Internet Safety Seminar Given By NOVA At Pennsbury East High School
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Imagine your child is playing an online game or on social media. A very attractive member of the opposite sex now wants to friend request your child. They say they are new to the area. The photo is of a teenager who appears to be slightly older than your child. Your child accepts the request and the stranger asks for a selfie.
“Boy, you’re cute ( or hot). The chat continues, asking questions, “what’s your favorite teacher”? “What clubs do you belong to?”. What kind of work do your parents do? Can me send me another selfie, this time you can be naked. I’ll send you one of me in return. This goes nowhere, just between us”. Your child send a nude photo.
A short while later your child gets a new message from their new “Hot” friend. “I have everything i need on you, send me $300.00 or I will make you go viral. I am sending this to your parents, everyone at school, you will be famous!”. Your child is now frantic. It’s called sextortion and it is illegal.
According to NOVA representatives , this happens more than you think. They gave a seminar on internet safety to a small crowd of parents and students last night at Pennsbury High School. The reasons children send naked photos of themselves to complete strangers on the internet are vast. NOVA is an organization formed to help people who are victims of crimes.
According to NOVA, some of the reasons include trying to get validation from your peers. It is not just strangers. People that are dating and may be having sex might be inclined to send their partner compromising photos. But what happens to those photos when the relationship is over? Sometimes a person will deliberately share or threaten to share those photos, especially if the relationship ended badly.
It’s not just naked photos, it is personal information, NOVA reps said. Parents should routinely check their child’s social media. Even if the child is a teenager and thinks it’s an invasion of privacy or a sign of distrust. Parents should not allow children to peruse the internet at will. That person they are chatting with could be a very good, trustworthy friend or it could be someone like Ian Pisarchuk. He plead guilty to sexortion crimes and will most likely die in prison.