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SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK
Whether it’s gaming, social media, or dating apps, meeting strangers online poses serious risks to teens’ safety. Help support policies to establish alert systems that can help save teens who are victims of online predatory behavior.
TODAY’S TOPIC
Pink Alert System - Advocating for Community Tools to Keep Parents Informed of Online Predators
In recent news, Hailey Buzzbee, a 17-year-old girl from Indiana, went missing, and was found dead in Ohio. Authorities believe she was killed by a 39-year-old man with whom she had connected via online gaming. This tragedy has sparked community interest in establishing an alert system that lets community members know when a child goes missing in connection with online predatory behavior. Currently, the criteria for AMBER alerts and Silver alerts do not quite cover the circumstances of Hailey’s disappearance, and citizens in Indiana want to change that. The new system, if it is developed, would be called the Pink Alert. Families have come together to write a petition to have this system integrated in Indiana.
What’s unique about the Pink Alert system is that it would allow evidence of contact with strangers online to trigger an alert for a missing person in the area they were most recently known to have been. The tricky part is that parents don’t always know when their child has connected with a stranger online, and there are now so many platforms which use audio, video, and text tools to connect that can be challenging to trace in an investigation. Having the ability to monitor your child’s messaging apps, however, is a strong start for protecting children from predators online, as many communications with strangers online continue from audio and visual platforms to text platforms.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Beyond using applications that can monitor your children’s messages, it is important to create safe spaces for your child to talk with you about their online interactions with strangers. As younger generations have grown up with connective technology readily available 24/7, it can be challenging as a parent to appreciate just how integral online spaces can be for children as they shape their identity through interactions online. Nevertheless, in seeking independence, children can find themselves isolated, and vulnerable to online predators. Below are some tips for building conversations about technology use with your child:
Set aside time without technology: Talk with your child about reserving time to put aside phones, computers, and tablets. If you can all agree on an hour each day that you will put devices away, it can not only reduce dependence on technology, but it can show you when your child might be particularly anxious to give up their device, which can instigate conversation or at least alert you that something may need your attention.
Show interest in their online activities: Some of the games kids like to play may seem strange, but if the gaming space is a place where they feel seen and empowered, it has value to them. Taking an interest in that space for them by asking questions or playing along yourself can help build trust with your child if they encounter bad actors in those spaces. It can also give you a better idea of the kinds of interactions they may have in those gaming spaces.
Stay connected with location tracking: There are a variety of applications, like Boundrees, allow you to see where your child’s device is. These can help monitor your child’s activities, though it is easy to overuse and abuse location tracking applications, so make sure you establish clear boundaries with your child when it comes to checking their location.
