Get An Online Shield Against…. Anything Bad!

There are an estimated 500,000 online predators active each day. Children between the ages of 12 and 15 are especially susceptible to being groomed or manipulated by adults they meet online. According to the F.B.I., over 50 percent of the victims of online sexual exploitation are between the ages of 12 and 15. An estimated 89 percent of sexual advances directed at children occur in Internet chatrooms or through instant messaging.

Photo by Mikayla Mallek on Unsplash

INVISIBLE DANGERS OF ONLINE ACTIVITY

It’s just a photo, right?

You removed your privacy settings to gain followers or meet new people. Someone approaches you on social media or your gaming app, and he is nice. He says flattering things that make you feel special, like you matter. After a while, he even offers you gifts, money, or a fairytale love story. So why not send him the exposing photo of yourself that he is suddenly asking for? It’s the least you can do for someone who seems to care about you and does so much for you. So you send it. All of a sudden, the flattery stops, and threats roll in. He demands more pictures, maybe even a video, or to meet and entertain his friends. It does not feel good anymore; you’re confused but scared he will post those incriminating photos online or send them to everyone in your school. So you do it. All of it.

The contradicting thing about our online lives is the need to hide yet still connect with people and find validity from strangers. Unfortunately, unlike your good friends and immediate family, most online relationships are just air, not natural, something we can’t touch. The scenario above might not necessarily lead to being trafficked, but it will harm you. What if you would like to become president one day? Our online presence is a business card for our future goals, so why not design it as professionally as we can?

MOST COMMON THREATS

AND USEFUL SHIELD TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Let’s familiarise ourselves with the possible threats online and then build our shield to protect ourselves from them. The internet can seem like a tempting faraway land to escape into, to live other lives, and to experience incredible things. Still, it is essential to understand that this land also has a large shadow that lingers in wait for its next victim in each portal you enter. According to the FBI, this shadow consists of over 500,000 criminals online daily, trying to lure teens into their traps.

Someone approaches you online who you do not know in real life. It does not have to be an adult male from a profile. It can also be a profile of a teenager your age. This person might even talk or sound like any of your regular friends. What could happen next?

Threat number 1. Sextortion

An online account you have been chatting with might be an adult (most often a male), and like mentioned above, after a while, will ask for incriminating photos or videos. He will later use these to demand more. There are even cases where these adult criminals pretend to be a young ‘girl’ and ask boys to send graphic videos of themselves. Other cases start with offering currency or credits in a video game in exchange for a quick picture. Some offer love and admiration until they get what they want. This can escalate quickly and make you feel completely trapped and isolated and even bring on depression and anxiety.

• Shield

  NEVER take or share any incriminating photos of yourself that you would not want more people to see. It is also essential to understand that as soon as an adult asks a minor for a graphic photo, they have committed a crime. I would advise that you mention this to an adult you trust (preferably a parent, a teacher, advisor, etc.) who can have this checked out by the FBI (link here) and hopefully stop this criminal from hurting other teens like yourself.

Threat number 2. Personal information extortion.

You meet someone online, and they ask many personal questions. Where do you live? What school do you go to? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Are your parents still together? Who do you live with? And so on. Again, this might be a fake account, and an adult is trying to get as much information as possible to build a profile from you. In the best-case scenario, he might use it to threaten you for photos or other favors. He might say he will come to your school, bomb your house, or kidnap your little sister. In worst-case scenarios, it might be a trafficker looking for vulnerable youth to groom into sex trafficking. Many teenagers from difficult family backgrounds are targeted online.

• Shield

  NEVER share any personal information with someone you don’t know personally. It is none of their business. Treat your online relationships as you would when you meet a stranger on the street. Would you tell a random guy your home address? I hope not. The same goes for your online life.

Threat number 3. The meet-up (the scariest one)

You’ve met someone online, and after a while, they ask you to meet in person. The reasons may vary. Maybe you think this guy is now your boyfriend who finally wants to meet. Perhaps it’s a ‘girl,’ and you want to meet your new friend. Maybe it’s an online modeling scout with a website and everything asking you to go to a casting. It is probably exciting and dangerous; you can’t wait to meet them.

• Shield

  NEVER meet in person with anyone you have met online. That person will always be in control because they know more about you than you about them. It’s like taking a test only the teacher knows the answers to. You can’t benefit from it. Meeting in person can be extremely dangerous. They might take you to a party, buy you new clothes and toys, or even take ‘casting’ photos of you. And you go back home happy, but then the next time…. A lot of sex trafficking victims come from difficult backgrounds and are targeted because of that. A lot of children get abused by their family members. However, teens from perfectly functioning families are also groomed into trafficking or abuse. Don’t let yourself be one of them! If it truly is a modeling scout (which I doubt), go with an adult the first year to each appointment. Trust the most established agencies that have worked in the industry for many years.

Don’t sell yourself short. Use the internet to educate yourself, build your future, connect with real friends and family, and get inspired by others. Help your friends understand the threats and how to make your shields. Then, you won’t need love, validation, credits, or gifts from strangers online. Best of all, this can all be done while having your privacy settings on.