Hi All,
In my previous life (which is about to creep back up on me in a couple of months grrrr) I served to keep kids safe on the Internet. As part of my job I would routinely lecture children on internet safety and the things they should and shouldn't publish online or tell people about. In recent posts from some of my very favourite scrappers I have become worried about the amount of information that they are making available.
I just want to remind everyone, as parents, that we too need to be a little bit savvy online with the information we post about our children. Most of us include our last names on our blog, where we live, mention in passing info about our kids names, what sports they are into, post pics of them in the school uniform - all things that make it easy for online predators to trace our children if they so desire.
I know this is a harsh topic and you probably think that it doesn't happen much ( or if it did, offenders wouldn't use scrapbooking sites) but I can tell you that it does. I did this job every day for almost 4 years and the things I have seen, heard and investigated frighten me more today ( now that I have a child of my own) than ever before.
I just merely want to remind you that we don't know who reads our blog and what their intentions may be so just be mindful of the type of info you include in your posts. Don't forget also to remind your kids that we would never send anyone they didn't know to pick them up from school etc, regardless of the fact that they can rattle off info about us and appear to be a friend.
Sorry again for the grimness of this post, I just want everyone to be safe.
xx
Oh Amanda I am so with you on this one and it is so so true. I try to keep it to a minimum as it does happen and I can only imagine what you have come across.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great reminder and I will certainly make a note of this on my next post with a link back to here if you don't mind.
A great point. Thanks so much for sharing!!
ReplyDeletexx
so very very true - I am very careful to not mention my kid's names and delete name on uniforms and certificates before I post. I am even more careful also in public places and use pet names and nicknames only. My brother (who is now 40) was nearly abducted as a child in a park as he was wearing a t shirt with his name on the front (which must have been cool in the 70's) and the predator said he knew him and his mum - he was only young at the time - maybe 3 or 4 - it has always terrified me. This is also a worry with drink bottles and personal belonings having first and second names on very popular name stickers. I have just used a surname when labelling articles for kinder or school or initials with the class group only printed - it eventually gets returned to the classroom and the teacher can work out its my child. Thanks for posting this and I hope others hear the warning. Will link on my blog too. Mel xx
ReplyDeleteyes thanks Amanda will take heed of your suggestion .... good thinking .. take care and a big hug from me x
ReplyDeletethanks Amanda for this post! My kids are older and I dont post a lot about them anyway! A good reminder though!
ReplyDeleteI can well imagine the things that go on!
thanks!
Thank you Amanda!!!!
ReplyDelete