Recently, Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the completion of statewide Operation Safe Online Summer, which resulted in 11 arrests and one victim rescued.
“Summer break is in full swing for many Mississippians, and our children are spending more time on screens,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “My office is working hard to protect our young people wherever they are – including online, but it is important for parents to be aware of the risks and take the necessary precautions to protect the kids they love. Together, we can make Mississippi a safer place for everyone.”
Mississippi’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force completed Operation Safe Online Summer which led to execution of 53 state and 3 federal search warrants, issuance of 28 state and 3 federal subpoenas, investigations of 33 citizen complaints and Cybertips, 11 arrests, and 1 child victim rescued from ongoing abuse. ICAC investigators examined more than 16 Terabytes of data, including 17 computers, 60 cell phones/tablets, and 16 pieces of other digital storage. The Attorney General’s Office runs the state’s ICAC Task Force, comprised of nearly 90 law enforcement agencies and 145 law enforcement personnel from across the state to address threats to Mississippi’s children.
In addition, during the operation, AGO and ICAC affiliates engaged in 12 community presentations and activities to raise awareness of online safety tips. Actively engaging in discussions about online safety with children at an early age and continuing the conversation over time can assist them as they learn to better navigate the online world. The following topics may assist families as they facilitate conversations about enhancing your child’s cyber safety:
Elementary School-Age Children:
- Review Digital Games, Apps, and Social Media Sites before they are downloaded and pay close attention to apps and sites that utilize end-to-end encryption features, direct messaging options, video chats, file uploads, and user anonymity, which are often exploited by online child predators.
- Adjust Privacy Settings and Use Parental Controls for online games, apps, social media sites, and electronic devices. Exercise additional caution if allowing access to gaming platforms, as they can expose children to cyberbullying, scams, predators, and inappropriate content.
- Supervise Young Children’s Use of the Internet and Gaming Platforms, including checking their profiles and posts on a periodic basis. Store electronic devices in open areas of common use and consider implementing time limits for their use of the devices.
- Encourage Children to Tell a Parent, Guardian, or Other Trusted Adult if anyone asks them to engage in inappropriate behavior.
Middle School and High School-Age Children:
- Establish the Importance of Online Privacy by emphasizing the dangers of sharing personal information, photos, and videos online, especially in public forums or with individuals they do not know in real life. Educate them on the permanency of posting images online, as they are accessible online permanently once posted.
- Teach Children About Body Safety and Boundaries, including the importance and use of saying ‘no’ to inappropriate requests in the physical and virtual world.
- Develop Healthy Skepticism by emphasizing the ability to challenge the authenticity and intentions of what they see and read in online posts, messages, forums, and social media sites. Urge them to be wary of fake accounts that may pose as their peers and use fake, but convincing, photos and videos to share pictures and videos of themselves.
- Be Alert to Potential Signs of Abuse, including changes in children’s demeanor, behavior, emotional state or warning signs of anxiety and depression, and any changes in their use of electronic devices or efforts to conceal online activity.
Adolescents and Young Adults:
- Reinforce Strong Online Habits including robust passwords, two-factor authentication, utilizing a password manager, and completing routine system updates on devices and operation systems.
- Build Upon Privacy Lessons and emphasize how oversharing personal information on social media sites can lead to potential adverse effects.
- Avoid Dangerous Distractions through the responsible use of devices while driving.
- Be Vigilant Against Scams that are prevalent on advertisements which appear on shopping platforms, social media sites, and web browsers, and can lead to fraudulent sales of defective or counterfeit items or to non-delivery of items.
- Protecting Against Phishing schemes in texts, emails, and social media posts where individuals are impersonating a trusted individual or organization and trick users into providing login credentials, sending money through CashApp, Zelle, or Venmo, or unknowingly installing malware on devices.
In 2023, Attorney General Fitch launched Be Aware Before You Share, a campaign to raise awareness of social media’s dangerous impact on children’s mental and physical wellbeing. You can find resources like the Guide to Internet Safety for Parents and Safety Tips for Children by visiting AttorneyGeneralLynnFitch.com.
If you have information about a child being sexually exploited online, please report it to 1-800-843-5678. You can also make a report online at www.cybertipline.org. The hotline is manned by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and tips are reported to the Attorney General’s Office.