The exploitation of children is big business these days. Just ask Michelle Collins.
As the executive director of Exploited Children Services at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Va., Collins makes it her business to keep up on the latest tactics of adults who exploit kids, especially through sexually abusive images.
With more than 1,500 active Web sites displaying exploitive pictures of children, the center finds it difficult to keep up with exploiters, who don’t stay in one place on the Internet too long
The article makes no real attempt to provide actual rates of Internet predation–which rates I suspect are far lower than those offering “safety tips” would care to let on.
That “1500” number is a count of sites with “exploitive pictures”, and has nothing to do with whether the Internet played any role in connecting the exploiters to the victims pictured.
Before the Internet, I would assume that the people who produced and exchanged such pictures used the postal service–but we didn’t respond by warking about “mail predators” or propagating “safety rules” for kids sending or receiving letters.
Kendall, thanks for posting this. There is currently a posting on StandFirm that is really concerning me. It’s a video of a young girl which was posted on YouTube by Susan Russell. I agree with this article. The internet is open to anyone who choses to use it. There are lots of predators out there. We may never be able to tabulate just how many incidents of child abuse, pornography, etc. have occurred due to these kids being seen on the internet. The point is that they have happened, and will again. The bottom line is that the danger is there. Exposing kids to the world on the internet is just taking too many chances. I, for one, am not prepared to take those chances. I will continue to protest whenever I see an adult posting a child on the internet, no matter what the reason may be.
[i]All, we tend not to look too favorably on controversies from Stand Firm or other blogs being imported to this blog. Do NOT turn this thread into a discussion of the post at Stand Firm to which Mugsie is referring. Our blogs share a server, but they are otherwise independent of each other. Neither Kendall nor we elves have any control over what Stand Firm posts, so complaining here will do you no good and merely get you on the elves “bad” list!
That said, Mugsie, I don’t mean to disparage the point you’re making about internet safety and concern about videos of kids being posted. But please continue the discussion without reference to today’s controversial post at Stand Firm[/i]
The other day I did a .com instead of a .net and with one more button push bingo!!! there it was. I don’t know how a parent is supose to keep it from their kids. You could sit with them at the computer and I don’t think you can stop it. A typo will get you porno.
Elves, it was never my intention to carry any post from any other blog over to this one, or to “complain” here. I apologize if that’s what you thought. I merely wanted to thank you for posting something of such great importance in today’s very sick world, and referenced that other post due to the same topic being discussed there. It seems too many just don’t grasp the danger they are putting kids in by allowing them to be visible on the internet. That is my concern.
#3, it is very hard to keep our kids from also seeing inappropriate content on the web. Due to that we’ve taken my son’s computer away. We now use the library and home reference materials to help him with researching school projects. If something needs to gotten from the internet, my husband or I will do that for him. Then he will use the content to write his own reports, etc. He’s only 13, and very impressionable, and we just don’t trust letting him on the internet anymore. I’ve resorted to letting him use my laptop on the dining room table with no internet access to type up his reports, etc.
The internet could have been a wonderful tool. It’s sad the sick people in the world have turned it into the worst sort of evil for kids now. But, we shouldn’t be surprised if we know our Bible. It clearly states in the prophecies that the world will become so bad that God will cut things short and intervene before mankind has gone to the point of completely destroying itself.
Mugsie: I think you are very wise. Not many parents would have the courage to restrict – actually, deny – access as you have. How do you deal with TV “soft” porn and supermarket checkout magazine covers? I find them pretty offensive, too!
#5, Helen, we canceled all our cable TV. There is no more TV in our house except videos we rent or borrow from the library. We took away our son’s computer, and also his Play Station. He only gets to use his Play Station when we feel he has earned it, and we only allow him to play certain games. We don’t get a lot of magazines in our house. We only allow him to purchase certain publications, books, etc. So far, that area hasn’t been as big a concern, but if it becomes one, I’ll be going to bat there too. These are pretty drastic measures by today’s standards, I’m aware of that, but I’m not prepared to sacrifice my son’s ability to develop into a mature, responsible, and Godly human being. I’ve never cared much for TV myself for several years now. I prefer to read. We’re encouraging him to read more too. We’re not suffering. If anything, my son has become more level in his moods. He used to become belligerent when we told him to get off the computer or Play Station. He started using a lot of inappropriate speech terms he was learning from TV, computer and gaming. It really concerned me, so I had a firm talk with my husband and proposed these drastic measures. I was soooo relieved when he agreed with me. I was afraid he would not agree. He loves his history and sports on TV. However, he’s not complaining. He, also, is just using videos from the library, etc. I was truly very touched by his support.
I have used the parental controls provided with Internet Explorer 7 and found them quite useful. The child will be unable to connect to any web site unless it has been officially rated as appropriate for his age. Any unrated website is unavailable to the child unless each one is specifically approved by the parent. A Google search will still return the names of websites that are inappropriate, but the child will not be able to access the websites themselves. It’s a lot of work to keep up with an active child, but it does do the job.
[size=1][color=red][url=http://resurrectioncommunitypersonal.blogspot.com/]The Rabbit[/url][/color][color=gray].[/color][/size]
#7, Br_er Rabbit, yes, those are effective to a point. I still don’t trust them to do the job to my satisfaction. However, for my son, the decision to take away his computer was about more than being able to see inappropriate content. There’s also the concern of addiction to the internet. It was adversely affecting his moods, responsibilities, and so much more. He’s improved immensely since we took it away.
Mugsie: Good for you! If only other parents could see your example and follow suit! I also have no TV in my home, and most people just don’t understand how I can survive without it.
I likewise will not have a television in my home.
[size=1][color=red][url=http://resurrectioncommunitypersonal.blogspot.com/]The Rabbit[/url][/color][color=gray].[/color][/size]
#10 Br_er Rabbit, I’m rooting for you. You have my full support.
#9, Helen, you are so right. Most people just don’t understand how anyone can survive without a TV. That’s a clear demonstration of how dependent on “things” our world has become.
The topic of this post, the internet, is probably one of the WORST forms of evil out there right now. It was supposed to be a good tool to make life easier, then satan got hold of it.