GRAYSON COUNTY, Texas (KXII) – On National Child Exploitation Awareness Day, a Grayson County Sheriff’s Office official is reminding parents that online exploitation is what law enforcement sees most.
Capt. Jeremy Cox said predators specifically seek out the apps, games and social media platforms children use.
“The same application that your children are using — that’s the same application that predators are using, because they are going where the kids are,” Cox said.
Don’t let your guard down
Cox said it can be easy for parents to feel a false sense of security when a screen separates their child from the person they are communicating with.
“We need to make sure that they fully understand that though the person on the other line says they may be your age, or has a really nice photograph, that doesn’t always show who they really are,” Cox said.
Cox said children can find ways to access unintended content even in supervised settings, including at school on tablets and or with friends on computers.
What parents can do
Experts stress that online exploitation can happen to any child. Cox said having difficult conversations with children about online dangers now can help prevent a tragedy later.
Placing parental controls on devices is another way for parents to monitor who is communicating with their child online, Cox said.
Investigators on the case
Specialized investigators on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, are also working to identify and apprehend predators, Cox said, tracking leads across the United States and in some cases internationally.
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