By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
In today’s high-tech world, many parents are justifiably worried about who or what their children come into contact with via computer or smartphone.
Now, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is offering free software called Computer Cop to help parents in Ellis County keep their children safe when surfing the Internet.
According to Detective Brad Ricke, once the software program is installed, all of your child’s computer activity will be tracked and include all images, search history, videos, instant messaging, Facebook activity and more.
Ricke said the tool allows parents to “start a conversation” with their child if they come across “objectionable” or dangerous internet activity such as files which are gang-related, drug-related, sexually inappropriate or related to cyber-bullying.
Parents also can personalize computer activity they want “flagged” as inappropriate.
Will teens accuse their parents of spying on them?
“Yes,” Ricke said.
But, he explained, the “big picture” is about keeping children safe from dangerous activity — and dangerous people.
Ricke said he was approached recently by a Hays mother whose teenage son was “Facebook friended” by someone whose profile picture portrayed an attractive female. When the mother asked her son about his new “friend,” her son confided the woman was a stranger — and she was asking for nude pictures of him.
According to Ricke, fake Facebook profiles are a common trick “sexual predators” use in order to obtain and sell child pornography.
“We all want to trust our kids,” he said, but monitoring Internet and cellphone activity is not just about trust, it is about protecting “the most innocent and vulnerable.”
“The Internet can be a big bad beast,” said Ricke, who said the best advice in taming that “beast” is for parents to educate themselves on what is out there in the cyber world and educate their children on safe Internet use inside and outside the home.
“The fact is, you can put (Computer Cop) on one computer and you can find something and you can ban (your children) from that computer, but they have computers at school, they have computers at the library, they have computers at their friends house, they have computers everywhere, he said.
“(Computer Cop) is going to help you communicate with your kid about what’s right and what’s wrong.” said Ricke, “Sometimes we all need a little corralling and pulling back the reigns and saying ‘OK, these … images are not healthy for you.’
“Now, (the kids) are going to have to make that decision when they go to their friend’s house or the library, but at least (the parents) have been
given the opportunity to talk to them,” he added. “That is what this software is about.”
Ricke said the department also is working toward providing a Computer Cop variation for cellphones.
In the meantime, Ricke said parents need to be just as vigilant when it comes to monitoring their children’s phone use.
Ricke advised parents be aware of every application on their child’s phone and insist on having the username and password for each.
Ricke specifically mentioned cellphone applications Secret — often used by teens to anonymously cyber-bully — and Snapchat, which is widely used by teens — and child predators — to send and receive pictures. Snapchat communications are automatically deleted from the sender and receiver’s cellphone within 10 seconds. By the time a parent gets a chance to browse their child’s phone, any evidence of inappropriate behavior is gone.
Ricke admitted it is hard for parents, caregivers and schools to keep up with ever-changing technology.
He suggested parents google “dangerous cell phone apps for teens” on a monthly to increase awareness of the latest trends and communicate concerns with your children.
For more information or to receive a free copy of Computer Cop, stop by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, 105 W. 12th, or call (785) 625-1040.
Computer Cop is funded through the department’s civil process fund.