Why Children are Targeted

Internet crimes present hazards to all children, all over the world. Children in particular are targeted because they are naïve and can be convinced to do things that they do not necessarily know are wrong. There are many different types of Internet crimes that commonly target children. One of the obvious crimes that may parents fear is exposure to inappropriate material, may it be sexual, hateful, violent in nature, or encourages activities that are dangerous or illegal. Children can seek out such material, but it is more likely that they will encounter it through email, pop up advertisements, and chat rooms. Viruses, hackers, and spy ware are also ways that can potentially jeopardize not only the child’s privacy and safety, but the family’s privacy and safety as well. Hackers can gain remote access to the family computer, allowing them free range to view all personal files and documents. There is also the legal and financial aspect of Internet crimes. Children can often be conned into providing someone with a credit-card number or doing something that they do not realize is actually illegal. It is important for parents to never save their own personal passwords on their family computer, nor save any credit-card information. Accessing this private information is easier than one might assume.