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Online Predators: How They Find and Hurt Kids?

How They Find and Hurt Kids?

Introduction: what is an online predator?

An online predator is an individual who exploits underage persons sexually over the internet. Also known as paedophiles, they may use various tactics to lure a child over a given time. This may be through gifts or nonetheless, through extortion and other methods. Such attackers don’t hit the nail on the head at once; they take their time, getting to know their targets. They’ll generally be aware of the latest music, fads, or the interests of their target age group. In a matter of time, they’ll find their way to chatting, sending messages and commenting on their targets’ posts, who are mainly innocent children.

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Why parents should know about online predators?

There is a point in time when as a parent, you would worry about online predators. And with the emergence of technology, children spend lots of time online. This would be constructively or destructively.

Even though the former has no cause of alarm, children are not wired to think fast like adults. Hence, they become an easy target for any ill-motive behavior from such predators. As a result, many dangers elope, putting your kid at great risk.

    • Sexting

Online predators may use sexting as a form of quenching their thirst. With this, your kid will be exposed to sexual messages and images, degrading their morale. These predators may also go ahead to sexually engage their victims after arranging for physical meetings.

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    • Violence

Some predators may pause as good friends who only engage in gaming activities. Meanwhile, the motive behind such an act is to introduce your kid to violent behavior through certain online games. These are the kids who become rebellious and difficult to handle.

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    • Phishing

Some unscrupulous individuals may also impersonate your kid once they obtain the necessary information to aid them. Disclosing personal information to unknown individuals posses a great risk to your kid’s identity.

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    • Cybercrime

This is another danger especially if personal credit details are accessed by online fraudsters. Your kid’s bank account could be wiped within a few minutes by fraudsters.

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    • Cyberbullying

The victims are young and vulnerable. They often fall prey to cyberbullying from such predators. In the long run, they’ll feel alone, tortured, and not worthy.

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    • Suicide

In extreme cases, these young minds are not able to bear the shame and pain afflicted by their online predators. And when it gets to blackmail, some end up committing suicide for fear of being blamed for the unfolding scenarios.

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The warning signs of an online predator

Online predators are smart and will go out of their way to win your trust. As a parent, you ought to educate your child on warning signs of such unscrupulous individuals.

#1. Willingness to communicate privately

An online predator will go the extra mile to lure your kid from an online site to a private means of communication. It could be via Skype, instant messaging, and phone calls.

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#2. Inquiring about your emotional state

They would want to know whether you are bothered by anything. As by this, they can quickly take advantage and let you open to them. That’s where they’ll know your weakness especially when you cling to them.

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#3. Inquiring about personal information

This is another warning sign of an online predator. It could be that they want extra information to get back to you physically. These include where your kid stays and schools.

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#4. Researching

Predators will research about you to know all about your lifestyle. It may be surprising they’ll quickly know about things that you never disclosed to them.

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#5. Disrupt normal relationship

Some online predators will play the cool friend, destabilizing your relationship with your family and close friends. They’ll even suggest that your family neither appreciate nor love you.

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How online predators find and access the victims

Online predators use several strategies to woe their victims. Their main aim is to establish contact with those they deem vulnerable like kids. And come to think of it, they are smart! They engage the latest mode of technology to evade being exposed.

Through gifts

They know what they want in the end. So, dishing out gifts is one way of luring their targets to their bosom. Furthermore, they’ll devote their time and energy and make their victims feel like they are thought of.

They are manipulative

They know where to hit to get what they want. Online predators can frame situations and strive to create cognitive distortions that will hit hard at their victims. With time, such victims lose balance and fall into their traps.

They create conducive environments

Some online predators know how to frame emotions. So, when a victim experiences a certain problem, the predator will quickly identify with that problem, in the pretext to show they care. So, a victim may think they have met a friend who cares whilst that is not the case.

They target non-closely monitored kids

Kids whose parents seem busy and are not closely monitored may fall victim to online predators. These culprits are smart and will always want to know whether your parent knows your moves or what you share online. If they don’t, then such victims become their top-most targets.

How do parents protect kids from online predators?

It is a heavy burden on parents, knowing that some people with ill-mannered behaviors may lead their kids astray. Hence, parents are striving to protect their kids by all means. These tips are vital in teaching your kids how to keep off online predators.

    • Observing offline safety rules

Let your kids know that agreeing to an in-person meeting with friends from online chats is wrong. Especially when cohered to meet with such person without being accompanied by a close relative. It is also wise to let kids know that receiving text and images from strangers is wrong. Encourage them to share with you some of such content.

    • Openly discuss about online predators

It is important to alert your kids of such individuals. With the correct information, he/she will be able to easily identify and online predator. Also, encourage them to talk openly, disclosing all information from such victims.

    • Encourage them to avoid gifts from strangers

As earlier seen, most online predators use gifts to lure their victims. It’s wise to educate your kids on what they are sage to take and what they are not. Furthermore, they should also avoid sharing of personally identifiable information with people they meet online.

    • Use a surveillance method

There are available tools that can help to monitor your child’s online activities. And since most online predators meet their victims in chat rooms, such tools will record any viable information that you request. There are numerous kinds of parental control tools in the market to choose from.

FamiSafe

FamiSafe is the most reliable parental control app that can help you protect y our kids from online predators. Among its abilities include location tracking, web filtering, app blocking, among many others. Check out some main features that will help you keep your child safe at all times.

  • Web Filtering
  • Location Tracking & Geo-fencing
  • App Blocker & App Activity Report
  • Screen Time Limit & Schedule
  • Explicit Content & Suspicious Photos Detection

1) App block & Usage

FamiSafe works smart by blocking any app that you pinpoint to be inappropriate. With this feature, you are at liberty to closely watch any threats online such as sites that promote adulterated content. Hence, you can block such sites or the applications used and keep your child safe from online predators.

new app blocker usage

2) Activity Report

As a parent, it is vital to know what your child engages in throughout the day. Activity Report feature will let you know all the daily app activity from your kid’s phone. It, in turn, gives you the authority to regulate what your kid does in your absence.

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3) Explicit content detection

As long as suspicious texts are detected, you will receive real-time alerts. This feature lets you detect any sent text or received text that contains phrases or words that you’ve marked as suspicious. Simply create your alert words list and get notified instantly when such are used on your kid’s phone.

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4) Suspicious photo

Again, your kid’s phone gallery may harbour various pictures some of which may be inappropriate. This feature lets you receive alerts whenever any suspicious picture gets its way into the phone gallery.

suspicious photo

Conclusion

It’s a tussle for parents trying to keep their kids safe online. Nonetheless, online predators have also been perfecting their paths, especially, with the emergence of modern technologies. So, with such trends, it needs extreme efforts of parents to keep their kids safe from such scrupulous.

How can parents also perfect their guarding tactics?

This article introduces the most reliable parental control app to aid parents in keeping their kids safe. FamiSafe will help you keep pace with the rising trend of technological advances. It is easy to use, needing no tech know-how to operate.

editor image

Thomas Jones

chief Editor