Sites online require no more than for someone to fill in the blanks about their age.You can be whatever age you’d like to be online. In the real world this would never happen because there are laws to protect our kids. But web site owners pushing porn and other inappropriate material are only interested in protecting themselves. So they ask the kid to check a box indicating they are over twenty-one. That‘s the only age verification required online. Young children can gain access to adult content, gambling sites, adult chat rooms and even have access to purchase drugs. You need to talk to your kids about all of the dangers online and protect them from gaining access to inappropriate content.
Bob Kessinger, CyberPatrol
Bob is the co-author of Surfing Among the Cyber Sharks: Parent’s Guide to Protecting Children and Teens from Online Risk
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