Turns out online danger to children is overblown. Surprised?

Published on January 14th, 2009

Posted by Eideard in Research, crime, science, tech

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A task force created by 49 state attorneys general to look into the problem of sexual solicitation of children online has concluded that there really is not a significant problem.

The findings ran counter to popular perceptions of online dangers as reinforced by depictions in the news media like NBC’s “To Catch a Predator” series. One attorney general was quick to criticize the group’s report…

The report concluded that the problem of bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious challenge than the sexual solicitation of minors by adults.

“This shows that social networks are not these horribly bad neighborhoods on the Internet,” said John Cardillo, chief executive of Sentinel Tech Holding, which maintains a sex offender database and was part of the task force. “Social networks are very much like real-world communities that are comprised mostly of good people who are there for the right reasons.”

Not everyone was happy with the conclusions. Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut attorney general, who has forcefully pursued the issue and helped to create the task force, said he disagreed with the report. Mr. Blumenthal said it “downplayed the predator threat,” relied on outdated research and failed to provide a specific plan for improving the safety of social networking.

And it may get in the way of Blumenthal’s plans to run for the Senate and, eventually, president.

21 users responded in " Turns out online danger to children is overblown. Surprised? "

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# 1 Mr. Fusion said, on January 14th, 2009 at 9:13 am

Am I surprised? No, of course not.

Like most right wing nut responses, a misconception becomes the rational of all our fears.

Megan’s Law? Ya right, over 75% of child abductions are done by a family member and another 20$ are by a family friend or relative. Most for short periods of time. One thing I don’t need is another robo call telling to be on the watch for a dark Dodge minivan in some county 200 miles away.

Next they will be trying to tell us how listening in on our telephone calls has kept Americans safe.

# 2 Mr. Fusion said, on January 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am

#1, In the third paragraph, that line should be:

…and another 20% are by …

sorry

# 3 RBG said, on January 14th, 2009 at 9:51 am

I’m sure the probability of actual sexual predators on the streets is even lower. But that hasn’t stopped parents from constantly watching their kids in this zero tolerance society.

Similarly, the chance of a child being killed in a car crash is extremely low, but everyone is required to wear seat belts none-the-less. (Which old-farts don’t remember as kids being allowed to wander anywhere they wanted to in a car?)

That’s because regulatory forces treat the risk to one child in a car similarly to risk to the entire population of kids-in-vehicles: both sets requiring near-zero tolerance to the effects of accidents.

One death is one too many in either case. One sexual attack on a child is one too many, as well. Or close as practical to those goals.

RBG

# 4 Dave W said, on January 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am

A task force of 49 state attorney generals? Which state didn’t want to get involved????

But I’m not a bit surprised at the findings. Like Fusion said, most child predators are family members, neighbors or friends. Mine was my now (thankfully) long deceased stepfather.

I’d wager that most kids have a better sense of precaution about web scams in general than adults. Sure, there ARE some online predators out there, just like there ARE future murderers on the streets. Do you lock yourself in the closet, lock the door from the inside and cower in alleged safety or do you take your chances and face the world?

Another case of overblown media hype that is double overblown by well meaning but overprotective parents who will go to great lengths to keep their children from nearly non-existent threats while minivanning them to McDonalds five times a week.

# 5 Raff said, on January 14th, 2009 at 11:08 am

#2 Stop cyberbullying yourself you spelling nazi!

# 6 ECA said, on January 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am

I love Gov. research..
“IF IT AGREES” with what you want, they will use 30+ year old DATA..

THEN, they will spend BILLION$$ on a new study to prove the economy is WORKING.

I find it funny, that an OLD adage about TV hasnt hit the NETWORKS..IF you DONT LIKE IT, CHANGE THE CHANNEL or TURN IT OFF.

# 7 Dallas said, on January 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am

Not surprised.

Fear is THE choice strategy for governments and religious institutions to brainwash and exert control over the masses.

Ya gotta have a boogie man.

# 8 MikeN said, on January 14th, 2009 at 11:53 am

Turns out all dangers are overblown. Surprised?

# 9 sargasso said, on January 14th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

Remember that the isolation of the online sex industry into it’s own domain, was most fiercely opposed by the religeous right.

# 10 Freedom said, on January 14th, 2009 at 12:49 pm

The end of the NYT article stated, “One problem is that it is difficult to verify the ages and identities of children because they do not have driver’s licenses or insurance.”

National ID cards here we come!

# 11 GF said, on January 14th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

I just didn’t see it either. As much hype as it gets you’d expect that every other kid was being abused. It’s like the gun control nuts who act like everyone they know is getting killed by a handgun.

# 12 John E. Quantum said, on January 14th, 2009 at 1:48 pm

There IS online danger for the pervy old guys who think they are communicating with 13 year old girls, but really are online with THE MAN.

# 13 Greg Allen said, on January 14th, 2009 at 2:25 pm

I’m old enough to be pretty used to the hyped-up scare of new problems.

Remember all the fear about “crack babies” who were supposedly all destined to be psychopath killers? The fear level over this has very high when crack was a new phenomenon. It ends up that fetal alcohol syndrome is still worse. (or so I understand).

The issues of ritual child abuse and “repressed memory syndrome” were also WAY overhyped for a while.

Typically, there is a real issue and a real danger but way way over hyped.

# 14 bobbo said, on January 14th, 2009 at 2:43 pm

I disagree. I think the danger is real and overwhelming.

The data is clear: go online posing as a 12 year old and surf to “Ilovemesomeyoungstuffdotcom” and it won’t be longer than a few weeks before someone will want to make a date with you.

Guaranteed–100% of the time.

# 15 Lou said, on January 14th, 2009 at 4:11 pm

# 14
Bobbo you got to stop doing that.

# 16 Mr. Fusion said, on January 14th, 2009 at 4:24 pm

#14, bobbo,

So now we know where to find you when you aren’t here.

# 17 RBG said, on January 14th, 2009 at 5:25 pm

Thankfully we now can also ignore these problems because it’s been determined that the problem of bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious challenge:

More than one fourth (27%) of teens report that they have talked online about sex with someone they have never met in person (Teen Research Unlimited, “Topline Findings from Omnibuzz Research.” October 2005).

81% of parents of online teens say that teens aren’t careful enough when giving out information about themselves online and 79% of online teens agree with this (Pew Internet and American Life Project, “Protecting Teens Online”. March 17, 2005).

40% of online sexual solicitations of youth begin with an Instant Message (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006). Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA ).

About one-third of youth (34%) admit to regularly communicating online with people they did not know in person (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006). Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA ).

45% of aggressive sexual solicitations (in which the solicitor requests contact with the child in real life) happens to youth when they were online with their friends (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006). Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA ).

One out of every 3 youth has encountered unwanted sexual material while online (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006).
Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA ).

RBG

# 18 RBG said, on January 14th, 2009 at 5:28 pm

And maybe we can get our money back on this study. Or is it simply a matter of whomever publishes last is right?

44% of online aggressive sexual solicitations of youths are now coming from other youths under age 17 that the victim knows in real life (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006). Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA).

RBG

# 19 ECA said, on January 14th, 2009 at 11:39 pm

“”One out of every 3 youth has encountered unwanted sexual material while online (Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2006).
Online victimization of youth: Five years later. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bulletin – #07-06-025. Alexandria, VA ).”"

AND HOw does this rank with a FAMILY member, soliciting or RAPING a child in FAMILY..Uncle/aunt, father/mother, Brother/sister,…

# 20 Lou said, on January 15th, 2009 at 3:47 am

The media full of BS. No couldn’t be !

# 21 RBG said, on January 15th, 2009 at 8:09 am

19 ECA It’s an example of the laughably flawed logic often seen on these pages that goes like this: “How can you possibly consider working on problem X when problem Y is so much bigger.” Like the concept of delegation and multi-tasking is some kind of inscrutable quantum physics.

ie: The report concluded that the problem of bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious challenge than the sexual solicitation of minors by adults.

RBG

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