Digital safety for kids

Q: Can you name one of the top places where traffickers recruit kids?

A: Online

Any child who uses a cell phone, iPad, laptop, or gaming device also uses a child-trafficking recruiting device--because one of the main places where traffickers recruit kids is online. That includes social media sites, apps, gaming and other chat rooms, AI, and more.

Here are tools to help keep your kids safe online. You can incorporate this information as you teach the Born2Fly trafficking-prevention curriculums.

Resources from Enough is Enough:

• Prevention 101: Parental controls
• Internet safety rules and tips
• Parent pledge and buddy check
• Youth pledge
• Age-based guidelines
• Online predators and sex trafficking
• How predators groom kids online
• Online gaming
• Cyber bullying
• More resources

Resources from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation:

• Prevention resources (Click on “Prevention and recovery resources” then on “Tech solutions”)
• Five habits of a tech-ready home--part 1
• Five habits of a tech-ready home--part 2
• App reviews
• Downloadable tools for parents

Resources from Culture Reframed:

• Sexting and teens: A guide for parents and caregivers
• Training materials for children’s advocacy centers
• Courses for parents of teens and tweens
• Courses for educators

Resources from Defend Young Minds:

• Digital safety courses for families
• Digital courses for schools, co-ops, churches
• Good Pictures Bad Pictures

Resources from SharedHope International:

• State-by-state report cards on child and youth sex trafficking
• Internet safety -- popular apps
• Video games and eSport
• Monitoring online activity
• Sexting
• How to talk to kids about online interactions

Resources from Helping Survivors:

Has your child experienced online grooming or sexual exploitation on social media or gaming sites? You have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable. Helping Survivors has information on this page to help you: 

• Where to report online grooming and sex abuse
• How to file a lawsuit
• Resources for survivors of online grooming and sex abuse
• Where to get legal help for you and your child
• How to find a child sex abuse lawyer

Those resources and more are available on Helping Survivors' website.