Knowing the Enemy


People online who might do you harm are diverse. They include opportunists who ordinarily are honest but give in to temptation when an opportunity presents itself; people who are angry and want to lash out and harass or hurt an ex-spouse or partner; and segments of the population who have chosen crime as a lifestyle. Officials in countries around the world have been overwhelmed by alarming exposés in the press that named some of the supposedly upstanding citizens caught in child predator "stings": lawyers, doctors, counselors, and employees of law enforcement agencies. But remember, this isn't an Internet-generated phenomenon: It reflects the sad reality that people from all walks of life exploit others for a variety of reasons.

The stereotypes of "creepy guys" and so-called stranger danger don't prove to be any truer in the online world than in the offline world. Simply warning those of any age against contact with strangers online or offline misses the point because it doesn't detail the actions or situations you should be watchful for, and it certainly doesn't encompass who you might need to guard against. Table 3-1 is taken from an article in The Journal of Adolescent Health by Janis Wolak, JD, David Finkelhor, PhD, and Kimberly Mitchell, PhD, and tells something about who offenders and victims typically are.

Table 3-1. A Sampling of the Characteristics of Victims and Dynamics of Internet-Initiated Sex Crimes

Victim's Age

Percent

12

1%

13

26%

14

22%

15

28%

16

14%

17

8%

Victim's Gender

Percent

Female

75%

Male

25%

Offender's Age

Percent

Under 18

1%

18 to 25

23%

26 to 39

41%

40 or older

35%

Offender's Time of Online Contact Before Meeting Victim

Percent

1 month or less

27%

1 to 6 months

48%

More than 6 months

16%

Offender's Type of Online Contact with Victim

Percent

Talked to victim by telephone

79%

Sent pictures to victim

48%

Gave or offered victim money or gifts

47%

Sent mail to victim

19%

Communicated with victim online multiple ways

77%

Source: Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 35, No. 5, Wolak et al., 2004


Think About It

As Kenneth V. Lanning, former Supervisory Special Agent and profiler with the FBI, has said, "By no reasonable definition can an individual with whom a child has regularly communicated online for months be called a stranger.... In the world of the Internet someone you never met in person is not only not a stranger, but can be your 'best friend.'"


Some predators are indiscriminatewhat you could call equal opportunity offenders who exploit any weakness in anyone they come across online or offline. Others are more specialized and repeat the same type of crime and/or target the same population segment both online and offline, running cons on the elderly, engineering home break-ins or auto thefts, stealing people's identities, or molesting children.

These people span a range from individuals to loose criminal rings or more formal gangs to organized crime syndicates. They come in all ages, from teens preying on other (often younger) teens to older males and females. Because the Internet has no formal borders, criminals can live in, and strike from, any region of the world.

While some sexual predators simply leverage any opportunity, many look for a victim to whom they feel attracted. Some predators lose interest after children reach a certain age, preferring those under 14 or no older than 7, for example. Typically these people look for vulnerability in the victim: the child, teen, or even adult who projects strong self-esteem is less frequently targeted. Predators might look for a photo that speaks of a shy, self-conscious child, or postings on a blog that express confusion, rebellion, or lack of self-esteem. They are expert at spotting those who have been emotionally or physically neglected.

Some who live on the fringes of the online underworld might or might not commit an actual crime. They might be middlemen who compile your publicly available information into virtual catalogs that they then resell to other criminals who commit the actual crimes (see Figure 3-1).

Figure 3-1. A catalog of publicly available information for sale


Anybody who creates, distributes, markets, or views illegal material on-line can be party to a criminal charge. When you are researching a service or ISP, look for a company that actively protects users from illegal content.

In June 2006, several online industry leaders in the United States joined with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to launch an aggressive new campaign that will develop and deploy technology solutions that disrupt the ability of predators to use the Internet to exploit children or traffic in child pornography.

Think About It

There are not necessarily more dangers in the online world. However, because nobody has taught you how to act safely online, the dangers there seem more intimidating. Comparing and leveraging the safety features provided by different services can help you navigate online and might help inform which services and service providers are right for you.




Look Both Ways. Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
ISBN: 0735623473
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 157
Authors: Linda Criddle

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