Meanwhile, the prevalence of human trafficking recruitment and sex crimes arising from social media platforms <\/a>is rampant. An appalling 82% of child sex crimes<\/a> originate from online social media sites. A sex predator or trafficker often begins a relationship with potential victims through social media by commenting on their posts and sending direct messages. The FBI reports a 2000% increase in child pornography images<\/a> online as of 1996, with 20,000 new images of child pornography being posted weekly.<\/p>\n The United States remains one of the largest producers and consumers<\/a> of child abuse content in the world. In 2018, tech companies in the USA reported over 40 million files of abuse<\/a> to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The stark demand to abuse children and profit from their abuse cannot be ignored. As our children become teens and become more independent and mobile, the dangers grow. A survey of survivors by Polaris<\/a> reported that 26% of their traffickers used the victims\u2019 own social media accounts to exploit them.<\/p>\n A proactive and healthy place to start is by having age-appropriate conversations with your children about the dangers online, and the need to use different tools and methods to keep them safe. Having an understanding of why you are imposing restrictions on their devices will help them have a more supportive attitude rather than a rebellious one. Role-play different situations in which your child may need to say \u201cno thanks\u201d to friends and family when they are invited to surf the web or engage in social media outside of your family\u2019s home and devices. Sign a family technology contract <\/a>to keep everyone accountable to safe practices online.<\/p>\n Hashtag Parenting<\/a> is a great place to get started with a focused collection of up to date resources on the changing digital landscape. This site is a wealth of information put together by social media professional, Suzanne Kosmerl, and clinical social worker and child advocate, Cheryl Kosmerl. This site and its Facebook group<\/a> exist so you can learn about parental control tools for managing devices, apps, and computers. Get advice on talking to your kids about pressures at school, sexting, and developing healthy habits online. They also provide a family technology contract.<\/p>\n You can also consider specific digital management tools, such as BARK,<\/a>\u00a0which monitors children\u2019s internet usage as well as searches through their texts and social media accounts for key words that are of concern. Anti-porn software such as Covenant Eyes<\/a> may be helpful, as well.<\/p>\n Choose a common area of your home to keep and\/or use the computer to prevent web searches from happening in private. Keep an up to date list of all device passwords, and practice a strict no-device policy if your children change the passwords without your consent. Consider only allowing your children to use social media that you understand and for which you have a personal account so that you can follow or friend your child to keep them accountable to safe practices.<\/p>\n Limiting time spent on technology is also an important practice. Home devices such as Circle <\/a>can track and turn off wi-fi during certain times of the day, like right before bed. This device gives parents some intentional control and helps enforce the rules.<\/p>\n Though the risks online are real, so are the benefits of using the web and social media for learning and for good purposes. National speaker, Josh Ochs<\/a> teaches teens to use social media to their advantage. His book Light, Bright & Polite<\/a> focuses on best social media posts and strategies to impress colleges and future employers. The book also discusses common social media mistakes and tips on how to talk to your kids and make a plan. Check out these inspirational stories of teens who are making positive change in the world<\/a> and using social media tools to do it!<\/p>\n Francis Bacon declared, \u201cKnowledge is power.\u201d And while it\u2019s tempting to ignore the realities of the digital world, being armed with knowledge about it is invaluable. As we are seeing in increasing measure, the cost of ignorance may be incredibly high for our children.<\/p>\n![\"daria-nepriakhina-_XR5rkprHQU-unsplash\"](\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/3827123\/daria-nepriakhina-_XR5rkprHQU-unsplash.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSo what can we do to keep our children safe?<\/h2>\n
Talk to Your Kids<\/h4>\n
Choose Your Safety Tools<\/h4>\n
Create Practical Digital Habits<\/h4>\n
Get the Most Out of the Internet and Social Media<\/h4>\n