Monitoring Internet Usage of Teens

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In the news yesterday, a bright young woman, Peggy Sweeney, answered an ad for a job advertised on the Internet in San Diego and has not been heard from since. Her family is understandably frantic. Also in yesterday’s news , Gordon Cross was sentenced to life in prison for being a sexual predator and molesting children. His method of operation? Trolling the Internet for unsuspecting young victims.

In light of these news article, I think it is important to remind our teens again and again that the Internet is a double-edged sword. Yes, it is fantastic for social networking and for finding huge amounts of information for school work. It has games and videos that can be fun and relaxing. You can find other young people out there who are interested in the same things you are. You can make friends and learn about people all over the world.

But the darker side of the Internet is still there, barely hidden under the glossy surface. Two days ago I finished a book about John Robinson, the first convicted Internet serial killer. The book title is Anyone You Want Me to Be and the title is chillingly accurate. Anyone can pretend to be anything on the Internet and teens, who are just beginning to learn their way around social situations, can be especially vulnerable. Teens who send out personal information and photos of themselves need to be reminded they are no longer in control after they hit that send button and the information can travel all over the world.

As parents, we need to remember to keep computers visible so we can see what our teens are doing and with whom. We need to talk to our children regularly, without frightening them, but to remind them of the potential serious consequences of their Internet usage. We need to be vigilant in our efforts because the predators are equally vigilant. 

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