ICAC safety tips
• There is no "safe" chat room. Anywhere that there is the capability of "chat" or instant messaging, there is the potential for predators.
• If a child is solicited online, ICAC recommends they turn off the computer screen — not the computer itself — tell a trusted adult and contact authorities.
• ICAC agents say parents should move computers out of bedrooms into common areas where children's Internet activities can be observed.
• Parents should know who is on their children's "buddy lists" and who are their MySpace friends.
• Children should be careful about what information they give out online.
• Teenagers are encouraged to think before posting. Web cam sessions and photos can be captured and circulated online, much to a teen's embarrassment.
• ICAC says parents should watch their children's computer habits. If a child gets online at the same time every day for hours and gets upset if that time is interrupted, it could be sign of trouble.
• If your computer slows down, it could be infected by "porn bots" or "spyware."
Sources: Utah ICAC task force, Netsmartz411.org, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
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