Kids are out of school for the summer and that means many of them will be picking up their phones and heading onto social media even more to communicate. In that, there is a potential for danger.
Recently, police say a Syracuse man pleaded guilty to getting child pornography from several minors on Snapchat. Another man, from Illinois, pretended to be a teenager online in an effort to coerce and entice a 15-year-old girl from Dutchess County to engage in sexual activity, according to authorities.
The Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center says there is an estimated half a million online predators active each day.
Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the SAFE for Kids Act, which she says will help combat online addiction. The new law aims to restrict when and how minors interact when using apps like Instagram and TikTok, and penalize companies that use or sell personal data without consent.
Hochul said the measure targets algorithms in particular because, "in order to liberate our children, we have to get right to the source of the trauma that's being inflicted on them." That trauma doesn't only come from addiction, but being victimized by online predators, according to proponents of the legislation.
Breanna Fuss spoke with Debbie Schutt, the family engagement and resource manager for Parent Network of Western New York, about what to look out for when having a conversation with an online user.
Here are several signs to look for in kids from the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center that could indicate an unhealthy situation involving socil media:
- Spending an increasing amount of time online
- Becoming secretive about their online conduct
- Switching screens or closing tabs or windows whenever a parent is close
- Using sexual language they would not be expected to know
- Becoming emotionally volatile
Additional helpful information for parents can be found at iroc2.org and commonsensemedia.org.