We recently issued our second National Parental Warning
due to sexually explicit content in an online video
game, a promotion for the movie Running Scared.
Last summer we discovered hidden pornographic sequences
in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Thanks in part to national outcry led by the Institute,
these sneaky marketing tactics were exposed and the
content was pulled from the games.
Unfortunately, games like these aren’t the only
place where kids can easily access sexually explicit
material. In fact, they are barely the tip of the iceberg.
In an age where we can access the Internet on our cell
phones, send pictures in the blink of an eye, and play
increasingly sophisticated online games, pornographic
content is more easily accessible than ever before -
never more than a few clicks away.
Where do kids find it?
Conducting an online search using a search
engine like Google or Yahoo!
Typing in the wrong website address.
Clicking on a link in an email or pop-up
advertisement.
Answering an Instant Message or following
a chatroom link.
Searching for images or pictures online.
Tricks of the Trade
Pop-up windows - sometimes
you don’t even need to click on a link
to see pornography. Some sites use pop-up
windows that “cycle through”, meaning
that every time you try to close a window
another one pops up. The more sites you “cycle
through,” the more money the site makes.
Hijacking your “favorites”
- some sites can actually recode your
computer to link to porn sites instead of
your “favorites” like your home
page, email etc… It can be hard to recode
this on your machine.
Search Tricks - 25% of porn
sites are estimated to misuse popular brand
names as search engine “magnets.”
Three of the top ten brand names are specifically
targeted towards kids– Barbie, Disney
and Nintendo.
Just a few clicks away
There are over 500,000 pornographic and
sexually explicit websites on the Internet.
Among teens, ages 15-17, 70% have “stumbled
across” pornography on the Internet,
45% of those kids said they were “upset”
by the experience (Kaiser, 2001).
15% of kids admit to lying about their age
in order to access a site.
While the perils of the Internet
pose serious risks for kids, it is also a great
resource - as long as we can help kids understand
how to use it responsibly. We believe in the power of
parents.
Click here
for the tips and tools you need to keep your
kids safe online.
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