Secret Service Speaks on Internet Safety
By E. Mendelsohn
This Tuesday, an agent from the secret service came to Chapin to speak to parents, Middle School, and Upper School girls about Internet Safety. Special Agent Kent McCarthy took time away from protecting presidents and foreign leaders to share cases, statistics and advice for minors who wish to explore the Internet.
Agent McCarthy advocates that children alert their parents if someone they do not know approaches them on the Internet. According to statistics, one in five minors is approached by a stranger online. Agent McCarthy also demonstrated the ease with which an adult can pose as a teenager. Even sites that are members only and geared for young people, such as facebook.com, are not impenetrable.
Agent McCarthy had several suggestions for safe Internet usage. First of all, minors should limit the information they post on the Internet. By posting personal information, such as address or school, on the Web, young people can be easily tracked down. Colleges and employers also have access to many profiles so students should avoid posting compromising materials. Secondly, one should not lie about being underage when creating a profile. This makes it difficult for prosecutors to follow up in a case of harassment or abuse. Finally, minors should take special caution in responding to strangers in chat rooms and with instant messaging. A large proportion of unwanted solicitations occur in chat rooms.
The Internet can be a wonderful tool for communication and information exchange allowing students to connect to one another and the world. But with that connection comes contact to people or things that is not always safe or desired. Agent McCarthy stressed the importance of developing a dialogue based on trust between children and adults so children have help if they encounter a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable. |
