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If  you only read the headlines about sites like MySpace and Facebook and watch shows like Dateline’s “To Catch A Predator,� you may be racked with fear about your tween or teen’s safety online. Throw in a school visit from a well meaning police officer, and you may have considered taking out the internet from your house.   There are lots of folks in the who are trying to scare up concern with the best of intentions. This is why the new research about the reality of online predators emerging from some of these same internet safety advocates is so compelling, and should help put your mind at ease about your kids online.   According to the Wall Street Journal:

“Among the findings detailed in the latest report, which was aimed at addressing the myths about online predators: Targeted minors were almost always teenagers who were aware their online correspondent was an adult, rather than someone pretending to be their own age. There was little evidence that teenagers posting personal information on social-networking sites or Web sites were putting themselves at risk. And perhaps most jarring: From 1990 to 2005, as Internet use exploded, the number of substantiated sexual crimes against teenagers actually fell by about half.�

Go to the link below to read the entire article in the Wall Street Journal.
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/new-research-on-the-myths-of-online-predators-280/?mod=googlenews_wsj

I spoke to Anastacia Goodstein about the Wall Street Journal Article.  Anastasia is the author of "Totally Wired: What Teens And Tweens Are Really Doing Online".  The book was published in March of 2007 and her message to hundreds of parents and educators around the country is “Don’t panic.�   As the mom of a teen and a "tween" the subject of internet safety is near and dear to my heart.  I talked with Anastasia last year about online matters and I wanted to get her feedback on the lastest study about kids online.  She had some excellent feedback for parents that I want to share with you:

"What I tend to emphasize is that most teens on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook are socializing with the same teens they see all day at school. That doesn’t mean they don’t encounter strangers on their favorite Harry Potter fan site or musicians asking to be their friend, but they spend most of their time chatting with offline friends from school or friends they’re keeping in touch with. As for the tweens and teens who do engage with online predators, they tend to be teens who are at-risk, and would be more likely to engage in risky behavior offline."

"As far as the kids most at risk for online predators, It tends to be tweens or teens who have been victimized in the past or who are really struggling emotionally and are not getting the support they need. It’s not they’re looking to hook up sexually as much as they are looking for a caring adult who they perceive is validating and listening to them. The reality is that most parents have had the internet safety talk with their children before they allow them to go online, and that most teens are pretty savvy about ignoring, blocking and ideally reporting predators who contact them online."

But what Anastasia Goodstein says that is important to note as parents is is that this subject does not have an "easy" fix.  There are SOME tips that can be useful to parents but it's really not that simple.   She has more to say on this subject and I am going to give you the rest of her advice in my next post.

If you want to know more about her book or about Anastasia Goodstein's work, go to http://totallywired.ypulse.com