To meet a victim, a predator has to know where to find that person or arrange a place to meet. To rob you, a predator has to know where to find your house. People might provide this information in a variety of ways: inadvertently through photos (see Chapter 4, "Step 1: Be Careful What You Show People," for one example) or through text where they list their full names, the part of the country or the city they live in, their employer or school, and so on. Why Do They Care Where You Live?The reality is that 52 percent of teen victims of Internet-initiated sexual abuse travel less than 10 miles to an initial meeting with a predator, and in 50 percent of cases, victims and predators travel a combined total of less than 50 miles to meet (Wolak et al., 2004). From a predatory point of view, it is simply more convenient to find victims in the same general area. The risk is not just in blogs. Text in any publicly viewable communication might reveal your location (see Figure 7-3 on the next page). For example, in an instant messaging session you can display information about your location via
Figure 7-3. Location is a key element in predation.Filtering applications allow you to block certain sites that have inappropriate content, but if a site does not get flagged by such an application, that's not enough to protect your identity or location. Once you access any site, you can share any information you wish, including your location. It often doesn't occur to young people how someone might use this information, not only about them, but also about their friends and everybody in their entire household. Think About It The initial face-to-face meeting of a child with a sexual predator met online takes place in the victim's own home 20 percent of the time. Another 19 percent occur in the predator's home (Wolak et al., 2004). Location Application DangersApplications that allow you to pinpoint a friend's location might seem cool, but consider the safety measures and features a predator could take advantage of:
And keep in mind that the danger isn't limited to your desktop computer; most mobile devices these days offer opportunities to find you (see Figure 7-4). Figure 7-4. Location risks from mobile devicesTechnology Makes Finding You EasierIn fact, finding you is becoming much easier with new technologies, and this has both benefits and risks. Cell phones, for example, broadcast location information constantly when the power is on. With over 2 billion wireless users worldwide, tracking a huge number of people without their knowledge has become more of a reality than ever before. Think About It According to Informa Telecoms & Media, in many countries, the penetration of wireless technology in the marketplace is at or near 100 percent of the population. Even in the United States, where the number is lower, over 214 million Americans (about two out of three) are cellular subscribers. Many new cars and trucks are now equipped with location systems that provide maps and emergency services to drivers. Cell phones are being upgraded to ensure that ambulances and law enforcement can find you if you need help. Some transportation departments have begun tracking wireless signals from devices in cars to identify traffic problems. Many companies have begun monitoring their fleet of vehicles and/or shipments of goods to help improve their business models and service levels. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies are gathering invaluable information about criminals and their activities. Parents are monitoring their children's whereabouts. But there are safety and privacy implications with location features that you should discuss with family and friends. Web services exist that allow users to broadcast their location to all their IM buddies. Services that enable parents to track a child (which you might or might not feel is appropriate, based on circumstances) can also be used to track spouses, girlfriends and boyfriends, and so on. Carefully consider who, if anyone, should be tracking you and your family members, and talk about the implications of using these services with your family. Your device's location can generally be tracked in one of three ways:
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