Hidden Dangers of the Internet, A Guide for Parents
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If your child has a home computer or access to a friend's computer, particularly if they have connected to the internet, please take the time to review this guide.

With the ever increasing development of computer technology and the increasing number of people who are computer literate, it is much more likely that our children will be victimized or exploited in a computer environment.

The "Information Super High-
way" which is made up of BBS services, commercial on-line services such as Prodigy, America Online, CompuServe and the Internet allow millions of people around the world to communicate anonymously in a virtually uncontrolled electronic world.
Just as we tell our children not to talk to strangers and watch and direct where they go and whom they meet in the "real world" we need to be aware of the dangers in the electronic world and exercise these same cautions. Parents have unknowingly allowed their children to invite criminals into their homes via the computer that resulted in the child becoming involved in criminal activities and all too often victimized by persons who would never have been allowed in the home by the parents.

"Today's children are being weaned on video games and quickly move to computers. Society has high hopes for this technically literate generation, but the proliferation of microcomputers and computer literacy also means that more and more assets will be stored on computer systems and the community of potential computer criminals will increase astronomically." Dr. Willis Ware, Rand Corporation, Santa Monica, Ca.


1. Tip for safe computing. Advise your children to observe the following safety rules whenever they are on-line.

Remind them that no matter how safe or friendly a BBS seems (and this includes the major on-line services), there is always a
potential for danger.
a. Never give out any personal information about themselves - particularly real names, addresses, phone numbers, financial information, etc. to anyone that they meet on computer bulletin boards. The above is not meant to preclude giving your name, phone, address and credit card number to online services that often require them to open an account.

You may also find you can order services and products via online services and we are not discouraging this. Making purchases online with a credit card is probably just as safe as it is in person at a store.

What we are concerned about is giving personal and credit information out online to people you meet in chat or E-mail. It is the same as using a telephone. When you call a business and order products by phone you know who you are calling and can feel secure in giving them you credit card. When they call you, you have no way of knowing if you are talking to a legitimate business or a crook.		  


b. Do not fill in the "Member Profile" section used by online services where you fill in your name, address, age, school, sex, interests etc. This allows any online user access to personal information. If you want to put anything in here, use your handle and interests. Skip the address and other personal info.

c. Be aware of undesirable chat rooms and bulletin boards. Use the "parental discretion" options where necessary to block these areas.

d. Don't respond to anyone who leaves you obnoxious, sexual or menacing E-mail.

You should not become involved in public "Flame" sessions. You have no idea who you are dealing with and what access an individ-
ual may have to your personal or on-line account information. Many services provide a "kill" file where they can automatically block messages from these persons.
e. Report all electronic harass-ment and/or abuse to their parents.

As parents, you should notify the BBS SYSOP (system operator) of the problem. If the SYSOP does not give you satisfaction in stopping this abuse, notify the police.

f. Never set up face to face meetings with anyone you have met on the BBS. If anyone you meet on-line wants to meet you - tell your parents. Notify the police of all attempts by adults to set up meetings with your children. This is by far the most dangerous situation for children and should be reported to law enforcement.

2. Warning signs of possible computer crime problems. Note: these are warning signs only and are meant as warnings of possible problems, not evidence of a problem.

a. Computer addiction. Withdraws from friends, family, and "lives on the computer" may lose interest in social activities.

b. Use of new or unusual vocabulary, heavy with computer terms, satanic phrases, sexual reference or sudden interest in related hard rock or satanic oriented posters, music, etc.

Look for related doodling or writing using of words such as: Hacking, Phreaking or any words with "ph" replacing "f."
c. Lack of interest in self and appearance, grooming and hygiene or indications of lack of sleep, sudden drop in school grades and unauthorized absences from classes.

3. Other potential danger signs

a. The computer and modem are running late at night, even when unattended.

b. Computer files ending in GIF, JPG, BMP, TIF, PCX, DL, GL, FLI, MPG, AVI, MOV. These are picture or graphic image files.