Sexual Predators and Social Networking Sites

How many of us have a Facebook? How many of us have a MySpace? How many of us have a Twitter, or a My Yearbook, or a Gather? Not sure what these are, parents? All of these strange sounding things I just listed are social networking websites. They can be quite fun to have and manage, if you have the time... and the responsibility. Oh yes, you had better be responsible if you want to be on a social networking site. Because they can be the prime hunting grounds for sexual predators. In this article I will talk to you about the dangers that a sexual predator can present on a social networking site. I will eventually ask you not if you are responsible enough to stay safe on a site, but whether or not your children are.

Social networking sites are all the rage these days (for you older folks, that's a different way of saying the kids are really liking it). Not just for our kids, but for adults as well. All kinds of adults. Even the sick, perverted ones. Sexual predators like to prey upon children more than anything. The concept of a social site has given them a golden opportunity; the chance to observe, befriend, gain the trust of, and trap any child or teenager he (or she, not all sexual predators are male) wants to. They have a process for achieving this.

A predator can hide their identity on these sites. Names, age, pictures, and many more identifying things can all be faked. A person may not even have the slightest idea who they are talking to. The predator will gain the trust of their target first. They may make themselves out to be a new friend, perhaps of the same age or generation. They will engage in extensive conversations with these kids and will eventually ask if they can meet them somewhere. I'm sure you can figure out what happens from there.

Social networking sites may also prove to be the downfall of the sexual predator. Many police departments and private organizations now have agents who go "undercover" to catch online sex offenders. This has proven an efficient tactic, and many predators have been caught this way. However, it is not wise to assume that they will make you safe. Predators are capable of learning, after all.

So with this newfound knowledge, I leave it to you to decide whether or not you trust your children enough to be safe on these social sites. Are they responsible enough?