Homeland Security Special Agent offers advice to keep kids safe from online predators

A U.P.-based Homeland Security Special Agent has been traveling the U.P. to educate children on internet safety.

Todd Wilton presents at about 4-5 schools a month, educating kids on subjects like cyberbullying, sexting, sextortion, and high-risk social media apps. He shows them case examples of kids who have been victimized, so they can learn how to prevent it from happening to them. He says the amount of online predators are enormous, and education to both parents and children is the key to winning the battle.

“When your kids go to sleep at night, spend five minutes going through their phone. Look at apps - if you don't recognize it, Google's your friend,” Wilton advises. “Don't let them have their phones or devices in their bedrooms at night. Keep them locked up somewhere where they don't have access to them or can't get access while you're sleeping.”

“If you don't know who you're talking to online... (haven't) physically met them in person, don't talk to them,” he adds. “And also set all your social media to private because the whole world doesn't need to know everything about you, and you don't need to give all these predators any more additional information they could have to use against you…So set all your stuff to private, don't talk to anybody you don't physically know, and you shouldn't have a problem with any of this."

Wilton also said that he estimates 99% of online predators are eventually caught, and the penalties they're given are severe.

If an online predator is reaching out to your or your child, contact local police or Homeland Security.