Protecting Children Online

Facts You Should Know                                                                                     EN ESPAÑOL

The Internet is a wonderful vehicle for learning.  Unfortunately, it is also a powerful tool for predators who prey upon innocent children.  Did you know....?

• Internet crime is the fastest growing crime in the U.S., and children are the fastest growing victim pool.
• In the U. S., 95% of schools are now connected to the Internet.
• Over 45 million children ages 10 through 17 use the Internet.  Among them:
• One in five has been sexually solicited.
• One in four has encountered unwanted pornography.
• Close to 60% of teens have received an e-mail or instant message from a stranger and half have communicated back.
• Over 75% of Internet crimes involving sexual solicitations of children and exposure to unwanted pornography is not reported to police or parents.

Most children know more about the Internet than adults do.  As a result, many parents do not supervise their children's Internet use.  Here are some surprising statistics:

• An estimated 20% of parent do not supervise their children's Internet use at all.
• Only 52% of parents moderately supervise their children's Internet use.
• Some 71% of parents stop supervising Internet use by their children after the age of 14, yet 72% of all Internet-related missing children cases involve children who are 15 years of age or older.
• Close to 62% of teens say their parents know little or nothing about the websites they visit.