Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it safe for my child to have a social networking profile such as Facebook?
• How do I keep my child safe online and what are some safety tips to help me protect my child?
• Are all websites dangerous?
• Can I get into trouble if I take a nude picture of myself with my cell phone and send it to someone else?
• If I have a nude picture of my girlfriend that she sent to me on my phone and I do not show anyone or send it out, can I get in trouble?
• If I have a nude picture of someone that is over the age of 18 can I get in trouble?
• Can I report Cyberbullying to the tip lines as well?

• Is it safe for my child to have a social networking profile such as Facebook?
  
  If you take steps to protect the way your child uses these sites, safety can be vastly improved. Some steps to consider would be: look for the information provided on the site for parental safety tools; make sure you know how to use the privacy settings; and create guidelines for your child limiting the friends they can have to those they know in person and who you have approved.
  
  Talk to your children and make sure they know how to report inappropriate content or contact from strangers online.


• How do I keep my child safe online and what are some safety tips to help me protect my child?
  
  As a parent or guardian, keeping your child’s trust, communicating with them, and educating them on the use of the Internet are more effective choices.
  
  Here are some tips to protect your child online:
  
  • Look for the information provided on this site for parental safety tools.
  • Remind your child that people online may not be who they say they are. Someone indicating that “she” is a “12-year old girl” could be a 40-year old male sexual predator.
  • Use the filtering features built into the popular Internet browsers and software programs that block areas known to be inappropriate for children.
  • Learn how to check the Internet history files, which keeps track of the web sites visited each day.
  • Inquire about your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) privacy policies and exercise your options for how your personal information may be used.
  • Know the lingo used by children online.
  • Establish rules for safe Internet use and monitor the amount of time your child spends on the computer.
  • Keep the computer in a common area in the house rather than the child’s bedroom.
  • Make sure your child never provides personal information such as a home address, school name, telephone number, age, or any other personal information which would make it easy for a stranger to find your child.
  • Tell your child not to post suggestive pictures or images that might give strangers clues about his or her identity or location. These pictures may also affect how relatives, potential employers and even college admissions counselors perceive your child.
  • If you or your child becomes aware of the transmission, use or viewing of child pornography while online, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline® at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.
  • Most importantly, remember to talk to your child, know how they are spending time online and listen to what they are telling you.


• Are all websites dangerous?
  
  No. Specific websites can be dangerous depending on how they are used and what you do on that site to place yourself at risk. If the site has the capacity for any type of instant message “chatting,” basically anyone can start up a conversation with another person. Knowing how to avoid and/or respond to those overtures will make the difference in how to ensure safety.


• Can I get into trouble if I take a nude picture of myself with my cell phone and send it to someone else?
  
  Most likely, yes. Currently referred to as “sexting”, the possession and distribution of images that are pornographic is a crime which can be punished by up to 15 years in prison. If the image you create is nudity that is not legally considered pornography, but you send it to a child under 18, that is another crime of “transmission of harmful materials to a child” which can be punished with up to five years in prison. These crimes carry with them the requirement to register online as a sexual offender. Never take images of yourself that you would not want everyone—your classmates, your teachers, your family, or your employers—to see.


• If I have a nude picture of my girlfriend that she sent to me on my phone and I do not show anyone or send it out, can I get in trouble?
  Yes. If the person is under the age of 18 and the picture is on your phone, computer or any other electronic device, it is a crime.


• If I have a nude picture of someone that is over the age of 18 can I get in trouble?
  
  No. It is not illegal to possess a nude picture of someone who is over the age of 18. However, if the image you send contains nudity and you send it to a minor, you are “transmitting harmful materials to a minor,” a third-degree felony under Florida Statutes Ch. 847.0138, punishable by up to five years in prison.


• Can I report Cyberbullying to the tip lines as well?
  
  Yes, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline® at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com. Cyberbullying should also be reported to your local law enforcement.