by H.B. Corse

Created on: June 26, 2009

The Internet and communication through technology are quickly becoming the number one methods of social contact for children, teens and adults in the American Society. The feeling of anonymity online, along with the relative ease of expanding a social network beyond normal geographical boundaries, give online social networking an inarguable appeal. People that would not normally involve themselves in social scenes can get online and become involved without feeling like they are risking themselves emotionally. As it turns out this is not necessarily true. When a person begins to develop relationships online they are doing just that; they are developing a relationship, and as with any relationship there are risks involved. Children and teenagers because of lack of emotional experience and maturity are especially susceptible to this type of surprise emotional involvement. This vulnerability makes children and teenagers more easily manipulated and drawn into risky behavior online and in rl (real-life).

As a parent you may wonder, how do I know if my child is at risk online? The answer is simple. If they have access to the Internet they are at risk. Parents should not wait for signs to begin monitoring their child's activity online; they should begin monitoring before they child knows how to turn on the computer. Start early and speak with your child about the dangers of the Internet and how to avoid risky situations. Contact the school or your local police department to obtain information on how to prepare yourself and your child to go online. Try to familiarize yourself with the popular social networking sites (currently Facebook, Myspace etc.), IM (Instant Messenger) Clients (AOL, Yahoo, MSN), and blog (weblog) sites (Twitter). Also explore the various parental control systems (examples: Cyberpatrol, Netnanny, Safe Eyes, and Microsoft Windows Vista Integrated parental controls) available to assist you in monitoring your child's activity online. The more prepared you are beforehand the more likely your child will know when to remove themselves from risky activities. No matter how prepared you are, however, there is still a chance your child will put themselves at risk. Here are a few signs to watch for to help you recognize if it happens to your child:

1) Sudden or abnormal desire for privacy while online. If a child is unconcerned about privacy, and then suddenly changes behavior it may be cause for concern. Speak to the child about the

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