Lakeville Officials Urge Vigilance for Youth Internet Safety
A School Resource Officer highlighted pervasive digital dangers and emphasized parental responsibilities during a presentation to the City Council.
Lakeville parents are being strongly urged to take proactive steps in monitoring their children's online activities, as local law enforcement emphasizes the growing risks posed by social media and online gaming platforms. During a recent presentation to the Lakeville City Council, Officer Christine Good, a School Resource Officer serving Meuire Century Middle School and Kenwood Trail Middle School, outlined how criminals exploit digital spaces to target youth and stressed the enduring nature of online content.
Officer Good detailed the various platforms criminals utilize to engage with and prey on children. She cautioned parents about the broad spectrum of digital environments where children may encounter danger, from popular social media apps to seemingly innocuous gaming platforms.
Criminals use online platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, any kind of gaming platform, Roblox, Minecraft, you name it to commit crimes and prey on kids.
A significant point of concern raised was the indelible nature of digital footprints. Officer Good reminded attendees about the lasting impact of online sharing, underscoring that once something is posted online, it rarely disappears.
Things that we post online are accessible forever. So, if somebody puts something out online, it's another important thing to remember that it can always be accessed.
Empowering Parents in the Digital Age
Officer Good strongly advocated for parents to assert their guardianship over their children's digital lives. She clarified that parental rights extend to digital devices and content, regardless of who paid for the device, and stressed the importance of setting clear rules and expectations for internet use.
Your kids' phones belong to you. Even if they pay for it, you are their guardian. You can take the phone away if they are not complying with your internet safety rules. And you need to set those expectations for them and follow through if they don't comply.
She further emphasized the protective role of parents, highlighting that parental oversight is not an invasion of privacy but a fundamental aspect of ensuring child safety in the digital realm.
Your kids do not have privacy from you in that aspect. You are tasked with keeping them safe and making sure that you know what they're doing online.
The presentation also acknowledged the challenge parents face in keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology. Officer Good noted the advanced digital literacy of today's youth compared to many adults, citing new applications and artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT as examples of technologies that are developing faster than many adults can track. This gap necessitates ongoing parental education and vigilance to effectively safeguard children online.
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Criminals use online platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok, um any kind of gaming platform, Roblox, Minecraft, you name it to commit crimes and prey on kids.
Things that we post online are accessible forever. So, if somebody puts something out online, it's another important thing to remember that it can always be accessed.
Your kids' phones belong to you. Even if they pay for it, you are their guardian. You can take the phone away if they are not complying with your internet safety rules. And you need to set those expectations for them and follow through if they don't comply.
Your kids do not have privacy from you in that aspect. You are tasked with keeping them safe and making sure that you know what they're doing online.
Kids are way ahead of adults these days. Um, utilizing things like chat GPT and other apps that are just evolving quicker than we can keep up with.
Source document
[0:00] Hi there. I am Officer Christine Good.
[0:02] I'm the school resource officer for the
[0:05] middle schools Meuire Century and
[0:07] Kenwood Trail Middle School. I'm here
[0:09] today to talk about prevention and
[0:11] things that parents can do to keep their
[0:13] kids safe on the internet and social
[0:15] media. One thing really important to
[0:17] remember is that criminals use online
[0:20] platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram,
[0:23] Tik Tok, um any kind of gaming platform,
[0:26] Roblox, Minecraft, you name it to commit
[0:30] crimes and prey on kids. And also they
[0:33] will and they do pretend to be someone
[0:36] they're not just to get in to become
[0:39] friends with kids. And they also pray on
[0:42] adults and elderly alike. things that we
[0:44] post online are accessible forever. So,
[0:47] if somebody puts something out online,
[0:49] it's another important thing to remember
[0:51] that it can always be accessed. Kids
[0:53] need to be very, very careful about what
[0:55] they post. A reminder for parents, your
[0:57] kids' phones belong to you. Even if they
[1:00] pay for it, you are their guardian. You
[1:03] can take the phone away if they are not
[1:05] complying with your internet safety
[1:07] rules. and you need to set those
[1:09] expectations for them and follow through
[1:12] if they don't comply. Follow your kids
[1:14] on social media if you allow them to
[1:16] have accounts. Don't let them have
[1:18] friends that they don't know in person
[1:21] or accept friend requests. Make sure
[1:23] that you have all of your kids passwords
[1:25] for their social media accounts. Check
[1:27] those accounts randomly and often. Your
[1:30] kids do not have privacy from you in
[1:33] that aspect. you are tasked with keeping
[1:36] them safe and making sure that you know
[1:38] what they're doing online. Utilize
[1:40] features that lock down the phone um
[1:42] such as life 360s um or screen time
[1:45] limits. Uh I also with my daughter I
[1:48] actually have her plug in her phone to
[1:50] charge overnight. She does not have it
[1:52] alone in her room overnight. Also talk
[1:54] with kids about the new apps that
[1:57] they're using. Uh, kids are way ahead of
[1:59] adults these days. Um, utilizing things
[2:02] like chat GPT and other apps that are
[2:05] just evolving quicker than we can keep
[2:07] up with. So, it's a good idea to keep up
[2:09] with them and share that with them.
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Other Topics from This Document
Parental Oversight and Device Management
Emerging Technology Awareness and Parental Education
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