Guest Column
There is no age of innocence
By George Winner

"It's beyond the Wild West out there. You've really taken away the age of innocence."

These statements were made by a pediatrician in a national news report on a study, published in the current issue of Pediatrics magazine, that concluded that more and more children and teens are being exposed to online pornography. The study revealed that 42% of Internet users aged 10 to 17 had been exposed to a sexually explicit Web site.

The comments are startling and unsettling. It becomes even more disturbing in light of a statistic revealed by a New York State State Trooper at a recent meeting on Internet safety at Haverling High School in Bath: that 95 to 97 percent of sexual predators make their first contact with victims online.

The Internet undeniably impacts today's society in fundamental and far-reaching ways. It's a huge economic engine. It can be a powerful and meaningful tool for education. It has made our lives more cost- and time-effective. It's driving changes in the world of music and entertainment. It's transforming the practice of government, politics and the mass media, to name just a few.

Is it also taking away the age of innocence? We're wise to take the question very seriously. It's a question, in particular, that must be taken seriously in our homes, where past studies have shown that the number of teenagers using the Internet has increased by nearly 25% in the last four years. Nearly 90% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 are familiar with going online, and their Internet use continues to intensify and broaden.

So my hat's off to every effort, including recent efforts in Bath and other places locally, to promote safety in today's "online" society -- particularly for our children and young people. It's important to keep in mind that parents are the first line of defense when it comes to online computer safety.

Where can a parent turn for help? There are a few organizations that stand out, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. One is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC web site, www.missingkids.com, offers an impressive array of child safety information, including information specifically related to online computer safety.

Another place to turn is the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose web site, www.fbi.gov, includes an online version of a publication called "A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety." This brochure includes safety tips for parents such as keeping the home computer in a common room, utilizing parental controls provided by the Internet service provider, always maintaining access to your child's online account, and instructing your children to never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online.

As well, I'm glad to offer computer safety information through my own offices. I've been fortunate to join my legislative colleagues in New York State to enact comprehensive child protection laws, including laws that make it easier to prosecute Internet predators. Some of the new laws that will be considered during the current legislative session include one measure to create new felony crimes against the use of computers to commit sexual offenses against children.

But as it goes with so many of our challenges -- from the war on drugs to the war against terrorism -- public awareness, education and involvement are critical to success.

In the case of online computer safety, an informed adult is a child's most powerful protector. Feel free to contact my office to request a copy of the Senate brochure "Online Computer Safety." This publication includes helpful hints for parents in establishing online rules and to spot the warning signs that a child might be at-risk. It also provides a list of "Rules for Online Safety" that can be clipped and kept near the home computer. At the very least, it's a good starting point for becoming better informed. The writer represents the 53rd District in the New York Senate