Keeping Kids Safe Online

Every parent recoils when they hear a report of a child groomed online and many feel uneducated and ignorant as to how it is happening.

BRISBANE, QLD, AUSTRALIA, September 24, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As young people develop their online presence education is proving the key to keeping them safe. It is time to make Stranger Danger Online Education as commonplace as Stranger Danger Offline education.

Every parent recoils when they hear a report of a child groomed online and many feel uneducated and ignorant as to how it is happening.

According to the inaugural Global DQ Index Report released recently, which examines the online habits of children aged eight to 12 as well as the risks they face, such as cyber bullying, gaming addiction, offline meetings and online sexual behaviour.

The report, produced by global think-tank Digital Quotient Institute, surveyed 38,000 children in 29 countries, including highly connected ones such as Japan and South Korea. The combination of children having their own mobile phones and ready access to the Internet has made them more vulnerable to online risks, according to the report.

“Parents educate their children about Stranger Danger offline, reminding them to ‘Yell and tell” and not to accept gifts from strangers. Stranger Danger education has been part of our life for many years and every parent re enforces the message from an early age. With the increase of time children are spending online and the increase in the number of predators online it is time for Stranger Danger Online education to be part of our norm. ” said Kerry Hurst specialist in Child Safety Online.

The reported occurrences of predators are targeting children online is becoming far more prevalent. Predators are targeting young people where ever they can make contact online. Gaming rooms, social media, chat rooms, IRC Internet Relay Chat and the list goes on. Children are not only being targeted for sexual exploitation, they are being lured into other illegal and immoral activities, such as money laundering, online gangs to bully and terrorist groups.

Online is over taking TV as kids pastime. Polls and reports suggest a large number of children are taking risks online, sharing private videos, pictures and divulging personal information.

Kerry Hurst, said: “Educating children in online stranger danger is becoming an essential part of childhood learning, just as it is for offline stranger danger.

Kerry has designed and developed two apps to assist parents in educating young people in how predators target people online. One app is a game for young people to search an online environment and discover the steps predators take to groom and lure them into illegal and immoral behaviour, the other app is for teachers and parents to educate them and assist them in educating children. Both apps include discussion notes to assist in the teaching process.

‘It is time to educate ourselves and our kids to assist them in protecting themselves online rather than instilling fear in them. By breaking down the steps that predators take and understanding the process of grooming young people can be aware that friendships online are not the same as offline’, Kerry said.

Stranger Danger Online is available on IOS and Android.

Life Online for adults, teachers and those who don’t want to play a game is also available on Android and IOS.

Kerry Hurst
Kerry's Computer Company
+61 7 3256 6377
email us here

Stranger Danger Online