Real World Danger vs. Cyber World Danger

Thesis: Everyone knows the internet is a very useful resource for exploring, discovering, and getting answers to important questions; however, there are many bad people out there who will get personal information from young kids, making it easy for them to become their victims.

Just like there are criminals in the outside world, there are also criminals inside the cyber world, such as internet predators. Keeping kids safe on the internet has become a big concern for many parents. As a parent, you always want the best for your child. I know that my parents weren’t the only ones who told me to never to talk to strangers. When I was younger, they told me never talk to strangers and if a stranger ever talked to me to walk away and tell a trusted adult. The question is: if kids are taught to never to talk to strangers in the real world, why do they do it online? Well, according to McAfee Chief of Cyber Security Mom, Tracy Mooney, kids these days give personal info to strangers because the internet creates a “sense of trust and…kids let their guard down.”(newsroom.mcafee.com). When I read this, I agreed. For some reason you do feel safe online, maybe because you’re in the comfort of your own home. However, when you give out your personal information, such as your home address, you are welcoming strangers to your own home–the place where you’re supposed to be safe. I personally think that if parents told their kids to never give out information or talk with strangers online, that is to treat them like they do strangers in the real world, many kids would be safer. According to a survey conducted by McAfee, 18% of teens who talk with strangers have shared a personal picture with a stranger they chat with online, and 12% have given them their cell phone number (newsroommcafee.com). Even though these percentages are small, they do present a big concern because kids are communicating and trusting complete strangers who they wouldn’t trust in the real world, making it easy for predators to victimize them. My parents don’t use the internet much but they have become informed about all the new technology and the dangers of the internet, which is why they advise me to be careful with what I post. Even though parents don’t use the technology, their kids do use it, so it’s important for them to be informed about the latest information concerning technology. In conclusion, parents should be more aware of who their kids talk to online, they should discuss with them how vulnerable they make themselves when they talk to strangers online, and give them advice on how they should be smart online, just as they would be offline in the real world.

Vanessa Cruz