Diminishing the tech divide

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — With pornography, cyberbullying and other internet crimes running rampant in today’s digital world, parents should be firm about inspecting their teens’ electronic devices.

That was among the messages shared during a free youth internet safety seminar attended by about 50 adults last week at Post Falls High.

"Take their cell phones to see what’s on it," said Loni Whiteman, a Kootenai County Juvenile Probation officer and one of three presenters at the seminar.

"We need to have that open and ongoing conversation that them. Having the phone is a privilege and if they can’t be transparent, then that’s a problem. Let them know that you are at least looking and, by being engaged, that’s some security."

Whiteman said it’s become a fight for many parents to inspect their teens’ devices and, when they do get them, finding items of concern can be difficult because kids are creative about where to hide the data.

Tara Smith, a parent who attended the seminar, said technology has changed so rapidly that there’s a knowledge divide about the devices between her and her children.

"It can be a little frustrating because, even though I have the phone, I may not be seeing everything that’s on it," she said after the seminar.

Paul Farina, an Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force member, said parents should know that there are vault apps that look like a game or calculator in which data can be stored in.

"Look for duplicate programs," he said. "They shouldn’t need two calculators."

Neil Unrig, a Post Falls Police detective, added: "None of our students work for the CIA, but they have this stuff."

Teens also use a variety of social media and anonymous apps that should be monitored or eliminated.

"Ask them what apps they use and that should give you a basis to start your research," Whiteman said.

She said kids often use anonymous apps for cyberbullying and, at their age, they generally shouldn’t have a need to remain anonymous anyway.

Whiteman said parents should feel free to make their children take a break from social media, block certain people and "screen shot" areas of concern for police to look at to determine if a crime has occurred.

"This isn’t to punish your student; it’s to protect your student," she said.

Whiteman said teens should be allowed to have a maximum of roughly 200 friends on social media, but many have 700 to 900.

"Reducing that number and associating with only those who you’ve had face-to-face contact with would eliminate a lot of the grooming behaviors we’re seeing," she said. "There’s no way a 15-year-old girl should have 900 friends."

Whiteman said that, for her work with troubled teens, she created a girl who doesn’t exist online to monitor local teens and she’s surprised how vulnerable they are.

"Even though that girl does not exist, they almost always accept my friend request," she said.

Farina said he gets an average of three reports a day from electronic service providers as tips for Internet crimes.

"You have to talk to yours kids (about internet use) and, when you do, keep the poker face," he said.

He said teens are also crafty about re-installing apps during certain times and having multiple phones that parents may not be aware of. Dating sites, which can be a danger for teens, are another area parents should be aware of.

Farina said the average age of youth victims of internet crimes is getting lower.

"It used to be 15 to 16, but it’s now 12 to 14," he said.

Whiteman said that, when doors are opened to talk about sensitive topics, parents should consider talking about them.

"My 8-year-old came home asking about sex," she said, adding that they read a faith-based book about the topic so her child can distinguish between that view and one that’s acceptable to society. "That door was opened, but I warned him about not talking about it with friends. I want him to get information from his own home. As parents, that’s our responsibility. Otherwise he only may get feedback from his peers."

Bringing teens back to reality with their cell phones starts with the parents, Farina said.

"Even if they’re without their phones a few days, they freak out," he said. "We ask parents to model the behavior. Watch their cell phone use at home. Watch how kids are using it. If they’re always using their phone, you may want to make them take a break from that addiction."

On drug use, Unrig said that, when he was a school resource officer several years ago, Spice, a synthetic form of marijuana, had widespread use among teens, but that has tapered. Since marijuana was legalized in Washington, that drug has become more commonly used, he said.

Over-the-counter medications such as Coricidin taken in high dosages, nicotine pouches such as ZYN and vaping pens are also commonly used by teens.