Online Predators

Online Predators

An online predator is an individual who, "attempts to sexually exploit a person through the use of on-line services and the Internet. Some of these individuals gradually seduce their targets through the use of attention, affection, kindness, and even gifts ("FBI -- Parent Guide to Internet Safety")." One in five teens that use the Internet frequently say they have been approached by an online predator. Between the years of two-thousand and seven and two-thousand and nine, more than seven-thousand six-hundred suspected predators have been arrested for targeting children, and there are currently over three-million five-hundred-thousand sexual images exposing children in the United States alone ("Online Predators Prey on Kids - ABC News"). The Internet is full of predators who wait patiently for their next victims. Children must be especially careful when surfing the World Wide Web for this very reason. Unfortunately, the Internet is not as safe as we would all like it to be. Everyone is at risk of being approached by an online predator; young teens are at the highest risk because of their curiosity, lack of knowledge, and willingness to trust.

An online predator can be anyone. It could be a business clerk, a priest, or even the young man selling ice cream cones on the corner. These predators may not even be after little boys and girls. A lot of predators attempt to target young teens. "Contrary to

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popular belief, most online predators are not pedophiles. Pedophiles target pre-pubescent children, while online predators typically target adolescents who engage in risky online

behavior ("Predators")." All the hysteria of online predators is focused around dirty old men trying to seduce young boys and girls, but predators can be people of all ages, even teenagers.

Predators have been around since the beginning of time. However, having been given a new tool that allows a person to become anyone they desire, predators have begun to move to the internet as a means of fulfilling their twisted desires. "In the past, predators aspiring to victimize their prey would have to meet, interact with, and secure the trust of their victims in the physical world... Today, the Internet has created a whole new playground in which predators lurk and lure children. Internet chat rooms and Instant Messaging applications are widely popular among the young American online population (Walpole, Jacobs, and Jorgensen)." Internet chat rooms, social networking sites, such as Facebook and Myspace, and other websites that allow social interaction have made it far more efficient to stalk and/or lure a person. Through a social networking site, a predator can see your pictures, your work, your school, your address, your events, your interests, and even a miniature bio. Essentially, he has almost your entire life in a right before his eyes. He could even create his own fantasy relationship with you from just a few clicks.

Children of all ages often think they know the dangers of Internet usage, but, in reality, they are quite naïve about online relationships ("Online Predators - Child Safety - Microsoft Protect"). While they may be aware of some Internet dangers, there is much

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to be learned before they are fully equipped with the necessary skills for safe Internet browsing. "It is time to move beyond the fear and provide young people with the

guidance they need to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to online concerns, including online strangers (Willard)." To administer the knowledge required for proper browsing, parents and teachers must educate their youth in a way that will both help them see the dangers of the Internet and allow them to recognize a potential threat.

There are websites on the Internet that are designed to let a person talk to strangers in a private setting. One such site is Omegle.com. This website requires no signup, no age verification, no form of registration whatsoever. There is not even a chat filter. You simply go to the website, select the "talk to strangers" option, and the server automatically pairs you with a stranger. "This site's catchphrase, "Talk to strangers!" says it all. Though created by an eighteen year-old, Omegle is not for kids. The site puts two strangers together in a chat room. Though chat starts out anonymous, users often ask for and share personal information. Language is uncensored, and sexual come-ons and requests are common ("Omegle - Website Review")." While this website may have had fun and harmless intentions upon its creation, it has evolved into a website where sexually explicit dialogue is more than regular. Such a site may be appropriate for older teens or young adults, as their judgment is more developed. Younger children, however, are considerably more naïve and much more vulnerable to online predators via this form of interaction.

Warning: the following paragraph contains dialogue of sexually explicit nature.

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Skeptical to the fact that a chatroom's participants could be so vulgar, I decided to try Omegle for myself. Upon entering the chat, I was immediately asked for my "ASL

(age, sex, location)." I decided to play the role of a seventeen year-old female from Virginia. After giving this information, I found I was talking to a twenty-seven year-old male from Washington State. He took no time in asking me to exchange pictures. After stating that I did not own a web cam, he asked if I would like to call him so that we could engage in "super hot phone sex, baby." I told him that I did not have a telephone at my disposal, and he ended the chat. I decided to start another chat session. Instead of being asked for my ASL, I received a message saying, "horny 24 year old male looking for horny female 16-29." Though