your
child makes
• Recording and sending you pictures
of your child’s computer screen as
they are using it
Not all of these options are included in
each software program. Each program is
different. Compare and find the program
that suits your needs.
Filtered ISPs
Most Internet Service Providers, such
as AOL, Comcast, MSN and Qwest, can
provide you with some filtering and
blocking tools to help protect your child
online. Contact them for more information.
26
for multiple user profiles to
be set up. Every person who
uses a computer can have their
own user name and password. To
gain access to the computer,
the user name and password
are required. This allows you
to set up different levels of
access for each of the differ-ent
users and also makes it
easier to track and find out
what each of the users are
doing on the computer. To get
more information about setting
up user profiles, consult your
computer’s help files.
Web Browser Controls
Most Web browsers have a way
to filter and block inappro-priate
Web sites from being
accessed. Web browser settings
can be used in conjunction
with user profiles to fine
tune the level of access
different users have on the
Internet. By fine tuning these
controls, you can customize
the type of content that
each user can access. For
more information on using
these settings, consult your
browser’s help files.
Viewing Internet History /
Temporary Internet Files
To track your child’s online
activity, you can use the
Internet History and Temporary
Internet Files to see what
Web sites have been accessed
recently. More savvy computer
users can delete this infor-mation
from easy access, but
it is still typically acces-sible
by a computer expert.
For more information about
viewing Internet history and
temporary Internet files,
consult your browser’s help
files.
Software
There are many software pro-grams
available for purchase
that help make the Internet
safer for your children. Some
of the options these programs
can give ­­­you
include:
• Blocking chat rooms and/or
instant messaging
• Blocking downloads
• Disabling links in chat rooms
25
What to do if your child
becomes a victim
If your child has received a
sexual solicitation online,
immediately contact the
CyberTipline at www.cyber-tipline.
com or 1.800.THE.
LOST (1.800.843.5678). The
CyberTipline is part of the
National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children, which coordi-nates
the efforts of federal,
state and local law enforcement
agencies to investigate Internet
crimes against children. If you
suspect a face-to-face meeting
has been arranged, contact
your local law enforcement imme-diately
to request assistance.
If you or your child has
received child pornography,
save but do not print the
images and call law enforcement
immediately. DO NOT EMAIL or
PRINT THE PHOTOGRAPHS! If you
do, you may be committing
a crime.
Internet Safety Tools for
Parents
There are a number of tools
parents can use to protect their
children from Internet dangers.
Although none of them are fool-proof,
they can help. Here are
a few:
• Computer Placement
• User Profiles
• Web Browser Controls
• Viewing Internet History
• Filtering/Blocking/Monitoring
Software
• Filtered ISPs
Computer Placement
Keep the computer in a common
area of your home when you can.
It’s easiest to monitor what
your children are doing without
having to pry if the computer
is in an open area, such as the
living room or kitchen. Don’t
place the computer in a room
where your child can close the
door and go online.
User Profiles
Newer versions of Windows and
Apple’s operating software allow
24
How to talk to your teenager about
Internet safety
• Your teenager is gaining independence
and struggling to get away from
parental control. Protect them without
alienating them by letting them have
some independence while still providing
parental guidance. Be involved with
what they are doing on the Internet
without invading their privacy. Make
sure they still feel comfortable
talking to you about what they do on
the Net.
•  Don’t talk down to your teen. Instead,
show your teen that you trust them to
make good decisions. Encourage them to
protect themselves from online preda-tors
by being vigilant and cautious.
• Set reasonable expectations.
You can’t expect a teenager to
completely avoid chat rooms, but you
can expect them to not give a stranger
their personal information.
• Remember what it was like to be their
age. If you find they are doing some-thing
online you find inappropriate,
choose a punishment carefully and
remember that teenagers are going
through a difficult and exciting time
of change and new discoveries.
• Be supportive!
Visit sites with your children.
Let them know what you consider
inappropriate.
Learn about the Internet.
Don’t put your head in the sand. Study.
Some helpful sites for parents are:
iSafe (www.isafe.org)
NetSmartz Workshop (www.NetSmartz.org)
Common Sense Media (www.commonsense.com)
Install filtering software onto your
computers. These Web sites can direct
you to the right software that’s best
for you:
www.getnetwise.org/tools/ or
www.filterreview.com.
If you think your child might be
engaged in dangerous activity on the
Internet, you can check the computer’s
Internet history to see the Web sites
that have recently been visited. You
can also take the computer into a
computer services store. They can
provide a full diagnostic evaluation
to tell you exactly where your computer
has been online and the types of
activities that have taken place
using your computer.
Search for your child’s name on MySpace
and by using search engines like Google or
Yahoo! You may find a profile or Web page
your child posted or a page or comments
about your child posted by someone else.
23
22
21
Age appropriate guidelines
It’s important to remember that
rules and guidelines you establish
for young kids, preteens and teens
will most likely be very different.
Teenagers are especially protective
of their privacy and are the least
willing to share what they are
doing online. They will probably
tell you that they don’t want to be
treated like a child. Keep this in
mind when you create age appropriate
Internet usage rules for your kids.
Here are some general guidelines
to impress upon your kids,
although some of them apply more
to teenagers.
• Be extremely skeptical about
what you read on the Internet,
especially from someone in a chat
rom. It is extremely easy to lie
online and a predator will tell
you as many lies as possible to
gain your trust.
• Be very careful about what infor-mation
you give someone online,
especially personal information
that can be used to find you.
• DO NOT met someone in person
that you met online. Once your
teenager has gotten their driver’s
license or if they use public
transportation, it can be very
difficult for you to prevent this
from happening. You might want
to emphasize how dangerous it is
to meet someone you don’t know
ALONE. If they cannot be talked
out of meeting someone from the
Internet, they should at least
bring a friend and meet in a
public place.
• Do not download files a stranger
has sent you. They can contain
inappropriate material or computer
viruses.
• Do not view the webcam of
a stranger.
• Be smart about what information
you put in your online profile
or blog. Don’t include any
information that could be used
to locate you. Remember to make
your blog entries private or for
friends only.
20
> If a cyberbully has posted
embarrassing photos or personal
information about your child
on a Web site, contact your
Internet Service Provider for
assistance, the Web site host-ing
the page, and if necessary,
inform local law enforcement to
try to get the Web site removed.
> If the bully is a fellow
student, notify the school
and request
assistance
from the
administra-tion
and
School
Resource
Officer. If
there are
threats or
harassment,
notify law
enforcement.
19
18
Cyberbulying
Kids no longer need muscles to
bully and torment their peers.
The Internet now makes it
possible for bullies to torment
their victims in their homes at
any time of day. Cyberbullies may
use chat rooms, email, instant
messaging, cell phones and Web
sites to embarrass, threaten or
intimidate a child. Technology
allows them to share gossip,
spread lies or distribute
embarrassing pictures to a wide
audience while maintaining some
anonymity. What may start as a
joke, once launched into
cyberspace can be very serious.
The impact on the victim can be
devastating and even tragic. The
bully may be committing a crime,
exposing their parents to
liability and/or damaging their
own prospects for college or a
job. Not surprisingly, one in
every 11 kids reported being
threatened or harassed while
using the Internet.
Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell, and David Finkelhor. Online
Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later (2006), Crimes Against Children
Research Center, University of New Hampshire.
Tips to protect
your child against
cyberbullying
Let kids know what online
behavior you find unaccept-able.
Look for signs that
your child might be a
cyberbullying victim; these
could include nightmares,
school avoidance or sudden
interest in or avoidance of
the computer. Block messages
from bullies and save
evidence that may help
identify a bully.
> If your child continues to
receive harassing emails,
have them delete their
current accounts and help
them open a new one.
> Save the evidence in case
you need proof.
6. Chatting with
strangers in a
chat room
It’s easy to lie online.
Seemingly innocent conversa-tions
can have harmful ulterior
motives. Don’t believe every-thing
someone tells you in a
chat room.
7. Using a webcam
For a predator, a webcam is
the next best thing to an
in-person meeting. By allowing
people to view a webcam, your
child is essentially opening
the shades to your home and
allowing a complete stranger to
watch them through that window.
Predators will use what they
see to take advantage of your
child. They may record the
video your child sends and
post it for the world to see
or simply wait and use it
against your child later.
8. Accepting webcam
views from strangers
By accepting an invitation
to view live webcams from
strangers, your child could be
exposed to nudity and sexually
explicit material. Ask your
child never to accept an
invitation to view a webcam
or click on a link in a
chat room.
9. Arranging a face-to-
face meeting with
someone met online
Your child could be hurt,
molested, raped, kidnapped
or worse during a face-to-face
encounter.
17
ONLINE ACTIVITIES and their
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
1. Filling out online
profiles
Filling out profiles will allow
predators to see personal information
about your child, such as their real
name, phone number, address, school
name, etc. and will allow the
predator to “find” your child in
real life.
2. Downloading pictures
from an unknown source
Downloading a picture may bring
hidden viruses, which may destroy
your computer, or place “cookies”
that allow the sender to track
where you or your child goes on
the Internet, as well as key stroke
trackers that may be used to steal
your child’s identity.
3. Responding to postings
that are belligerent or
harassing
These messages are often posted
by the author simply to see who
will respond and to get a conversa-tion
going.
4. Posting pictures
on the Internet
In addition to allowing anyone to
get a look at your child, digital
photo manipulation could put your
child’s face on another body,
which could be spread all over
the Internet, or your child could
be blackmailed into sending more
photos.
5. Posting on blogs and
social networking sites
MySpace and other social networking
sites are wildly popular among young
people and new territory for law
enforcement, schools and parents.
Teens are often quick to add new
names as “friends,” thus remov-ing
important security features and
divulging personal information to
strangers. There are over 200
million subscribers to MySpace, and
that number grows every day. Among
these millions are many who will
paint a false picture of themselves
to get close to young people and try
to arrange a face-to-face meeting.
By reading postings on a child’s
blog, a predator can get insight
into a child’s vulnerabilities,
likes and dislikes and can “tailor”
his message to target that child.
16
6. Your child receives
mail/gifts/packages from senders
you don’t know
Track the package, research who
it is from. Use the same tools
the predators use to get
information, such as reverse
address directory searches,
telephone directory searches,
email address searches, Google
searches etc. Once the relation-ship
reaches this level, it’s
time to intervene. A face-to-face
meeting with your child may be
in the planning stages.
To report a cyberpredator, immedi-ately
contact the CyberTipline
at www.cybertipline.com or 1.800.
THE.LOST (1.800.843.5678). The
CyberTipline is part of the
National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children, which coordi-nates
the efforts of federal,
state and local law enforcement
agencies to investigate Internet
crimes against children. If you
suspect a face-to-face meeting has
been arranged, also contact your
local law enforcement immediately
to request assistance.
What can you do to keep your
children safe in cyberspace?
First and foremost, talk to
your children openly and frankly.
Be available to answer questions
and concerns. Let them know
about Internet dangers, including
identity theft, exposure to
sexually explicit or violent
material and sexual predators.
Make it safe for them to come
to you with concerns about people
they’ve met online, when an
inappropriate pop up appears or
someone sends them inappropriate
materials and if someone harasses
or threatens them online.
Let them know that on the
Internet, people can pretend to
be anyone. And their intentions
are often not good.
Use separate user profiles,
content filtering software
and/or ISP filters, Web browser
controls and/or your Web
browser’s Internet history to
monitor what your child is
doing on the Internet.
See the section on Tools (p. 24)
for more information.
15
14
13
“Most children do not inform their
parents when they face a difficult
situation online, such as being
contacted by someone they don’t
know. The main reasons for their
hesitation are embarrassment and
fear of losing access to the Internet.”
Assistant Attorney General
Gail Thackeray
Warning Signs that Your Child
Might Become a Victim and
What To Do About It
1. Your child becomes
withdrawn from the
family, isolates themself
more often
Talk to your child, and their
teachers, consider counseling.
2. Your child is spending
more time online
Ask what they are doing
that is causing them to
spend so much time online.
Research for school? Chats?
Downloading? Games? Use
your Web browser’s “Internet
History” to view the Web
sites that have been visited.
3. Your child turns off the
screen when you walk in
the room
What does your child not want
you to see? Are they ashamed
of something? Talk to them
about their online activity.
Be aware, though, that
prying too much could foster
paranoia and lead to more
secretive behavior and
further isolation.
4. You find pornography on
the computer
If it’s adult porn, talk
to your child. If it’s child
pornography, save the images
but do not print them, and
contact the authorities
immediately.
5. Your phone bill has calls
to unknown numbers
There are a number of
tools available online to
search telephone numbers.
Do a reverse phone direc-tory
search online to find
out whose number it is.
The reverse number search
will give you a name and an
address for the telephone
number.
12
H Predator expresses excitement,
tells the child the “uncle” will
buy the game.
I Predator starts asking for clues
about the child, begins scheming
to find out where the child is to
arrange a face-to-face meeting.
J The predator will place himself
in close proximity to the child,
regardless of his actual location.
K Child has actually just determined
the final meeting place without
realizing the danger he/she is
in because of the misplaced trust
in the new “friend.”
L Predator finalizes the meeting.
M The predator now has all the
information he needs to meet
the child face to face.
11
Predator: w00t! he said k
Child: wow realy? thx i cant
bleve it.
Predator: where do u live?
Child: 2son,az u?
(“Tucson, Arizona. What about you?”)
Predator: phx, az uncle 2. ne malls
near u? (“Phoenix, Arizona Uncle,
too. Any malls near you?”
Child: 2son mall. (Tucson mall)
Predator: ive herd of that one.
Saturday ok?
Child: sounds good.
Predator: b ther at 12
Child: k. meet at the game store.
Predator: k!
Child: well g2g. thx again dude
(“Well, got to go.
Thanks again, dude!”)
Child: this is awesome!
Child: TTYL! (“Talk to you later!”)
Predator: l8r (“Later.”)
A Child starts chat, expresses
feelings that the predator can
easily pick up on.
B Predator begins “grooming”
by expressing empathy to gain
the child’s trust.
C Child expresses trust
in the person, encouraging
the predator.
D Further expression of
empathy from predator.
E Child’s frustration is
evident to the predator
who takes full advantage
by portraying himself
as a trusted confidant.
F Predator offers a way
to entice the child.
G Of course, there is no
“rich uncle.” The predator
gives that impression to the
child by waiting for a period
of time before sending
his next message.
4Here’s an example of an
online chat and how it can
move to the next level:
10
Child: my mom sux! its her falt
that my parents are gettin divorced
Predator: i no. my parents r2.
Child: we never have $$ nemor
(“We never have money anymore.”)
Child: evry time i need sumtin she
says the same thing “we cant aford it”
Child: when my parents were 2gether
i could buy stuff
Child: now i cant
Predator: me to. i hate dat.
Child: i w8ed 6 mos for this game
to come out
(“I waited 6 months for this game
to come out.”)
Child: my mom promisd me wed get it.
Child: can i get it now? nope.
Child: we dont have enuf $$$.
my mom sux!
Predator: wow. dats tuf
Predator: i hav a realy cool uncle
Predator: buys me things all the time
Predator: he has lots o $$$
Child: ur sooooo lucky!
Predator: i got an idea. ill see if
hell by it 4 u.
Child: really? thx man!
Predator: brb gonna call him
(“Be right back. I’m going
to call him.”)
As a parent, you
probably don’t know
the latest online
language. See how
many of these common
online acronyms you
recognize:
1. ASL
2. POS
3. P911
4. BEG
5. FMTYEWTK
6. 121
7. KOL
8. MOTOS
9. WIBNI
10. LMIRL
11. SAW
12. TAW
13. WTGP
A national survey showed that
only between 4 and 8 percent of
adults could correctly identify
these acronyms.
9
8
7
­The
predator looks for clues
about the child: what they like
to do, the type of music they
listen to, what they do for fun
and how old they are. Much of
this is often revealed by the
child’s user name. A preda-tor
pays close attention
to what the youth is say-ing
in a chat room or what
they have written and posted
online.
The predator then asks to
be included on the child’s
instant messenger or chat
room “buddy list” and can
then tell every time the
child is online.
Anonymity online allows the
predator to become a
“friend.” In normal circum-stances,
your child would
probably never develop a
relationship with a much
older person. But online,
that predator can claim to be
just another teen because it’s
so easy to lie online.
Over time, the predator can
develop a relationship with
your child and build their
trust. The predator will ask
the child to keep their rela-tionship
secret. Later the
predator ­­­­can
use the secrecy as
a weapon against the child -
threatening to tell their par-ents
or even harming the child
if they try to end the rela-tionship.
IN REAL LIFE, a predator must
befriend the parents as well
as the child, because they are
the gatekeeper to the child.
ONLINE, there is no gatekeeper.
At some point, the predator
will try to move the relation-ship
to the next phase. The
ultimate goal is to arrange a
face-to-face meeting, frequent-ly
for a sexual encounter. The
consequences can be deadly.
6
Sexual Predator Travels from
Albuquerque to Phoenix to meet
13 year old girl he met online
A recent case prosecuted by the
Arizona Attorney General’s Office
resulted in the arrest and conviction
of a 37 year old man from New Mexico
who established contact with an under-cover
detective posing as a 13 year
old girl online. The sexual predator
sent child pornography video clips
to his intended victim and asked her
to view them and practice the vari-ous
provocative poses. The sexual
predator set up a personal meeting
with his intended victim at a Phoenix
hotel promising a trip to a water
park. When he arrived at the Phoenix
hotel carrying a Pink Princess Tiara
and Powder Puff Panties, gifts for
his intended victim, the suspect was
instead met by an AZ ICAC detective
and arrested. Prosecutors from the
Attorney General’s Office were able to
secure a guilty plea and 17 year prison
term for this sexual offender.
Yuma man arrested for luring a
minor through Myspace.com
In April 2007, prosecutors charged
a 21 year old Yuma man with child
molestation stemming from allegations
that he had been preying on young
girls through MySpace. One 14 year old
girl was molested after being lured
into an in-person meeting with the
man. Police determined that he had
also been communicating with several
other young girls based on evidence
from his MySpace page.
5
From the Case Files of AZ ICAC
Solicitation by a Child Predator:
How It Can Happen
4
“There are dangerous people out there surfing the Internet looking for
children. Parents need to pay close attention to who their children are
communicating with when they are online.”
– Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office
works closely with the Arizona
Internet Crimes Against Children
(AZ ICAC) Task Force, which is a
network of 50 Arizona law enforce-ment
agencies whose mission is
to apprehend and bring to justice
sexual predators and Internet child
pornographers. AZ ICAC is part of a
network of regional ICAC Task Forces
throughout the U.S. funded by the
U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention.
AZ ICAC investigations focus primar-ily
on the crimes of sexual exploi-tation
of a minor (A.R.S. § 13-3553)
and luring of minors for sexual
exploitation (A.R.S. § 13-3554).
Investigators also work cooperatively
with the F.B.I., I.C.E., U.S. Postal
Inspection Service and the Secret
Service in the enforcement of United
States Code violations involving
Internet crimes against children.
Since 1998, detectives, special
agents and prosecutors have recorded
over 3,000 investigations resulting
in over 290 arrests or indictments.
Offenders have received over 600
years of incarceration. Most offend-ers
also receive lifetime probation
and must register as sex offenders.
Investigations have crossed county,
state and national borders.
Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children (AZ ICAC) Task Force
3
The problem is serious
>> 71% of teens ages 13-17 reported
receiving messages online from some-one
they did n’t know. When teens
receive messages online from a
stranger, 40% reported that they usu-ally
reply and chat with that person,
but only 18% said they tell an adult.
>> 45% of teens have been asked for
personal information by someone they
don’t know.
>> 30% of teens have considered meeting
someone they have chatted with online
and 14% have actually had such
an encounter.
Teenage Research Unlimited. Teen Internet Safety Survey.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Cox
Communications, 2006.
Cyberpredators are tough to spot.
Who are cyberpredators? Not who you
think.
>> 99% are male
>> Above average intelligence
>> Above average incomes
>> Have a successful career
>>  91% are non-Hispanic white
>> Have computer knowledge
>> Many have children of their own
>> Have no criminal history related
to sex crimes
>>  86% are older than 25
>> 1 in 7 teens has received unwanted
sexual solicitations online. One third
(31%) of these solicitations were
aggressively seeking offline contact.
Janis Wolak, Kimberly Mitchell and David Finkelhor. Online
Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later (2006). Crimes against
Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire.
Who do predators target? ANYBODY!
... Especially young people
that are vulnerable. Specifically:
>>> Kids living in single
parent households
>>> Kids with self-esteem problems
>>> Kids that don’t communicate
with parents
>>> Kids whose babysitter
is the computer
How do they lure children?
• It usually begins in a chat room.
• A predator pays close attention to what
the youth is saying - within
45 minutes they can usually find out
where the child lives, goes to school,
what they do for fun, what their real
name is, and on and on.
•  The predator can easily move the chat
from online to the phone and ultimately
to a face-to-face meeting.
The search for a potential victim
usually begins in a chat room, but your
child might catch the attention of a
predator from information they have
provided on their blog or profile
on a social networking site like
MySpace.
2
1
Description of the problem .   .   .   3
Case studies .   .   .   .   .   .   . 4
How predators work .   .   .   .   .   6
Online language and chat examples.. 9
Warning signs.  .   .   .   .   .   . 12
Online activities and their
potential consequences .   .   .   . 16
Cyberbullying.  .   .   .   .   .   . 18
Age appropriate guidelines .   .   . 20
How to talk to your teen about
Internet Safety.  .   .   .   .   . . 23
Tools for Parents.  .   .   .   .   . 24
Tips for Parents .   .   .   .   .   29
Resources.  .   .   .   .   .   . Center
Table of Contents
You can find
more information
about Internet
Safety on the
Attorney General’s
Web site at
www.azag.gov
Chat rooms that
attract teens also
attract predators.
Special thanks
Many individuals and groups
helped make this Internet Safety
publication possible. We want
to especially acknowledge the
Arizona Internet Crimes Against
Children (AZ ICAC) Task Force,
The National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children and NetSmartz
Workshop, the Arizona Alliance
of Boys and Girls Clubs, Common
Sense Media and the New Mexico
Attorney General’s Office. This
project was supported with
federal funds from the U.S.
Department of Justice through a
sub-grant from AZ ICAC, Phoenix
Police Department.
The material in this brochure is not copy-righted.
Organizations are encouraged to
reprint this booklet or excerpts and do
not need to contact the Attorney General’s
Office for permission.
The Internet is a huge
information source and a
valuable tool for adults
and children. But because
of its anonymous nature,
it creates opportunities
for predators.
IN REAL LIFE, a predator
must befriend the parents as
well as the child, because
the parents are the gate-keeper
to the child.
ONLINE, there is no
gatekeeper. The predator
has direct access to
your child.
July 2008
Message from the Attorney General
The Internet can be a terrific tool, providing access to a wealth of
information and interactive learning experiences. But the Internet
can also be dangerous. While social networking sites such as MySpace
and Internet chat rooms allow young people to stay in touch, plan
events and get the latest gossip, they can also lead to trouble.
Many teens use these sites to post pictures and personal information.
They use blogs as their personal diaries which the world can see.
Unfortunately, sexual predators are lurking on the Internet. Even the
smartest teens may not realize that everyone with Internet access,
including predators, can see the pictures and personal information
they post and use them for sinister purposes.
Cyberbullying is another hazard on social networking sites. Kids no longer need
muscles to bully and torment their peers. Some young people use Web sites, cell
phones, instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs and other cyberspace options to harass,
threaten and ridicule. What may start as a joke, once launched into cyberspace, can
be very serious. The impact on the victim can be devastating and even tragic. The
bully may have committed a crime, exposed their parents to liability and/or damaged
their own prospects for college or a job.
As parents, we must strengthen our efforts to shield our children from the dangerous
side of the Internet. There are many things parents can do to protect their children
and reduce online risks. I urge you to review both sections of this booklet and use
it as a starting point to talk with your child about the Internet. Half is targeted
to teens but may be appropriate for younger children as well. Please also visit
www.azag.gov and my MySpace page at www.myspace.com/arizonaag for updated tips
or to ask me a question about Internet safety. I am confident we can make online
experiences safer and more productive. Be sure your teens “Surf Safe, Surf Smart”!
Sincerely,
Terry Goddard
Arizona Attorney General
If your school, church or community group would like a presentation on Internet
Safety, please contact the Attorney General Community Services Program at
602.542.2123 (1.800.352.8431 outside Maricopa County) or communityservices@azag.gov.
AZ Attorney General
Terry Goddard
how safe
is your child from
cyber-sharks ?
Arizona
Attorney General
,
s
Office
1275 West
Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602.542.5025
400 West Congress
South Building
Suite 315
Tucson, Arizona 85701
520.628.6504
Outside the Phoenix
or Tucson metro area
800.352.8431
www.azag.gov
CU L8r