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'Safer Internet Day' | Local group aims to inform parents of social media risks

Free event to raise cyber awareness for parents

CLEVELAND — When it comes to their kids’ online behavior, many parents do not have a clue.

Apps such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Discord are now opening their children’s lives to the world.

“We see a lot of individuals trying to utilize those sites, those apps, those video game systems to exploit children in the process,” said David Frattare with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task force.

This week his agency arrested 20-year-old Ameen Sari of Cleveland, after they say he tried meeting up with a minor for sex.

In Florida, seven people were accused of luring a teen boy into sex slavery through the Discord app.

It is all why ICAC will be holding a meet and greet with the public at Jack Frost Donuts in Cleveland on Tuesday morning. 

The event taking place from 6 a.m. to noon also marks “Safer Internet Day 2019.”

Since the task force was formed, there have been more than 8,000 arrests across the country. Between 250 and 300 are in Ohio each year.

Frattare suggests having a conversation with your child about their online behavior sooner rather than later.

“You need to know their password, you need to know their patterns, you need to know their e-mail addresses and their usernames,” he said, “Because when something happens, as a parent you’re going to want to have as much access as you can to the devices and the technology.”

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