Paragon Media One Blog » Social Networking

Online Predator Statistics

nicole — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:27:19 +0000

In light of the recent internet safety posts, I figured it might be beneficial to not only tell you things I think you should do to prevent online predation, but provide you with some facts. These aren’t my opinion, these things actually happen, and we all need to be aware – children and adults alike.

In 1998, 20% of all children on the Internet received a sexual solicitation. This was before the Internet was even as popular as it is today.
30% of children have been solicited for a face-to-face meeting, requested a phone call, or requested to mail money or gifts.
25% of children ages 4-10 have been exposed to partially or completely nude photos of online predators.
Of that 25%, 1 in every 17 of those children were threatened or harassed.
Less than 10% of these incidents are reported to law enforcement.
In 2006, 12% of tweens (ages 8-12) and 56% of teens (ages 13-18) were asked for identity information.
10% of tweens and 54 percent of teens say they often chat with people they don’t know via instant messaging applications.
5% of tweens and 42% of teens say they’ve willingly posted some personal information online.
16% of tweens and 30% of teens have reported that they’d discovered the person they were chatting with was pretending to be much younger than they really were.

That last one actually scared me, and it’s hard to believe. If you or anyone you know is being harassed, solicited, or exploited by an online predator who isn’t who they say they are, I found this site where you can report it, either anonymously or with your name. Please stay safe, and report online predators!

http://www.wiredsafety.org/internet_predators/index.html

Nicole

Internet Safety

nicole — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:14:57 +0000

I’m a new mom, and my daughter at almost a year old hasn’t quite figured out using a computer just yet to surf the web. However, I now understand why parents have always been sort of protective of their child’s internet usage. The answer is simple: because it’s downright scary what kids can get into online. Sure, when used the right way, message boards, instant chats, live video chat, and game forums are all helpful, and intended to be harmless fun for kids who may not have the confidence to make tons of friends in person. Nonetheless, there is always someone whose thought process isn’t so wholesome. There are some things you need to watch out for, they may seem redundant, but just look for things such as your child withdrawing from the family to use the computer too often. Strange phone calls from men or women whom you don’t know, even if they’re claiming to be children themselves. The use of a different account on social networks by your child. The majority of your child’s time is spent online, and at night. Some of these things could be completely harmless, sure, but when it’s a matter of your child and a potential online predator, best to heir on the side of caution. Online predators are usually adult, and usually are repeat offenders, so make sure you talk to your children about online danger. Keep your computer in a common room of the house, not in a child’s bedroom. Be sure to teach your child that there are other uses for the internet aside from social networking and internet chat rooms, show them the good to deter them from the bad. Also, make sure to stress to children, especially interested in video games or things of the like, to never arrange face-to-face meetings with any kids they meet online, or ever give out any personal information, even a phone number or an e-mail, unless you’ve checked the source.

Stay on your toes!

Nicole

Super Snoopers

nicole — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:23:58 +0000

Back in the day, there was always the neighborhood gossip; the snoop of the ‘hood. This woman always kept her garage door closed, and her dirty laundry inside, if you know what I’m getting at. However, she might take her children or dog for a walk, and if she took a gander inside of your garage, or through your front doors or windows, she’d do it inconspicuously, but have her friends over for tea to spill the details of your dirty garage or the shoes piled up by your front door. Do we all have a good idea of who this woman is yet? Good. Now, picture that woman behind a computer screen. Yikes. Except this time, you’re actually giving her the information, as if to let her know, “Hey, here’s my business! I’m telling the world, so you can too!” Now, with all of the public information, she can not only find out about your organization skills via your garage, but she can find out your past history, what your newborn looks like, how well-groomed your dogs and husband are, and, simultaneously, what you had for lunch and how delicious it was. While this may all be fun and games to the gossiping wash woman, and may not seem so serious to you, think about all of the other people that are snooping around, people that you may not even know. All I’m getting at here, is to always differentiate between things you “need” to say, and things no one needs to know. On your social networking sites, it probably isn’t a good idea to let people know you’re out of the house, for potential thieves. It’s probably not a good idea to post where you’re going, in case you’ve got an unwanted follower. All of these things seem like no-brainers to some, but you’d be surprised at the thoughtless updating some people do on their pages. We’re all guilty of it. Just be sure to change your habits, because you never know who’s watching, or when it could happen to you.

Be safe!

Nicole

Twitter Fake Accounts – Funny or a Problem?

nicole — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:31:24 +0000

Whether you’re a tweet-er or not, I’m sure you’ve heard of the site, and if you don’t know what it is, you’ve wondered about the hype. Twitter is a great business tool, a way for celebrities to come in close contact with their fans, and, also, another way for people to hide behind a computer screen. What I mean by this is that with social networking, and the Internet, anyone can create a profile and pretend they are someone they’re not. Sometimes this is used as harmless fun, other times; it is used for spamming, selling, and even harassing. So how do you tell the difference? Well, I decided to log on and do some research. To start, I looked at some of the funny profiles I’ve heard mentioned during conversation with friends and coworkers. It’s true. Yes, the fact is that Jesus has a twitter. People have humorously stated that he seems pretty active, and when I logged on to see that he was tweeting more than I was, I wondered if this was going to become an act of judgment on his part. Of course, I’m only kidding, but whoever made the profile for Jesus was doing it all in good fun. The person is tweeting Bible verses, prayer, and things of the like. I also stumbled upon some characters from the office, and the Notorious BIG, a famous rapper who is now deceased. The funny part about it is that the person behind his mask posts funny quirky little sayings, things like “Waiting for my good friend Tupac to finish getting his manicure.” While these profiles are all in good fun, and aren’t at all frowned upon by Twitter, there are some people who create profiles for not so fun uses. Spam being one of the biggest. Sometimes, spammers will create a profile with a seemingly normal name, but it turns out to be a spam page for weight loss pills or Viagra. Some people hide their real identity, and actually will use the same name as a person as a way to become friendly “Hey, we have the same name!” and use that as a way to stalk a person. So how do we tell who is who? Context clues. If you see that it’s just a person trying to be funny, putting words into a character’s mouth for the sake of laughter, you’re probably in the clear. But if you notice a follower whom you don’t recognize, go to their profile and see what the deal is. Who are they following? Who is following them? Chances are, spammers will have a significantly smaller number of followers in accordance to those they are following. So, use your discretion as always on the Internet, and remember your sense of humor when it’s due. Happy Tweeting!

Social Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing

nicole — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:59:56 +0000

Thinking about marketing your site, but not quite sure how to go about it? Today, we’re going to talk about the two major types of marketing. Social Media Marketing, which is an engagement with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity, and sales… and Traditional Marketing which deals with the regular promotion of the distribution of goods and services through things like ads, sales, and other promotions. Both types of marketing are designed to draw attention from potential customers. The difference between the two is mainly the fact that social media marketing gives the readers a voice. Traditional marketing can be done anywhere, online, in print, through word of mouth, but social marketing is strictly online. Social marketing allows comments, questions, concerns, and gets a quick answer, not only from the original person or company who posted, but from others who have experience and can easily answer questions.

Facebook

nicole — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:36:06 +0000

Facebook. Love it, hate it, make fun of it, or be completely obsessed with it, if you haven’t set up an account by now, I’m sure you’ve been bugged to by friends and coworkers, or at the very least heard so much about it. For those who may not be familiar, facebook is a social networking site, created a few years ago by Mark Zuckerburg, who is arguably a social networking genius. So you’ve got this wall. Friends can write on it, post pictures on it, you can post and write on it. I feel that facebook is a huge example of how the internet changes communication because that’s exactly what the site is… online communication. Here you can view and comment on a friend’s photos, you can give them an opinion on their thoughts/actions, and you can leave them messages for them to check later. This completely eliminates any use for a phone, or writing letters (which have been ruled out for quite some time now), or even texting. Confidence levels are proven to have risen, you might talk to that old friend from high school that you had a thing for, but never got the courage to ask out. You might tell a coworker what you really think, all behind a computer screen. A little impersonal, yes, but extremely personal in another sense. Before facebook, how many of your friends’ tangible photo albums have you thumbed through? Probably not too many, and probably only the friends you’re very close with. This makes communication both easier and more convienient. Let me know what your thoughts are on Mark Zuckerburg’s internet creation.