Earlier this week a child exploitation sting operation yielded nine arrests. Now, experts and parents are weighing in on how to keep children safe while using the internet.
One parent says it’s important to have multiple conversations as they grow, not just a one-time sit down because as the internet evolves, so does the way people use it. That’s especially important because children often have access to the internet when they're not at home under their own parents’ supervision.
“I do feel that because we're having an ongoing conversation, he is learning to recognize situations that are dangerous and unsafe and will either call it out in the moment or will come home and talk to me about it, because I've created that environment where it's safe to do so,” said Tiffany McMacken.
Many students also have access to tablets or laptops at school. The Chief Student Services Officer for the Washoe County School District says they have processes in place to keep kids from accessing websites and apps they shouldn't be.
“Within the school environment, I think by and large, those are very safe, especially the devices that are deployed by the school district. I say that because our I.T. department goes through sort of, checks and balances process, and filters out disallowed content, etc.,” said Dr. Paul LaMarca.
As online platforms continue to adjust, parents are expected more than ever to teach their children how to handle the online space appropriately.
“They should be very honest with their children about what they're going to experience. They should have conversations about content and how it gets put on the web or on the internet, the quality of it. They should have candid conversations about things that they might post and how they might think that content's going to go away, but it's not necessarily ever going to go away,” said Dr. LaMarca.
Reno Police say those conversations may help but it's also important to know the behavioral signs that can indicate something has happened.
“If you see your kid is acting more shut down or more spaced away from you, try to have those conversations with them sometimes. People luring these kids, they'll also have second cell phones, weird messages hiding their phone from you. There's a lot of different signs when those things are happening. So, keep a close eye on your kiddo,” said Hunter Mercurio, Public Information Officer for RPD.
Reno Police say they will actually visit classrooms or homes when requested to give presentations about this topic. To do that, email heat@reno.gov or visit Reno, NV Police.
