Sexual predators existed long before he internet, so it cannot be faulted for their existence.  While the internet did not invent sexual predators, t it does bear a responsibility for enabling the ease with which they can access their victims through social media and other cyber hangouts.  The cyber world has presented a new environment for sexual predators to stalk, cultivate, abuse and attack their victims, often minor children. 

Our understanding of online predators has been greatly enriched through stings conducted by law enforcement and others concerned about this issue.
In this video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbg4hNHsc_8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR13Qnh4af9i12Gon3yrqxjyaOyLXVSA-hUwmSXkqgWCfp1PtsseErcJ9_4

, you hear one mother’s story of how she ended up going uncover to expose these predators and what she discovered.

This article by Wolak and colleagues tries to tease apart the myths from the realities of online predators.  Preview the document

For this discussion, you are going to prepare a message for a young teenager in your life – a younger sibling, a niece or nephew, or even a fictional teenager you create for this discussion.  Using what you have learned about online predators from this video and article (and any other resources you find), coach this person on what they need to know to be safe from online predators.  Explain what online predators are, how and where to spot them, and  what you recommend they do if they have been (or believe they have been) targeted by one.