Secaucus Police Department Sgt. Mike Reinke and Secaucus High School teacher and past technology advisor Michael Gehm gave an informative and often startling presentation to a handful of parents at the Secaucus Public Library in Wednesday.The pair talked about the vast positive uses of computers, but also focused on the dark side of the Internet - child predators. Resident Peggy Cirone said she has a 14-year-old daughter, and the presentation was just "another step to help protect my kid." "I learned a lot, especially the analogy between chat rooms and letting strangers into your home," she said. "This was an eye-opener - not a presentation."
The Internet defined
Reinke began the 2.5-hour talk with a history of the Internet and the basic capabilities and concepts for parents. He said the Internet began as a Cold War project to create a communication network for espionage situations. In the 1969, the U.S. government was able to connect four western universities and allow researchers to use the mainframes of any of the networked institutions.
By 1977, there were over more than connections. That number ballooned to almost 4 million by 1994. In North America, statistics say 68 percent of households have on-line capabilities.
"Parents need to understand the size of the audience that information you put on the Internet can reach," Reinke said. "It provides a limitless population of potential victims to criminals. It is easy for criminals to maintain their anonymity. In the last 20 years, the Internet has grown so large, it is hard for law enforcement to keep up with it." Reinke made the analogy of how the Internet, which is generally in a private spot like a child's bedroom, becomes the conduit by which an avalanche of strangers are let into the home.
He said since current laws use different terminology, computer-related crime is sometimes thrown out of court. Anyone can hide their identity, true age, and intentions through the screen names used on the Internet. Chat rooms, a youngster favorite, are particularly vulnerable. In a chat room, users communicate in real time to each other. The problem is you can never know to whom you are really talking because you don't see them or hear their voice.
"Pedophiles take all the time in the world to get to know a child by asking innocent questions that can give information that will help them locate your child," said Reinke. "They develop confidence and friendships by getting to know them, playing up to their innocence and inexperience."
The trouble with MySpace
Gehm said that many teens, through naiveté, do something they think is fun and wonderful that puts them at risk to predators. He put forward a list of uncomfortable statistics concerning pornography use.
Gehm said that in August of 2005, 15 billion people were on-line. Many of them are men, some looking at pornography.
"Pornography on the Internet is a $10 billion business," Gehm said. "Many of the large corporations invest in it because it is such a moneymaker. When you consider 79 percent of American men view pornography, and that the largest population of viewers of porn are 12 to 15-year-olds, the danger becomes clear."
Gehm said 89 percent of sexual solicitation occurs in chat rooms. He also said since the Internet has now moved to cell phones, the means of controlling who your child is talking to and what they are viewing becomes more difficult.
"These types of crimes [sexual solicitation of young people by adults] is on the rise and can only get worse," said Gehm.
He showed the audience photos of female Secaucus teens who put photos of themselves showing off their bodies in sexually suggestive attire and poses on a free website, www.myspace.com.
The introduction to the site says that it is "for everyone" and allows talk with each other online, dating possibilities, and photo download capabilities where anyone can put information about themselves on the site. Gehm said students see it as a chance to express themselves with current friends and new ones.
"All the kids you see here are good kids - they're just not thinking. My daughters fell into this trap," said Gehm. "They had the reaction of all kids when I asked them what would they think if a 40-year-old guy was looking at these pictures."
Ways to protect you child
"Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police. Keep current with Internet advancements which change often. Keep the computer in a public area where you can see what you child is up to," said Reinke. "It's up to you to monitor what your child is doing on the Internet."
Reinke said to be cognizant of phone calls made by children, especially long distance ones. Gehm said that by using security systems like Norton and McAfee, parents could put controls on the computer system, limiting the child's access.
Both men said that they are available with anyone who needs help with software or has any concerns or questions about what to do.
"This is the most serious problem we face today," said Gehm. "Help is just a phone call away."
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