How can kids minimize the risk of being victimized?
They should: • Of the 15% of Canadian kids who have met an Internet friend in person, 12% say that the experience was a “bad” one. (Source: The Young Canadians In A Wired World Survey, Media Awareness Network, 2001) Never download images from an unknown source, as they could be sexually explicit. • Tell an adult immediately if anything happens online that makes them feel uncomfortable or frightened. • Choose a gender-neutral nickname. • Never reveal personally identifiable information (including age and gender) online. • Post the family online agreement by the computer to remind them to protect their privacy on the Internet. How can you tell if a child is being targeted? Here some clues that may indicate that a child has been targeted by an online predator: • A child or teen spends large amounts of time online Most children who fall victim to online predators spend a lot of time online, particularly in chat rooms. In such cases, parents should monitor how much time is spent online, and
