True Stories: You don't always like what you find out
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
 We have heard from parents at different levels of McGruff Safeguard. Some have used the service for one month, others started months ago. Here is a story that recently came in. I wanted to share it with you because sometimes, when you are monitoring your child/teen’s behavior, you may not always like what you find out.
"I used the service to monitor my son's chats. My 16 year-old son has lived
with his mother for many years. He asked to come live with me. Of course I said
yes. After talking to his school, grandparents, and mother, I confirmed what I
already knew from talking with him a few times a week - my son would lie, cheat
and steal to get momentary satisfaction, regardless of any long-term
consequences.
I decided to monitor his activities online. I am so glad I did. Many, many
times I found out he was planning on going someplace he knew he was not allowed,
while telling me he was going to attend a church function, or some other
innocuous activity. I learned how badly he lies to girls; how he boasts of
things that only exist in his dreams; how he had lost his virginity.
Mind you, every teenage boy does some of this, and I allowed some of it to
go "unnoticed" for just that reason. But McGruff Safeguard let me know when my
son was stepping way over the boundaries of teenage foolishness and stepping
into the terminally stupid! The service gave me a look into my son's mind.
Unfortunately, I didn't like what I found there." In situations such as these, are there ever any clear cut ways of handling it? We’re glad to know that it has opened up the eyes of parents. We also hope it has helped open up the lines of communication. We hope to help take out some of the questions you may have about what your teens are doing. Download the free version of Mcgruff Safeguard today! Labels: McGruff Safeguard, online parenting, sneaking around
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 7:40 AM Link to this Article
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Parenting Today
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Growing up today is nothing like it used to be for me, for my parents, or for their parents. It’s a whole different ball game, right? But is it really? Or is the big difference the changes in technology? Or is it the difference in what we consider “acceptable” in today’s society? I wonder this as I write this post. I am going to share a True Story from one of our parents who has been using McGruff Safeguard to monitor her teenager. One of the words she uses to describe culture is “climate.” I really like that word, because maybe the issues haven’t changed. Maybe it’s just a climate that we’ve not had to adapt to as our kids have. Here’s her story:
"I’m not going to drop you in your tracks with stories of how McGruff Safeguard
saved my child from this or that. But I did want to take a second to tell
you that in today's world, my children are growing up in a different climate
than I did. Everyone can pretty much put their finger on that, but it
really makes parenting hard when you don't realize how different it is.
Here, I think I'm talking to her about what I need to be talking to her about and that
I'm parenting in the right way. However, what I found after installing it,
were clues on things that actually were affecting her. I could see I had a
sullen and moody pre-teen/teenager on my hands, but for the life of me, I
couldn't drag the reasons out of her. However, in the past few months, by
just pursuing her conversations and making my own attempts to limit my
"eavesdropping", I have picked up clues to things I needed to be aware of.
I have been able to steer conversations into areas we hadn't yet touched and get
her to actually open up more. I know that it was okay for her to talk to
me. I honestly believe she just didn't know who to broach some
subjects. I now see a happier child and I feel like I made the right
choice. Maybe someday I will have a “drop you in your tracks story.”
I hope not. However, I feel much safer in knowing that I don't have to sit
idly by and watch it happen."
I think this story is brilliant. We hope you can sleep better at night knowing you are aware of what is truly going on inside your child/teen’s world. Maybe we just forget to remember what it’s like to be a teenager since we’re all grown up. I truly think that we often forget in many cases, that understanding is a matter of communication in so many ways. Teens haven’t really learned to communicate that well. This could be out of fear of how we’ll react or fear that we may not understand. I also think we fear how we’ll react. (Where’s the easy button?)
We hope that you’ll be able to use this story and McGruff Safeguard, to understand that it’s all about understanding where your kids and teens are, so you’ll be able to communicate better with them.
What are your thoughts?Labels: McGruff Safeguard, online parenting, True Stories
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 9:18 AM Link to this Article
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Safe Internet Alliance Panel - Confronting Internet Risks Today
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Safe Internet Alliance is hosting a panel discussion today (in about 15 minutes, actually) called the "Framework for a Safe Internet." The conference will host a veritable who's who of Internet moguls--representing giants like Yahoo, Verizon, Microsoft, and AOL--in a series of panels each focused on maintaining a safe Internet for ourselves and our children. Marty Schultz, Chief Safety Officer at McGruff SafeGuard, is also preparing to share today on a panel about confronting Internet risks today. I thought I'd share with our readers a sneak peak at the discussion to ensue in a few hours.
The bottom line: the world is a dangerous place. Ergo, the Internet is a dangerous place. It's simple logic. Unfortunately, however, it's not always so simple to see. The dangers in this world that we as parents grew up with are still there--everything from scraped knees to busy streets, and even ill-willed perpetrators and pedophiles. So, as your child rests comfortably in a desk chair staring at a computer, isn't he or she protected? No.
Here is the mental shift we as parents must make: logging on is tantamount to heading out. Your child, though physically present in your home, is socially traveling the world and encountering a host of new, and also not-so-new dangers. The risks have changed, but the principal is unchanged: the world is dangerous. We must protect our children!
But don't the ISP's, social network policies, and federal regulations keep the internet relatively safe for my kid? They try. But, at a park near a busy street, do you trust the town's police force to keep your kid from darting into traffic? No. They post signs, "children at play," and the like--but ultimately, the role of protecting the next generation falls squarely on the parents.
The only tried-and-true method for keeping kids safe is for parents to accept their responsibility to know what their kids are doing. The only way to do this online is for parents to know not just where their children go online, but what they do when they get there, what they talk about, and to whom they talk. If your child is at the park, that seems safe enough. But if they're over by the bushes talking to the shadowy figure with an eerie look to him--you just might want to know that. You just might need to step in and protect your innocent child from the dangers he or she might not yet understand.
At McGruff SafeGuard, protecting children online is our first objective. If it means speaking at a thousand panels just like today's, we'll be there. We also want to empower every parent to do their part. Learn about our free internet monitoring tool and consider downloading it today.Labels: internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, Safe Internet Alliance
posted by Nick Carter at 5:43 AM Link to this Article
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Controlling Privacy Settings: Be safer online
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
We've talked over and over again on this blog about privacy and social media. Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace--some of the most prevalent social media sites on the web--are also the easiest venues for your child or teen to "put themselves out there" in ways they might not have realized, or even wanted. But today, I want to share with you more than just a warning, I have some actionable tid-bits that you and your child can put into place today.
I must credit Nick O'Neal over at All Facebook for putting together an incredibly detailed list of instructions for protecting your privacy on Facebook. I recommend your read his article (http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/) for a detailed break down. Some of my favorites, ones which I've personally implemented, include the following...
Avoid Photo/Video Tag Mistakes.
If someone snaps a shot of you at the last Christmas party, it's not too harmful for them to tag that photo of you. But what about photos that you might not want out there? Or worse, photos that AREN'T you but someone thinks its funny to say that it is. Change your settings to disallow tagging without your approval.
Control what Basic Information is Shown.
This is indeed basic. Under the “Basic Information” section on the Profile Privacy Page, you can control what is seen on your page. Go thru the list and select what you want shown or not shown. You can go to the News Feeds and Wall privacy page as well to control what actions are shown in your friends feeds.
Make Your Contact Information Private.
For certain friends your contact information is known, but for acquaintances you don’t want to give out all that information.
Avoid the Embarrassing Wall Post.
If a friend or contact posts something embarrassing of your child, Facebook has provided you with the ability to customize the posting visibility.
These are just a few of my top picks. Read the full list and detailed instructions at All Facebook blog.Labels: Facebook, online parenting, privacy, social media
posted by Nick Carter at 11:24 AM Link to this Article
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A Worldwide Problem
I was thinking about something this morning. You know, this whole sexual internet predator thing is not just something we think about here in America. I think that it's sometimes easy to forget, since we live here, that this is a WORLDWIDE problem. I ran across an article by writer, Donna Rice, and wanted to share some of its content.
"Child sexual exploitation occurs in every economic, social, ethnic, and religious group. With the explosion of the Internet into a powerful, worldwide medium, the danger to children, whether they are from New York or New Zealand, has drastically increased. Pedophiles and other sexual predators can use the Internet, with no precautions, to exchange names and addresses of other pedophiles and of potential child victims. Hidden behind screen names that are pseudonyms, they gather online and swap child pornography with amazing speed and in amounts beyond our wildest imagination, which excites them to molest even more.
Offline, pedophiles typically operate in isolation. Never before have pedophiles had the opportunity to communicate so freely and directly with each other as they do online. Their communication on the Internet provides validation, or virtual validation, for their behavior. They share their conquests, real and imagined. They discuss ways to contact and lure children online and exchange tips on seduction techniques. They are using the technology of the Internet to train and encourage each other to act out sexually with children. The Internet also serves as a tool for predators to exchange tips on the avoidance of law enforcement detection.
The most common means by which sexual predators contact children over the Internet is through chat rooms, instant messages and email. In fact, 89% of sexual solicitations were made in either chat rooms or instant messages and 1 in 5 youth (ages 10-17 years) has been sexually solicited online (JAMA, 2001). Considering that 25% of kids online participate in real time chat and 13 million use instant messaging, the risks of such children, either knowingly or unknowingly, interacting with a predator is alarming."
Now think about this…these numbers were from 2001, and the rate has gone up since then! We absolutely MUST teach our children and teenagers how to be safe online. Monitoring their activity is a key way to stop any potential danger that your kids can't see. McGruff Safeguard was created for that reason. We know you can't be around your kids all the time. When you can't, you can rest assured that we can. Help us help you keep your children safe online.Labels: chat room, Internet predators, online parenting
posted by Nick Carter at 10:13 AM Link to this Article
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True Stories: "They started saying things to her that were sexual and degrading..."
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
One of the themes that comes up so often in the discussion of online parenting, protection, and especially monitoring is the unpalatable idea of "snooping" or spying. McGruff SafeGuard is a tool that gives parents insights into their child's activity online, but not for the mere sake of "gotcha's" or a covert sting operation. As one parent writes, "I do not feel like I am invading her privacy because there are so many issues that come up and need to be discussed in today's society."
This parent, like many parents, was not questioning her daughter's integrity. She did not want to invade privacy. This parent wanted to be a good parent--protecting her child from the dangers which might go otherwise unnoticed in the secret realms of social media.
"The service is great! I had a couple incidences with my 14 year old daughter. There were boys at her school that she was friends with and they started to say things to her that were sexual and degrading. I was glad I had the opportunity to view the comments to let my daughter know that what they were saying was disrespectful and that "no boy or man" has a right to talk to any girl the way they did."
When your young teen daughter begins to get unwanted attention from men, there are lots of emotions that can come up. Many times, the child does not feel empowered to tell an authority, as the evil of "tattling" is so ingrained in our early childhood minds. Or, more often, the embarrassment of it all prevents an emotionally fragile teen from talking.
With McGruff SafeGuard, however, this parent was able to see the perverted advances of her classmates and reaffirm her daughter's self-esteem. "No boy or man has a right to talk to any girl the way they did," the mother explained. The mother continued:
"I do not feel like I am invading her privacy because there are so many issues that come up and need to be discussed in today's society. I did, however, tell my daughter that I have the service and that it alerts me to sexual content via email. The service is the most important thing a parent should have if they allow their child freedom on the internet."
This mother chose to let her daughter know she was watching--that if anything came up that might endanger the young girl, that Mommy would be there to protect her. After all, isn't that what our children should know about us as parents? Not that we will be there to bust them, but that we are there to protect them.Labels: children safety, cyberbulling, internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, teenagers, True Stories
posted by Nick Carter at 6:12 AM Link to this Article
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Mind Games
Monday, October 5, 2009
I was talking to my friend last night about our teenage years. We were discussing some of the things we went through as individuals and what we went through with our friends and girl/boyfriends. When she was in high school, she was in a very abusive relationship. She tells me this story and I asked her if I could share it with you because of its prevalence in teenage relationships today.
My friend met Kevin when she was 17 years-old. She was a junior in high school. However, she didn't meet him AT high school. She met him at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. She had been getting involved in drugs, had run away from home, and was often in juvenile detention because of her rebellion. As a result of all the trouble she had been in, her parents put her through a drug and alcohol treatment center. She then had to attend NA meetings. After she met him and spent time with him, they began dating, and she thought she fell in love.
After a few months, she noticed that she never hung out with any of the people she used to. He wanted to spend all his time with her and became upset if she did anything outside that didn't include him. To her, this was sweet because it meant he really "cared." She didn't recognize the signs of this controlling relationship. A few months after that, they became sexually involved. He became verbally abusive, got mad when she did other things, and eventually started "pushing" her around. She knew this wasn't right, but once again, she thought she was in love. It wasn't until after she was finally sick of him being a jerk that she tried to break things off. When she did, he came to her parent's home and threatened to kill himself. He was beating on the door, threatening her as well. The garage door was open and although she had locked all the doors, he was in the garage and had taken the phone off the hook so she was unable to call the police. Thankfully, the doors held up and her parents eventually came home. She filed a restraining order and never saw him again.
I tell you this story because often, when teens think they've fallen in love, it can cloud their judgment. They may not be able to see that their girl/boyfriend is showing signs of potentially dangerous behavior. Because teens do so much of their communication online, these signs are much easily detectable. McGruff Safeguard can follow conversations and keep parents informed on questionable matters and communication. That way, you can be aware of the relationship and help assist your teen in gaining a higher sense of themselves to understand that jealous and violent behavior is wrong and unacceptable.
We want to help you protect your children and teens. Monitoring what is going on in their relationships is one way we can look out when you're not able to.Labels: abuse, internet safety, online parenting
posted by Nick Carter at 5:11 AM Link to this Article
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Protecting your Child's Privacy Online
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
When my brother and I were younger, our parents belonged to a small social club in the tiny one-horse town where we grew up. Every so often, all the families would meet for dinner at the Lions Club lodge in town. At one such meeting, my brother, all of 3 years old at the time, was being particularly restless in his seat. One parent teased, "What's the matter, you got ants in your pants?" A few people chuckled and conversation went on... until a few moments later when mom turned around to find my brother, pants to his ankles, examining carefully to find these ants that must be there somewhere.
That story was funny from the moment it happened (and as you can imagine, my brother would prefer it be forgotten today). At three years old, children have little regard for their privacy and even less grasp on the far-reaching impact this little event would have for the decades to come. It seems nobody is capable of forgetting that story even today.
What we need to remember in the Internet age is that teens aren't altogether more astute as to the far-reaching impact of their actions. They may not even have an altogether higher sense of privacy than my brother did at three. But, what should be most concerning is this: the social network of those who may be on-lookers is infinitely larger than the quaint pot-luck dinner in our tiny town lodge.
My brother would never have dreamed that at the age of 31, old ladies around town would still remember that cute little boy who took a joke too literally. Does your teenager know how far-reaching the Internet community can be, and how permanent a mark can be made? Emotions posted on a Facebook wall, a careless remark in a Twitter feed, or even a indiscreet photo displayed on a MySpace page... all of these have the instant capability reach millions of viewers and to follow a teen into adulthood with consequences no child could foresee.
Mom laughed out loud (or LOL, if you will) as she redressed her totally oblivious son. No harm done and a great story to tell at family dinners. Are you there, at the social gatherings of today's Internet community? McGruff SafeGuard allows parents to "be there" to watch, see what their kids are up to, and keep them from dangers that they may never even know are ahead.Labels: children safety, Facebook, internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, photos, privacy, sexting, teenagers
posted by Nick Carter at 5:49 AM Link to this Article
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I'm the parent. I make the rules.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
When I was a teenager, I save up money to buy my first car. I worked a job before I was sixteen, riding my bike back and forth, and I even built my own herd of cattle (yes, I'm a farm-boy) which brought in some money. Now, couldn't I have just borrowed mom and dad's, or asked them to buy it for me? Sure. But I had a plan.
If I own the car, so I thought, they can't tell me what to do or not do with it. In my imagination, the ownership of the car meant they couldn't take my keys as punishment, restrict my driving privileges, or prevent me from certain activities on the weekend just by denying access to borrow a vehicle. Ah, yes, I was going to free myself from their rule.
I still remember when dad, a stern disciplinarian, brought that rule crashing down on me. I was told not to do something. I directly disobeyed. In our house, that was a cardinal offense. Since the deed had to do with the car, he promptly took the keys. "You can't do that," I exclaimed.
"I'm the parent. I make the rules." He didn't have to think too hard for that reply.
The fact is, at sixteen, the most loving thing Dad could do for me was not to let me do everything I wanted. Now, it took me about a decade to reach that understanding, but it happened nonetheless. I was a kid. I was irresponsible. I made bad decisions. So, my parents helped me learn what good decisions were, what responsibility was, and how to become an adult.
Gillian Shaw recently reported Online Spying is an Aid to Parents. A provocative title, no doubt, but her point was loud and clear. Children aren't ready to fly without a net on the internet. They have far too much propensity to harm themselves or others, sometimes irreparably. And, just as having my own car didn't free me from my parent's supervision, a child's own laptop, cell phone, email address, or social media identity should not be their ticket to total independence.
In her article, Shaw references internet monitoring tools she calls "cyber-sleuthing software for parents." In other words, knowing what your kid is up to. Is your teen permitted to drive wherever they want? Can they take a road-trip to Cancun on a whim? Doubtful. So, what are they doing online? McGruff SafeGuard can help you know, so you can be the parent and make the rules.Labels: McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, teenagers
posted by Nick Carter at 9:41 AM Link to this Article
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Welcome to the World of Sexting
Monday, August 24, 2009
I think it’s pretty safe to say that teenagers are prone to doing things without thinking of consequences. I also think it’s safe to say, had they thought about them, looking into the future, they probably wouldn’t have made the same decisions. Here’s a true story:
Not too long ago, there was a cheerleader in high school who broke up with her boyfriend. Two years earlier, she had used her cell phone to film an inappropriate video of herself. She was only a freshman at the time. Fast-forward to the beginning of her senior year, her now ex-boyfriend sent the video via text to her cheerleading coach and other random friends to ‘get back at her.’ She was kicked off the squad over something she had done as a freshman. She was devastated. Her family was hurt and embarrassed. I mean, think of the emotions you would go through if something like that were to happen to your child…to your family.
The girl in this story does not come from a bad home. Her family is still together, they attend church. They are the kind of family in which you would never expect something like this to happen to. However, it was the consequence of a teenager just not using her head when she was 14 years old. I’m pretty sure her parents never sat down and said; “Now honey, it’s probably not smart to send inappropriate pictures or videos over your cell phone, to your boyfriend.” Quite the opposite actually, since I know the family. It came as a shock.
Not all teenagers do things like in this particular story. I wanted to share it because many times, we have no clue what’s going on inside our kids’ heads. That is why McGruff Safeguard can be a major assistance in communicating with our teens. When we know what's REALLY going on, we are able to lead the conversation in a manner that could make all the difference in the world.Labels: communication, online parenting, sexting, True Stories
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 5:38 AM Link to this Article
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True Stories: "Before it's too late..."
Friday, August 21, 2009
There is a lot of fear involved in parenting. As we talk about protecting children, it's easy to focus on all the dangers that exist. Predators, drugs, violence, profanity, immorality, teen pregnancy, depression, self-destruction... I could go on, but to be truthful, I really don't want to.
Parenting isn't always about rule-setting and boundary-building. Although you wouldn't guess it from the media and the best-seller lists, there is actually more to be enjoyed and cherished as a parent than to be feared. Today's "true story" exemplifies that fact to a tee. After using McGruff SafeGuard as a parental monitoring tool, one parent wrote:
"Some of the examples you gave of how the program helped parents were pretty extreme, which is wonderful. On a much simpler note, I love being able to read about what is going on with the day to day activities of my 13 year old."
That's a breath of fresh air. As a parent, do you ever just want to get to know your child better. At thirteen, this little girl is just barely starting to become an adult. Now, she's not there yet, but a personality is developing that will be the foundation for an adult relationship for decades to come. This mother enjoyed one simple thing: she was getting to know her daughter. She was getting involved. She could pay attention. She could care about her life. She could know her.
The parent continued:
"The best thing about the program is simply being able to direct your conversations with your child about what is going on and having an intelligent two sided conversation about topics of concern. All of this is important to do before it is too late." Some day, this thirteen-year-old girl is going to be a sixteen-year-old driver, and then an eighteen-year-old college freshman, and so on. Meaningful conversations don't have to wait until they're an adult. If you feel like distance is forming... like "mom just doesn't get me" is on the back of your child's mind... maybe McGruff SafeGuard could help in one simple way: get know your child... before it's too late.Labels: McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, teenagers, True Stories
posted by Nick Carter at 7:19 AM Link to this Article
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True Stories: "It has been a great way to open lines of communication..."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sixteen. That magical age when a teen somehow becomes entirely free. They blow out all sixteen candles, their brains mature instantly, their hormones stabilize, and they gain such perspective on life.... oh, and they get car keys, to boot.
We all know it doesn't work like that. But, there are challenges that arise for parents when teens suddenly gain the freedom of wheels and the empowerment to believe they are self-sufficient. Attempts to hold on tighter often backfire in rebellion. But on the contrary, unbridled freedom could leave them vulnerable to risks and dangers they cannot even imagine.
McGruff Safeguard is a monitoring tool that has helped countless parents stay in-tune with their kids activities without crossing the fuzzy boundary between concerned and controlling. One such parent tells this story:
"I got this product after my daughter started talking to a new boy at school... The boy wanted my daughter to meet him after school to get to know each other better. They also decided it would be a good idea not to tell their parents. The boy is 18 and my daughter 16. I found out through the service that they were going to meet and where."
Now, before you wonder if this is spying, intrusive, or otherwise objectionable: the story goes on to reveal that the daughter was in fact suffering from clinical depression. While undergoing counseling and with support from her parents, she wasn't improving. They just weren't able to get through to her, to relate, and to let her know they cared.
But McGruff Safeguard afforded the parents a unique insight. They began to discover that their daughter wasn't opening up. She wasn't telling anyone, the counselor included, what was hurting her, how she really felt, and what she was really thinking about life. How has McGruff Safeguard helped?
"It has been a great way to open line of communication between us. She doesn't know I use this , but I don't want her to think I am prying into her private life, but she has grown closer to us as she feels that we really do know how she feels and we can offer help for issues that she needs a little guidance in. I love this service and highly recommend it to anyone with kids." Labels: depression, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, teenagers, True Stories
posted by Nick Carter at 9:42 AM Link to this Article
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Internet Predators Traveling to Pennsylvania Busted
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Attorney General Tom Corbett and the state's Child Predator Unit deserves our accolade today, along with all the law enforcement teams who serve to protect our children in the increasingly cyber-active world. Corbett's team is discovering that threats to the children of the Pennsylvania communities they protect are not always local. The Internet has made it easy for predators to solicit minors from several states away, and the predators are willing to travel, it appears. But Pennsylvania has not settled for a defensive posture. The aggressive undercover work of the Child Predator Unit resulted in another arrest today, and we think that's something worth congratulating.
Today, Corbett announced the most recent arrest of one man from Ohio and an accomplice local to Reading, Penn. The two men thought they were soliciting 13-year old girls. They were wrong. Agents from the Child Predator Unit used assumed identities of underage girls and made the arrest in a suburban rendezvous.
The Gant Daily, however, reports that this arrest is the 53rd child predator arrest this year alone. Since it's inception in 2005, there have been 230 arrests to-date with an amazing 100% conviction rate. Their stings have put would-be predators behind bars from as far away as Texas and Florida. Our hats are off to you!
According to the Gant Daily's report, Corbett doesn't want to do it alone. He want's parents involved to:
"Corbett said the best defense against Internet predators is for parents to regularly discuss online safety with their children, to actively monitor their online activity and to encourage kids to immediately report any situation where strangers make sexual propositions."
So, how can you get involved? One way to get started is with McGruff SafeGuard's free monitoring tool. But more than that, take Corbett's advice: talk to your kids. Finally, we want to invite you to connect with other parents like yourself who are fighting to keep kids safe: join the Facebook group "Parents for Protecting Children Online."Labels: Child Predator, Facebook, internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, predators
posted by Nick Carter at 7:04 AM Link to this Article
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Google Maps....Street View
Saturday, August 8, 2009
 When I was in college, I had a professor tell me about Google Maps. It was then becoming all the rage. He was going to all sorts of places, Africa, Cambodia, South America, all through viewing Google Maps. So, in my natural curiosity, what’s the first thing I do? I type in my home address. Disco, online, I am viewing the details of my home. I mean, it was down to the moving van that was in my driveway at the time. Satellites are amazing.
So, despite the amazing technology that we have, some people out there use it in a way that is bad. All we can do, is be aware and take the necessary action steps in order to make our kids less of a target. But it truly begins with eduacation.
It is our intention over here at McGruff Safeguard to keep you informed on what you can do to keep your children safe from Internet Predators. It is also our intention to keep you informed on what your kids are doing and talking about online so you can best protect them. We’re here to help you protect your loved ones. Labels: Google maps, online parenting, predators, protection, stopinternetpredators.org
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 6:29 AM Link to this Article
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The Internet Generation: Younger and Younger
Friday, August 7, 2009
I was at my cousin's house. His son, four years old, was at the computer. "Oh, does he have some games on there he can play?" I asked my cousin. "No, checking email," The four-year-old quickly replied.
Checking email?!?! When I was four I dragged a corded phone, the only phone in our house, to my mom in the next room so she could dial the number to my friend's house. Who taught this kid to email? Who is he emailing with?
Parenting children of the Internet Generation has unique challenges, but many parents might be surprised just how young that generation really is. Nielsen did a study of children on the Internet starting as early as age 2 up to 11. They found these young children spending 63% more time on the Internet today than children of the same ages did 5 years ago. This young generation now represents nearly 10% of the overall online population, and it continues to grow faster than older demographics.
All of this amounts to one thing: protecting your children online may start earlier than you expect. No parent would place their child in a room stocked with pornography and weapons, resting assured that the child is safe because they don't know which drawer to open or under what mat to find the magazine. The Internet holds dangerous content, not to mention predators of all kinds, that are too easily discovered by entirely innocent behavior.
Consider the child, recently back from an exciting trip with dad to the car show in town. Can you imagine what he may find when he innocently searches the term "Hot Rod?" What would a six-year-old do when an email promises fun games if you only download the software attached? What would a ten-year-old do when a wealthy Nigerian businessman supposedly offers him millions for safe keeping?
Children ages 2 to 11 are online 63% more today than 5 years ago, and over half that time is spent watching video on sites like YouTube. It's never to early to begin educating children about the internet community, modeling safe behavior, and monitoring an active child on the Internet.Labels: education, internet safety, monitoring, online parenting, predators
posted by Nick Carter at 8:36 AM Link to this Article
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What's A Chat Room Anyway?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What is the first thing that comes to mind when we hear of this thing called a “ chat room?” For me, (I’m a visual person) I picture this invisible room of random strangers chatting away. Almost like some secret society. For some, it is a place to meet friends. Others may see it as a place to escape from real life if they aren’t happy with where they are. Some may be seeking like minds to share ideas and thoughts in a state of anonymity. And others use it as a platform to prey on the weak at heart, the insecure, and the young. There are vast differences for ‘reasons’ why someone may want to join a chat room. For those of you who have never been ‘in’ a virtual chat room, it may look something like the photo above. (Please click on picture for larger view.)
Usually, there is a box on the right of the screen which displays all the usernames of the people in the chat room. Some use their real name, others use a ‘screen name,’ and some use a fake name. However, unless you actually know the person in real life, you never truly know who you are talking to. That is why it is easy to use chat rooms for sting operations.
Internet predators can disguise themselves as anyone. It is for this reason McGruff Safeguard was created. So we can be informed on what is actually going on in the chat rooms our kids are entering. When I say “see what is going on,” I mean, McGruff Safeguard monitors and sends you conversations word for word. This is not to get them in trouble. It is to help you be INFORMED on what is going on in order to adjust your parenting strategies.
We care too much for our loved ones to let them get ‘snowed’ by some internet predator lingering in the shadow of a chat room. McGruff is here to help you keep your loved ones safe. Labels: chat room, internet safety, monitoring, online parenting, predators
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 11:31 AM Link to this Article
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True Stories: "I felt a little guilty..."
We have met and spoken to countless parents--hundreds if not thousands--and there's a common sentiment that we'd like to bring out into the open. It's usually mentioned in about the same fashion. We're sharing about our product. The parent is nodding in agreement. Then they pause. They lean in closer. And, in a lower voice, the parent asks: "so, is this like spying on my kids?"
In my mother-in-law's home, the window over the kitchen sink provides a panoramic view of the entire back yard. It's far beyond a child's ability to understand the luminosity and reflections that prevent them from seeing in, even while mom can see out quite clearly. She watches her son play. She watches him break the rules. The punishment ensues. Was she spying?
Of course not. When a child ventures outside, there's risk involved. And, where risk is involved, monitoring is not just permissible, it's required. The same is true on the internet. The internet is a neighborhood, not unlike your backyard, but with infinitely more neighbors, more ways to "play" with them, and less ways for you to monitor you kids' activities.
One parent wrote to us about her initial trepidation, "I felt a little guilty." But, as you'll read, McGruff SafeGuard let this mom see the encouraging results of her adolescent son making the right decisions. It also let her help him avoid the wrong ones. But ultimately, what we all want is to impart the wisdom to know the difference.
"Let me start by saying this is the best $30.00 I have ever spent. I have two stories to share. The first is a happy one for any parent to know. My son a freshman in HS goes to a roller rink every Fri. I'm not clueless I know the drugs are there but you just hope your kids not the one. My son came home early one night and wouldn't say why he just seemed mad. Later I checked the service to find out why he was mad. He was mad because some of his friends went and left to do drugs. He wrote to his other friend that they were a waste of his time and he was not going to go with them again. I was so happy to read this message. Another time some kids were going to have a sleep over and he added that his parents would not be home. It was good to know that and put a stop to the sleep over. I felt a little guilty when I first put it in but the feeling of safety has won me over as well as the other people I have told about this. I hope you can get the word out to other parents and still keep the kids in the dark about your product. It is nice that they don’t know it is there. Thank you again." Labels: internet safety, McGruff Safeguard, monitoring, online parenting, True Stories
posted by Nick Carter at 7:21 AM Link to this Article
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Five Men Charged in Internet Predator Sting
Friday, July 31, 2009
As disturbing as this is to hear, I am grateful for the undercover officers who are doing what they can to catch predators who attempt to prey upon children. The following excerpt was taken from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and was written by Amy McConnell Schaarsmith on July 22, 2009.
Five Internet predators from Western and Central Pennsylvania have been arrested and charged with felonies for sexually propositioning undercover agents they thought were 13- and 14-year-old girls, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett.
The men were identified as Lahbib Hannoune, 30, of Glenshaw; Joseph Duane Tyger, 46, of Commodore, Indiana County; Nityanand Gopalika, 30, of State College, Centre County; Dominic J. Galliani, 44, Uniontown, Fayette County; and Harlan Gene King, 26, of Confluence, Somerset County. The men's arrests bring the number of arrests of online predators by the attorney general's child predator unit to 49 in 2009, a 40 percent increase in the number of cases compared to last year.
In all five cases, the attorney general's office said, the men approached undercover officers in Internet chat rooms and quickly steered the conversations toward sexual topics, including graphic descriptions of the sex acts in which they wanted to engage. Mr. Hannoune, Mr. Gopalika and Mr. Galliani also sent the "girls" webcam videos of themselves that showed them nude and masturbating. Mr. Tyger, Mr. Gopalika and Mr. King traveled to a predetermined meeting location in Cranberry to meet the "girls."
Now, let’s pretend these posing teenagers were not posing at all. What if for whatever reason, these girls felt compelled to meet these strangers. Who knows what could have happened. It is scary to imagine that this goes on daily, and it is scary to know that this number is only increasing.
Now, more than ever, it is imperative to teach our children about Internet safety. I challenge you to learn for yourself what is happening online. Together, with McGruff Safeguard, we can monitor what is happening with your kids when you don’t get the chance to. McGruff Safeguard was created to keep children safe online. Together, we can make a difference in our loved one’s lives.
Read more on this story: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09203/985468-455.stm?cmpid=news.xml#ixzz0MqPsI3V9Labels: internet safety, online parenting, Pittsburgh, predators, sting
posted by Lindsay Manfredi at 6:56 AM Link to this Article
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Air Force Airman Caught Soliciting a Minor
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Internet safety took another blow this summer as US Airforce airman Christopher Stevens has been charged with child enticement to engage in sexual activity. The story's details are so frighteningly unassuming, parents shudder to think how this can happen so easily on social media sites intended for harmless fun. But it did. And the quiet town of Stow, MA, will never forget how deep such danger can strike.
Police say the solicitation began on Facebook. In a community where "friends" are easy to find and engage, Stevens began sending messages of a sexual nature to the young girl, only fourteen years old. Based on the content of the messages, it was no misunderstanding that Stevens was interacting with an underage girl. The pursuit continued nonetheless.
When parents reported their daughter missing at 11:00 PM one Friday night in June, the police were fortunate to find a cell phone left behind. It contained text messages with explicit sexual content and exact locations of their rendezvous. "Had we not found her, we don't know how troubling this could have been." commented District Attorney Gerry Leone.
The communication had begun on Facebook, and online communication continued for months before finally leading to the dreaded LMIRL ("Lets Meet in Real Life"). But investigators say it could have been avoided. The content of the messages made it painfully obvious that Stevens was soliciting a minor. But, left to develop without supervision, this secret online relationship quickly grew out of hand.
At McGruff SafeGuard, it's these tragedies which are so preventable which give us passion for what we do. Parenting children online requires the same boundaries and supervision as parenting children offline. We invite parents to become a "fan" of McGruff Safeguard: Take a Bite Out of Internet Danger on Facebook. Share your thoughts, concerns, and questions with us. Let's work together to make the internet a safer community for kids.Labels: Facebook, internet safety, monitoring, online parenting
posted by Nick Carter at 9:26 AM Link to this Article
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