(C) Alec Muffett's DropSafe blog.
Author Name: Alec Muffett
This story was originally published on allecmuffett.com. [1]
License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.[2]


Rise in Online Enticement and Other Trends: NCMEC Releases 2020 Exploitation Stats

2022-01

There are multiple reasons why reports of online enticement have gone up in 2020, but one of the most evident is that the safety precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have moved both children’s and adults’ lives online even more than they already were. Many children have switched to virtual learning and have been spending more time than ever on social media or online gaming in lieu of seeing friends or meeting new people in person. This leaves kids and teens more susceptible to the dangers of the internet.



“Online enticement can happen to any child using the internet,” said Lindsey Olson, executive director of NCMEC’s Exploited Children Division. “Offenders are very effective at grooming children, gaining their trust, isolating them from their parents and then exploiting them. Parents often think that it would ‘never’ happen to their child, but we know that is simply not true.”

When a report comes in to NCMEC’s CyberTipline (the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children) the tip is reviewed, analyzed and made available to the appropriate law enforcement agencies all over the globe. This system has resulted in the rescue of countless children and the arrests of their abusers. “We take all reports of online enticement very seriously,” said Lindsey.

The recent numbers make it clear: there has never been a more important time to educate the children in your life about staying safe online.

“The best thing you can do to protect your child online is to be involved in their online life,” said Susan Kennedy, Prevention program manager at NCMEC. “Ask about what they are doing online and take a genuine interest. Provide guidance but try not to be overly punitive or judgmental. Offenders are able to take advantage of children when their activities are secret. This happens often when children are not comfortable or even afraid to go to adults in their lives when something is happening online, especially when they feel that they have done things they regret or know they shouldn’t have done.”

Fortunately, NCMEC has a collection of data-informed prevention resources for parents and guardians, as well as children of all ages, where they can learn more about how to stay safe and prevent online enticement. And for children 10 and younger, NCMEC’s very own animated series, “Into the Cloud,” teaches children useful tips and tricks for staying safe online. Season 1 and 2 are available now!
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[1] URL: https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/rise-in-online-enticement-and-other-trends--ncmec-releases-2020-
[2] URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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