spring cleaning your kids online safety

Spring feels like it is right around the corner! Thankfully that means the kiddos can get out of the house to play outside. I think we can all agree we are ready to put the tablets, iPads, and Chromebooks away for a little while. Although these devices have made virtual learning possible, they pose great danger to our youth as well. 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is committed to ending Online Enticement. Online Enticement involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. In a NCMEC analysis of Online Enticement reports, 98% of reported offenders were seemingly unknown to the child offline. In the same NCMEC analysis of Online Enticement reports, 78% of reported victims were female, 13% male, and in 9% of reports gender could not be determined.

In an effort to safeguard our youth from the dangers of the online world, NCMEC has operated the CyberTipline,® to provide the public and electronic service providers with the ability to report suspected child sexual exploitation.  After NCMEC’s review is completed, the CyberTipline report is made available to the appropriate law enforcement agency. 
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To make a CyberTipline Report, visit report.cybertip.org. 
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NCMEC has also recently released the second season of their animated web series that teaches kids K-5 how to stay safe online. There are a multitude of lessons, such as cyberbullying, livestreaming safety & reporting inappropriate content. Check out the first season of the web series HERE and the second season HERE. 
Let’s help our youth stay safe online!