One Guy Gets it – “…kids know exactly what they’re getting into…”
This is a follow-up to my rant about the new study released that has everyone rejoicing under a bogus pretense.
Kristin Smith at First Coast News in Jacksonville FL did a story with David Finkelhor, the Crimes Against Children Research Center Director. You can read the full story here: Study Challenges Notions About Cyber-Predators.
The gist is quite exactly what I have been saying: yes, the ‘go-to’ description of a scary guy posing as a teen has been debunked. But not that many guys were doing that to begin with – rather, they take their time to groom kids and “many kids know exactly what they’re getting into”!!!
Kids will go off to meet these adults, knowing they are adults, and 
thinking they are friends or – even worse – thinking that they’re in love with these people. THAT is just pure immaturity (yet another reason teens can’t handle the full power of world wide connectivity). Then they have multiple sexual encounters with the adults.
Now, that doesn’t mean the adults aren’t predators. They are, they are dangerous and they are exploitive. All the study showed was that the preconceived notion is wrong. That does NOT mean the web is safer and that social networks are better. It is NOT a victory for MySpace.
Children play a big part in making themselves victims. It’s up to parents to talk to their kids and monitor their online activity. Parental control and monitoring software, like our PC Pandora 5.0, can be your best friend and ally in the fight to keep your kids safe online!
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Excellent point. Most of these offences arise from a curosity in the child’s mind to go out and have an entirely new relation with someone who can offer them something different and in most cases they come out second best.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Fine article..Did make excellent reading.Parents these days have to play a dual game of understanding and monitoring for the best of their children.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Kids may know the type of encounter (sexual) that they’re pursuing, but they rarely understand the full range of criminal activities which are involved.