You may have seen the recent news story about the South Carolina boy who took his brother’s car and drove 200 miles to meet a stranger he met on SnapChat.
Fortunately, he was saved by a police officer after he got lost and returned safely to his family.
The initial shock at the story’s headline should give way to serious questions about how our children are being targeted by predators through popular apps.
And why did this 11 year-old have a SnapChat account in the first place? Does your child have a SnapChat account or other social media account? If so, have you taken the time to discuss safety issues with them?
At my school and parent presentations about online safety, I discuss why it is so important for children to be aware that the “stranger danger” message they were taught in kindergarten also needs to be applied to people they meet online.
Predators don’t just approach kids walking home from school, they follow them into their homes on their phones and tablets.
