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Olathe North students learn how to protect themselves from online predators

Posted at 3:03 PM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 18:50:14-05

Whether parents know it or not, it's something many tweens and teens unfortunately are used to, strangers reaching out to them online right here in the Kansas City metro.

"I have experience with it with people randomly approaching me online and like social media like kick and asking for my name and like where I live, if they have known me before,” said freshman from Olathe North, Molly Duke.

"You don’t know who you are talking to if you don’t know them in person,” said Mike Daniels with the Kansas City FBI.

According to the FBI:

  • At least 93-percent of teens post pictures and their real name online.
  • Finding out their interests is easy, because 85-percent reveal what they like.
  • Knowing which school they attend is no problem, because 75 percent publish it.

Daniels says he doesn't expect teens to get offline, but there are things students can do to protect themselves:

  • Do not talk to people they don’t know, or give people they don't know information like pictures or addresses.
  •  Use a fake name on social media accounts to throw predators off their trail
  • Make social media accounts private so others cannot see what they are posting
  • Turn location settings on your phone off, even sending a picture can give a predator a location

Even posting picture showing a specific location can be a lead for a predator to search online for personal information.

Click here to learn more about #KCSafeOnline

"A lot of people post pictures that have their location and people do that every day so you really wonder who is out there looking and watching,” said senior at Olathe North Jonya Boyd.

Students walked away learning no matter what they post it can follow them for a lifetime.

"Think beyond the moment right now, think about what's going to be the effects of it I take this picture, if I do this chat or if I do something know in a week or a month or a year and how it may impact their life,” said Daniels.

 

 

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Ali Hoxie can be reached at ali.hoxie@kshb.com

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