Our Coral Gables community was rocked recently when a local teenage girl was lured into the home of a 32-year-old man. The man was caught dropping the teen off, and later arrested and charged with victimizing a minor. Police are currently investigating what happened, but they are also taking steps to raise online safety concerns in Coral Gables so this doesn’t happen in our community again.
The lawyers of Colson Hicks Eidson want to do our part to keep our community’s children safe. So we are sharing the Coral Gables Police Department’s six steps to help prevent your child from falling victim to an online predator.
- Talk to your teen about the dangers of posting pictures and personal information online. Anyone could see what they post and it could affect their future college prospects, employment, or friendships.
- Limit and monitor the time your kids spend online, because too much time online could indicate a problem.
- Put the computer your kids use in a high-traffic area, like the living room or a family room.
- Some online predators meet their victims in chatrooms and message boards, but they often reach out and send texts and e-mails too. Be aware, and let your kids know not to give out sensitive info like their cellphone numbers or e-mail addresses.
- You should also tell your kids not to meet up with someone they met online without your knowledge or help. Sometimes it can even be better to just not meet online friends in real life at all.
- If you suspect that your child could be a potential victim of an online predator, or that your child has been victimized, contact local law enforcement, the FBI, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Colson Hicks Eidson—Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.local10.com/news/coral-gables-police-releases-internet-safety-tips-for-parents/34528688