MOSES LAKE – Today is Safer Internet Day, the global observance is a time to bring attention to internet crimes against children and what can be done to reduce the risk of a child becoming a victim online.  

“Be a part of your child's life and make sure that you talk with them about the dangers that lurk on the internet,” Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. “Have a discussion with your children about the dangers of the internet. Explain to them that there are good things and explain to those there are bad people out there looking to cause harm.” 

The staff at New Hope recommends parents sitting down with their children and discuss the potential risks of using the internet. The nonprofit recommends that parents use NetSmartz which has different age ranges to discuss cyberbullying, gaming, livestreaming, online enticement, sexting, sextortion, smartphones and social media sites.  

“I would recommend having those talks with them about what they should and shouldn't be looking at,” a New Hope representative said. “There are some great videos online that we always recommend our parents to watch. They are called NetSmartz, and you can find them on YouTube, and they are very age-appropriate, from, I want to say, preschool all the way till their teens. Those are great to watch as a family so that they can see what their children will be looking at as well. They're just online safety tools.”  

Quincy Police Department Cpt. Jorge Trujillo is both a parent of two teenagers and a law enforcement officer. He said he has set boundaries with his children regarding technology which he said work well and are a crucial first step to keeping children safe.  

“I know their passwords for the phones. I monitor the activity online. Once or twice a week, I'll check their phones,” Trujillo said. “There's no computer in the bedroom so it’s not hidden. I go through their browser history. We use parental controls on their phones. We have rules for social media and all that stuff.” 

Trujillo said his children only communicate with people they know and don’t accept online requests from strangers, in part because he’s had open conversations with them. 

"For the most part, I think they always do come to us with information if someone is being weird,” he said. 

Foreman said red flags parents should be looking for include changes in behavior surrounding electronics including trying to be more secretive, increased technology time, changes in mood and attitude, withdrawing from friends and family, finding inappropriate material on devices and your child receiving mail, gifts or money from unknown people.  

“Well, if the child starts withdrawing or their behavior changes, they become more secretive about what they're seeing on the internet, on their phone, on their laptop, on their tablet, if they start displaying behavior which is unusual, that should be an indicator for parents to try to find out what's wrong,” Foreman said. “It’s the parents’ job to keep their kids safe on the internet.” 

New Hope staff expressed similar sentiments but also said to be wary of children not allowing their parents to go through their devices or behaving poorly when parents do. She also recommended parents set screen time and content restrictions on their children's phones.  

Trujillo said if children are always on their phones and not coming out of their bedrooms, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Whether that’s associated with online activity or not is something parents should investigate. 

“Before downloading any new apps, children should discuss with the parents,” Foreman said. “Let the parents know that they're downloading another app so they're going to have another presence in another app. Do the homework on that app to find out what that app is, who the target audiences are for that app. Be with your child and say, ‘Listen, if you're on that app and someone approaches you wanting you to do something you don't want to, then you tell us. Please tell us.’” 

If concerned that your child is being victimized, Foreman recommends documenting everything, saving all proof and contacting law enforcement immediately. New Hope also offers services specifically for children being cyberbullied; however, they tend to refer any exploitation cases to GCSO.  

“I can think of three or four cases that led to search warrants and arrests like in the last probably 15 months,” Foreman said. “They continue to happen every day" 

GCSO is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. 

ICAC is a nationwide network of coordinated task forces, representing more than 5,400 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. ICAC investigates, prosecutes and develops cases related to internet crimes that victimize children, and they have a variety of resources available on their website.  

“I guess parents always stay involved. We got to know who the kids' friends are, where they go, who they talk to, everything,” Trujillo said. “They can monitor their internet activity, on their kids' phones, everything they should be able to. I encourage them that they should, because it's good and it keeps their kids safe.”  

Kids Hope 
311 W. Third Ave.
Moses Lake, WA
509-764-8402 

Internet Crimes Against Children Washington 
Seattle Police Department
206-386-9140