Nick Marsit's Question

Nick Marsit's question is as follows: What strategies and tips would you give to a person on how to communicate with people online in order to be able to determine a cyber predator from a normal person?

Nick, this is a great question and very relative! There are unfortunately plenty of ways that a cyber predator can reach out to it's victim. Weather the predator waits for or goes after its targets is really up to the predator. The negative side to this is that a normal, well mannered person could possibly be mistaken as a predator as well just for engaging in casual conversation. However, there are obvious signs of if the person you're talking to is, in fact, a predator or not. It is a well known fact that "Internet offenders manipulate young people into criminal sexual relationships by appealing to young people’s desire to be appreciated, understood, take risks, and find out about sex" (CACRC). This of course is taught all through a child's life, but it is still hard to be able to determine a cyber predator. 

As the quote goes, it is often an obvious sign that the person you or a child is talking to is a predator. There are, however, other ways of finding if it's a predator or not through common conversation. For example, "Internet offenders target teens who are willing to talk online about sex" (CACRC). If a teen is often talking about sex with a random person he or she is probably becoming targeted by a predator. In contrast, a normal person online may just ask you how your day is going or how you're feeling. Innocent, small talk questions like this often tell if a person is a predator or not. You can also tell the different between a cyber predator from a normal person just by how much they freely engage with you via conversation. Generally, the normal person will give you space, engaging you only sometimes. Were as a cyber predator will always try to talk to you and will always be slightly aggressive with what they say to you. In conclusion, if learned well, determining who's a cyber predator and who's not can be easy if you know the tell-tell signs.

Reference

"Internet Safety Education for Teens: Getting It Right." Crimes Against Children Research Center (CACRC). University of New Hampshire, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/internet-crimes/safety_ed.html>.

Jocelyn Hernandez's Question

Jocelyn Hernandez's question is as follows: Hi miller! I enjoyed listening to your podcast! With the technology and resources that we have now do you see a way there can be change for online security of a person? Maybe look at how safe a child is online and how the internet can be changed to be safer especially for young children and adults. How can this be done? 

Jocelyn, this is an interesting question! There has, in fact, been a multitude of technological and specifically software developments in the computer field to improve the online security of a user. Places like DeterLab's design and formulate the next generation of cyber security. "DeterLab provides the resources, tools, and infrastructure for researchers to conduct rigorous, repeatable experiments with new security technologies, and test their effectiveness in a realistic environment similar to the public and private networks in which new cyber defenses are needed" (DeterLab). These kind of labs are all over the world working with the big-name companies like Mac and PC. They, along with plenty of other companies and independent workers, just as I specified in my research podcast has developed anti-virus and spy-wear software that is designed specifically to protect children from all online dangers. 

Going more into depth with these developments, this kind of software, often categorized overall as Anti-malwear, can be specially set up by the guardians to prevent kids from going on unknown and risky cites. It can also block users online who are flagged as dangerous and potential cyber-predators. The system can be set up for all, including anyone from young children to adults. For example, companies often use the many Anti-malwear systems with their employees to restrict the access of cites that can compromise the companies system if a virus was to be released. In conclusion, not only just from DeterLab's, but many other programs and systems are being developed in order to protect the online user from any online harm, namely cyber-predators.

Reference

"DeterLab: Accelerating Cyber-Security Advances | Deter." DeterLab: Accelerating Cyber-Security Advances | Deter. DeterLab, n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. <http://deter-project.org/deterlab-cyber-security-science-facility>.

Cyber Predator Research Reference Page

References

Barnes, S.B. (2003). Computer mediated communication: Human-to-human communication

across the internet (pp. 256-264). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon

Hans, M., Selvidge, B., Tinker, K., Webb, L. (2011). Online Performances of Gender: Blogs,             

Gender-Bending, and cybersex as relational Exemplars

Lynch, M. (2002). Pedophiles and Cyber-predators as Contaminating Forces: The Language of

Disgust, Pollution, and Boundary Invasions in Federal Debates on Sex Offender Legislation. Law & Social Inquiry, 27(3), 529.

Dombrowski, S. C., LeMasney, J. W., Ahia, C., & Dickson, S. A. (2004). Protecting Children

From Online Sexual Predators: Technological, Psychoeducational, and Legal

Considerations. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 35(1), 65-73.

doi:10.1037/0735-7028.35.1.65

Dombrowski, S. C., Gischlar, K. L., & Durst, T. (2007). Safeguarding young people from cyber

pornography and cyber sexual predation: a major dilemma of the internet. Child Abuse

Review, 16(3), 153-170.

Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., Mitchell, K. J., & Ybarra, M. L. (2010). Online “predators” and their

victims: Myths, realities, and implications for prevention and treatment.. Psychology of Violence, 1(S), 13-35.

Berson, I. R. (2011). Grooming Cybervictims: The Psychosocial Effects of Online Exploitation for

Youth. Grooming Cybervictims, 1, 1-11.

How Cyber Predators Communicate With Their Targets and How To Prevent It

My Podcast:

Hungry for more information? Do you feel the need to learn more about this horrible problem and the podcast was simply not enough? Knowledge is power! It's important to know if a family relative or friend that has a young child is constantly talking to someone strange online on an unusual site. The actual chance of that person being innocent and nice is slim. So try to notice how the person talks to the victim; you can identify a predator easily that way. If, for some reason, you want to know the legal issues predation entails, it is a wise step to take if you believe that a young child that is close to you is being subjected to the predators targeting. The 'risk management' of cyber predators online is quite difficult and there are many correct and incorrect ways of properly dealing with them. So sometimes myths and realities of cyber predators are often thrown together due to the misunderstanding of the term and the repercussions it might hold. These misunderstandings and repercussions that may follow can often result in violent or traumatic experiences. That's why it's best to know the worst a cyber predator can do. If you know how to properly stop a cyber predator you have made a child's life a whole lot better! So be safe out there on the world wide web! It may be enticing at first to meet new people, but always be aware of who you talk to and how they talk to you. Protect our younger computer-savvy generation!

Intro to my Blog...

Cyber predators and how they lurk online is often unknown and unnoticed to the untrained eye. Before you know it, you or some one that you know can become a victim of the attacks the predator might launch at you. Although not quite like Cyber Bullying, Cyber predators do many of the same things in the beginning, but then they become two different problems as the bully only harasses you and the predators want to meet you and find you. The question one would ask is: "How could I possibly get away from such a terrible and creepy situation? Everyone is on the internet!" Well, avoiding such people is easy as soon as you know what to look for. 

In this blog we will discuss all of the threats that cyber predators pose on you and how they communicate with you; specifically through the action of 'grooming'. We will also learn of the many ways of dealing with such predators and avoiding them for good! I want to raise awareness of a problem that is often ignored and not properly dealt with. With the knowledge I give to you, maybe you can also learn of how real the threat is and spread the word of how to stop it!