Parents, beware: Dangers for kids lurk in the Net

It is sad to note that today’s children are constantly bombarded with graphic sexual images and behavior in many forms of media, such as the television, movies, magazines, billboards and tabloids. Consequently, such exposure causes many parents to be concerned because it is in conflict with the morals and values that they want to impart to their children. However, what is most alarming for parents now is the potential exposure of their children to pornographic materials on the Internet.

If children’s exposure to sexual materials through TV, movies and other traditional media forms can still be minimized, the ubiquitous nature of the Internet makes it difficult for parents to protect their children from such exposure to obscene images that include heterosexual and homosexual intercourse (including penetration), fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, bestiality, sadomasochism, bondage, rape and incest. These images do not only involve adults in sexual acts, but children as well (child pornography).

It must be noted that there are more than 60,000 pornographic websites featuring sexually explicit and obscene materials which are easily available to minors (Birch, 1998). Children can come across such inappropriate materials even they don’t purposely seek for. For instance, in the case of this 15-year-old boy. One time, he logged on to the Internet to research about wolves for his term paper in school. He went to an online search engine and typed "wolf" in the search engine box. In just a few seconds, many links with the information about "wolf" came up. Immediately after he clicked on a certain link, he was surprised to see a picture of a woman having sex with a wolf!

Parents might start to think that to protect their children from such exposure, they just restrict them from using the search engine. However, in case many parents still don’t know, children can also accidentally encounter obscene images through their misspelling of a Web address, opening of spam e-mails, or just through innocent surfing.

Barring children from the Internet is neither an option nor a solution to the problem. If children cannot access the Internet at home, they can still do so in other places, such as the school, at a friend’s house, public library, computer rental shops, or Internet cafés. And besides, children have recognized the Internet as an interesting and important tool in the enrichment of their learning and cultural experiences. It is unfair that we deprive them of such benefits.

Rather, this calls for parents to be actively involved in the online activities of their children. For instance, they have to set ground rules in their use of the Internet and make efforts to learn and understand the use of the Internet by taking time out to cruise the Internet together with their children. Educators must also reinforce in children the responsible and wise use of online resources and create strategies that empower children as they go online. This also calls for concerned citizens and organizations to join in the campaign against transmission and distribution of pornography, most especially child pornography, on the Internet.

The bottom line is preparing the children to develop a strong sense of ethical behavior online to know right from wrong and prevent them from being lured into the dark side of the Internet.

JobSight Advantage Inc., in cooperation with the Philippine Center for Missing and Exploited Children (PCMEC), has come up with a seminar to address this need to be aware of the dangers that lurk in the Internet. Parents.On.Line is designed to provide parents, concerned adults and educators the necessary information and safeguards to help them deal with both the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet technology.

The half-day seminar will discuss topics such as:

• The growing problems of computer crimes against children,

• Types of online victimization usually encountered by the youth,

• Profile of a child victim and online predator,

• Risky online behavior of teens,

• Sources of help in cybercrimes against children, and

• Important Internet safety guidelines.

The seminar is also intended to be user-friendly and for individuals who are not computer-savvy.

The Parents.On.Line seminar will be conducted by a team of experts, headed by Alex Ramos, the only computer forensic analyst in the region. He heads the Manila Electronic NBI Crime Taskforce that coordinates electronic crime investigations in the country.

Sponsors that have participated in this worthy cause are Philstar.com, Philippine Airlines, MyDSL and Crabtree and Evelyn.

The second run of Parents.On.Line will be held tomorrow, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Badjao Ballroom of Century Park Hotel. Interested individuals can avail themselves of this seminar for only P1,500, inclusive of meals and materials for the program.

For more information about Parents.On.Line, call JobSight at 890-9590 and 890-9588.