===== TACTICS Private Detective and Investigator Agency. You can print this document from your browser and then close the window with the "X" button in the top right-hand area. ===== KIDS and the Internet! CHILD PREDATORS HAVE FOUND AN UNGUARDED PLAYGROUND: The Internet! Child predators have found an unguarded playground on the Internet. Since it may be years before law enforcement can effectively patrol the millions of Internet highways, protecting children is in the hands of parents and schools. Literally over night, cyberspace has become a street in our town that children can walk down without our knowledge. With a click of a key, they could walk into a striptease joint, an X-rated movie or be charmed by a child predator in a chat room. In the past our children did not usually encounter such options until they had the mental and emotional maturity to cope. State laws required they be at least 18 years old to enter these adult establishments. In cyberspace our children are being lured as early as they can use a mouse. Our first line of defense as parents is to educate ourselves. Our second line of defense is to educate our children. Knowledge is like a lamppost that is put up in a dark alley. The criminals scurry away in fear of detection. There are easy steps that we as parents can take to learn more about the Web and prevent online dangers: First, begin by increasing your own computer literacy. You might even have your computer savvy child escort you through cyberspace. ONLINE LINGO Do you know what these symbols mean? 1. (( )):** 2. :**: 3. DOM 4. IPN Answers: 1. Hugs and Kisses 2. Returning Kiss 3. Dirty Old Man 4. I'm Posting Naked If your child uses email, chat, or forums you've likely seen them communicate in what may seem to be a secret foreign language of symbols and acronyms. These symbols, known as emoticons, and acronyms let them express emotion and ideas in chat messages without having to type entire words or phrases. We compiled a list that may help you "decode" your child's chat messages and emails to ensure they are safe online! The list is at the end of this document. ========= KNOWLEDGE REPLACES FEAR. Cutting kids off from the Internet won't work. It is too powerful. It is an exciting and incredible educational resource that you will want for your children. Spend time with them online. Just as you choose when your child first rides a bike and when they will start driving, you will want to be there to guide them through the virtual world. KEEP COMMUNICATIONS OPEN. Parents who encourage their children to tell them even somewhat embarrassing issues stand a better chance of preventing problems before they occur. WORK TOGETHER. Children begin at an early age learning how to be independent, so don't be surprised if they process information first and come to you a few days or even a week later for your input. Remind them that if they encounter someone in a chat room who makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe, they should tell you. MONITOR ACTIVITY. Because our children are sitting right in our homes, it doesn't seem like they could be in danger. Since there is no legal structure that ensures honesty, truth and information that will not corrupt the minds of naive children, do not underestimate what they can encounter. With children under 16, keep the computer in areas where it is easy for you to supervise, or make a point of casually visiting your teen unexpectedly when they are on the Internet. WATCH THE CLOCK. Limit the time your kids spend on the Internet just as you would for TV and telephone. ========= WHAT TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN - Pick a screen name that will attract the kind of friends you would like. Don't use a name that is negative, belittling or provocative. - Only send pictures with your parent's permission. - Tell your parents if you encounter inappropriate or offensive messages. Never respond to these messages. - Never give your passwords to anyone online. - Don't tell anyone your exact age; just say you are under 18. Be smart and do not give your name, address, phone number, parent's work address/phone number or the name or location of your school. - Do not fill out surveys or register at sites without your parent's permission. ========= RED ALERTS Parents should watch for these signs: * If your child is becoming removed from the family. * If he or she spends excessive amounts of time online, particularly with one person or chat room or group. * If they mention how their Internet "friend" is more understanding than you are. * If your child doesn't want to share information about people and messages they receive online. * If you enter the room and the computer screen suddenly goes dark. * If your child uses an unusual number of discs to retrieve information and is hiding them, it may mean that adult images are being downloaded or secret correspondence is being saved. * If your child is online late at night. ===== CHILD FRIENDLY SEARCH ENGINES A handful of Web directories and search engines are available to filter Web content for kids. Here are a couple popular options. * Ask Jeeves Kids http://www.ajkids.com/ * Yahooligans http://www.yahooligans.com/ ===== Emoticons @>--,-- A rose :-() Big mouth (User has rambled on) :-( Frowning (( )):** Hugs and kisses *<:-)( I'm Santa Claus :-D Laughing :-* Puckering for a kiss :**: Returning kiss :-o Shouting :) Smiling :-) Smiling, with a nose 1^o Snoring >:-( Upset or annoyed :-ss User drools :-{ User has a moustache %-) User has been staring at a green screen for 15 hrs :'-( User is crying :-@ User is screaming :'-) User is so happy s/he is crying :-7 User just made a wry statement :-x User's lips are sealed {(:-) Wearing a toupee B-) Wearing cool shades 8-) Wearing glasses ;-) Winking >>>>>> ACRONYMS <<<<<< Abbreviation/Meaning 404 I haven't a clue ADN Any day now AFAIK As far as I know AFK Away from keyboard ASAP As soon as possible A/S/L? Age/sex/location? B4N Bye for now BAK Back at the keyboard BBIAB Be back in a bit BBL Be back later BBN Bye bye now BBS Be back soon BF Boyfriend BFN Bye for now BG Big grin BL Belly laughing BMGWL Busting my gut with laughter BRB Be right back BTDT Been there, done that BTW By the way BWL Bursting with laughter BWTHDIK But what the heck do I know...? C&G Chuckle and grin CNP Continued in next post CRB Come right back CRBT Crying real big tears CU See you CUL See you later CUL8ER See you later CYA See ya CYO See you online DL Dead link DLTBBB Don't let the bed bugs bite DIKU Do I know you? DITYID Did I tell you I'm distressed? DOM Dirty old man DOS Dozing off soon DQMOT Don't quote me on this DTRT Do the right thing DWB Don't write back EG Evil grin EMFBI Excuse me for butting in EMSG E-mail message EOM End of message F2F Face to face FAQ Frequently-ask question(s) FC Fingers crossed FISH First in, still here FMTYEWTK Far more than you ever wanted to know FOMCL Falling off my chair laughing FTBOMH From the bottom of my heart FUD Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt FWIW For what it's worth FYI For your information GAL Get a life GD&R Grinning, ducking, and running GF Girlfriend GFN Gone for now GIWIST Gee, I wish I'd said that GL Good luck GMAB Give me a break GMTA Great minds think alike GOL Giggling out loud GTRM Going to read mail GTSY Glad to see you H&K Hug and kiss HAGN Have a good night HAND Have a nice day HHIS Hanging head in shame HIG How's it going HT Hi there HTH Hope this helps IC I see IHU I hear you ILU or ILY I love you IM Immediate message IMS I am sorry IOW In other words IPN I'm posting naked ITIGBS I think I'm going to be sick IWALU I will always love you IYSWIM If you see what I mean J4G Just for grins JIC Just in case JK Just kidding JTLYK Just to let you know KISS Keep it simple stupid KIT Keep in touch KOTC Kiss on the cheek KOTL Kiss on the lips KWIM? Know what I mean? L8R Later L8R G8R Later gator LD Later, dude LDR Long-distance relationship LHO Laughing head off LMSO Laughing my socks off LOL Laughing out loud LSHMBH Laughing so hard my belly hurts LTM Laugh to myself LTNS Long time no see LTR Long-term relationship LULAB Love you like a brother LULAS Love you like a sister LUWAMH Love you with all my heart LY Love ya LY4E Love ya forever MorF Male or female MOSS Member of the same sex MOTOS Member of the opposite sex MTF More to follow MUSM Miss you so much NADT Not a darn thing NIFOC Naked in front of computer NP No problem NRN No response necessary OIC Oh, I see OLL Online love OMG Oh my God OTOH On the other hand OTTOMH Off the top of my head PANS Pretty awesome new stuff PAW Parents are watching PDA Public display of affection PM Private message PMFJIB Pardon me for jumping in but... POAHF Put on a happy face ::POOF:: Goodbye (leaving the room) POS Parent over shoulder POTS Plain old telephone service PU That stinks! QT Cutie ROFL Rolling on floor laughing RPG Role-playing games RSN Real soon now RT Real time S^ S'up - what's up SETE Smiling ear to ear SF Surfer-friendly (low-graphics Web site) SHID Slaps head in disgust SO Significant other SOL Smiling out loud SOMY Sick of me yet? SOT Short on time SOTMG Short on time must go STW Search the Web SU Shut up SUAKM Shut up and kiss me SUP What's up SWAK Sealed with a kiss SWL Screaming with laughter SYS See you soon TA Thanks again TAFN That's all for now TANSTAAFL There ain't no such thing as a free lunch TCOY Take care of yourself TGIF Thank God it's Friday THX Thanks TIA Thanks in advance TILII Tell it like it is TMI Too much information TNT Till next time TOPCA Til our paths cross again TOY Thinking of you TPTB The powers that be TTFN Ta-Ta for now TTT Thought that, too TTYL Talk to you later TU Thank you TY Thank you UW You're welcome VBG Very big grin WAYD What are you doing WB Welcome back WBS Write back soon WEG Wicked evil grin WFM Works for me WIBNI Wouldn't it be nice if WT? What/who the ? WTG Way to go! WTGP? Want to go private? WU? What's up? WUF? Where are you from? WYSIWYG What you see is what you get YBS You'll be sorry YW You're welcome ===== TACTICS Private Detectives © Telephone: 1 (228) 313-5399 Website: http://tacticsdetectives.com/ ----------------------------- Copyright © 2009 TACTICS Detectives, Inc. All rights reserved.