As with most technology, the Internet holds both great promise and great risk. Certain risks are acceptable, such as business gambles or the possibility of an adult stumbling upon something offensive. Certain risks are not acceptable, like the abduction of a child.
In this era of rapid change, we must ask what each of us can do to protect our kids. The Tribune reported that 26-year-old Joseph W. Schwartz admitted in court that he tried to lure an 11-year-old girl through the Internet (Metro, July 21).
Fortunately the child alerted her mother, who led police to the potential kidnapper. I commend these brave people for their actions, and hope the sentencing judge sees fit to keep this man off the street for as long as possible.
There is no question that Joseph Schwartz is not the only person who seeks to prey on children on-line. The question is what can the rest of us do to protect kids without keeping them off the Internet entirely.
Those of us who raise or teach children need to learn about and discuss Internet safety with kids. The availability of filtering software does not replace our responsibility; today’s digital kids can circumvent filters faster than they can program a VCR.
Those of us who run kids Web sites need to do everything in our power to protect our young visitors. Constant live monitoring of all interactive elements is not easy or cheap; but in all of our Internet activities, we must put kids’ safety, needs and interests first. Not to do so is to risk the unthinkable.
