Posted on 07/30/2007 6:09:24 AM PDT by Calpernia
The internet is the shining example of how communication technology can both enhance your life and open it to danger. No responsible parent would allow their children to go online these days without warning them about internet predators who use instant messaging, sites like Myspace.com, and chatrooms to contact minors.
Two-way radios are also used by parents today to keep in contact with their kids, especially during these summer months when school's out and children are out late at night. Child safety advocates are warning that predators can use two-way radios to learn your kids whereabouts, too.
Unless your two-way has a privacy channel or a scanner, it's broadcasting over pubic airwaves with a range of several miles, meaning anyone can listen or chime in.
"Predators may be able to tap into them and speak directly to the children," said Trooper Steven Shallop, program coordinator at the New Jersey State Police Community Policing Unit. He suggests your family use a password to avoid broadcasting with strangers. "A codeword that is only known to the family. If it is ever compromised or spoken to anyone outside of the immediate family it needs to be immediately changed. But it's something that is only known to the child and the parents."
Child safety advocates say GPS technology that comes with many new cell phone models can also be exploited by child predators, potentially informing them of the cell phone owner's whereabouts.
Bul-oney. Only if the sicko knows your kid’s number and is certain it’s in your kid’s possession and your kid is alone and vulnerable. Much easier to do it the old fashioned way of picking a kid wandering alone on the street or at the park.
What about that Nintendo game? It scans the areas for people that are playing when bark mode is engaged.
Any "child" who is old enough to be out "late at night" should be responsible enough that he doesn't have to be connected to Mom by a walkie-talkie.
I can think of an example of that.
We were at a fair (local, small one) last week.
My daughter met a friend there and she and her friend went off to do some big kids rides. The other mom and I put their cell phones on them and some money with their ride bracelets and let them go.
We pretty much followed their paths the whole time...but there were many moments we couldn’t see them.
That’s different from “children out late at night,” I think.
I understand the concerns about electronic tracking, but I really think it’s a peripheral issue. Unfortunately, it seems from the news that most young people who encounter predators are violating common-sense safety rules and their parents’ instructions.
Well, it was late for her. But, I really would feel better understanding how this GPS tracking worked.
This http://www.familywatchdog.us/ site shows a very disturbing increase in my area.
Are any of you here? Do you know how this GPS stuff is exploited to track kids?
It is spooky, I agree.
Do any of your kids have that nintendogs? Have they ever had any unknown dogs come into their handhelds?
No, we don’t have any video games. They play games on the PC - Zoo Tycoon, Persian Gulf War, Star Wars, and so on.
If you go that way, FYI, the Nintendo DS has many games that have GPS interactive features.
Fascinating. I wonder why.
From your post on the Nintendogs thread:
The other person has to be really close, within the immediate area. When they link up, you can add the other person to your friend list. You do get their profile, and it will alert you to their birthdays and so on. You have to agree to add them, though. You cannot detect location like a GPS.
It’s not just the Nintendogs game, the DS will wirelessly communicate with other DS games within a range of 100 feet or so- but bark mode will scan the area for other users in bark mode, even when the DS is closed- but the game has to be started.
Can other devices with GPS scan also?
Example, general GPS scanning device? A GPS phone scan for a GPS handheld game, Wireless devices? LapTops?
I noticed on some hacker boards, people post looking for ‘hot areas’. Does that work with handhelds? Phones?
ovrtaxt post below (14) is copied from the Nintendogs thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1613468/posts?page=12#12
You may want to take note of that since you have kids.
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