Teen Girls: Gullible Targets of Cyber Enticement
Some teens are being tricked into producing sexually explicit images of themselves online. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has found that up to 10 percent of children identified in pornography are teens who produced the images themselves. In most cases, older men pose as younger “boyfriends” on social networking sites like MySpace and Friendster and entice girls into sending the images, which they keep for personal use to sell or use for blackmail purposes.
Teens and pre-teens are generally inexperienced and often gullible targets, and an alarmingly large number of them post identifying information online, including their names, home addresses and phone numbers. Not coincidentally, the U.S. Justice Department has reported a 1000 percent increase in "cyber enticement" of children cases.
State and federal legislators have attempted to keep up with these increases through new and proposed statutes, but it is extremely difficult to keep pace with the problem. MySpace, alone, receives seven million images daily. Therefore, parental involvement is key. Learn how to create your own MySpace page so you can check your child’s page and even block access to the site.
Body Art Puts Teens’ Health at Risk
Turn on MTV or walk through the mall – tattoos and body piercings are everywhere. Many baby boomers and soccer moms have jumped on the “body art” bandwagon too, and conflict can arise when minors want the opportunity to also express themselves. Because laws are in place to prevent kids from getting “body art” if underage, teens sometimes take matters into their own hands. These kids can put themselves at great risk if they attempt to handle piercings or tattooing themselves.
Even when sanitary conditions are carefully controlled, kids are at risk for infections (including hepatitis B and C, and tetanus), nerve damage, allergic reactions and scarring. What’s more, over time oral piercings can precipitate gum problems and damage teeth.
Stress & Anxiety Linked to Unsafe Sex?
Even though most teens understand how HIV/AIDS is spread, they still make up half of all new HIV infections every year. One possible way to address this alarming statistic is to help teens manage their emotions, according to experts.
Stress and anxiety interfere with decision making, and researchers find that kids who feel they don’t have control over their lives and are stressed and anxious are less likely to use condoms. So when an adolescent is worried about social concerns or struggling with low self-esteem, he or she may prioritize those issues ahead of acting safely and responsibly. Teens who feel they can effectively cope with stress, are comfortable discussing sexual issues, and understand birth control use will make better decisions – whether those are to abstain or to ask a partner to use a condom.
Phishing: One More Thing to Worry About
Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is major online weapon of identity thieves – and your teen may be a potential victim. Phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masking as a trustworthy source.
These scams take many forms and can entice kids to provide information that should be kept private. Such scams can be attached to anything that "requires" personal information and even can be included in song downloads and contest entry forms, popular activities for teens on the Internet.
And now, more teens than ever are having their identities stolen – something most parents had only feared for themselves. The Federal Trade Commission estimates there are up to 400,000 cases annually. These kids are easy targets because they are not “financially active.” This means their credit is usually good; and, because they are not applying for jobs, loans or other credit, ID thieves can take advantage of the stolen identity for years before anyone discovers the problem.
The Internet Generation:
Find out how to keep your child safe online!
Today’s kids have grown up online. Finding their way around the Internet and posting on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook are all part of their everyday lives. But in this online world … What are they saying? Who are they “talking” to? How can we keep kids away from danger – both emotional and physical? With The Internet Generation, you’ll learn the latest facts and advice to help keep your teen safe. Click here to get yours today and to preview the video.
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