Facebook ‘friend’ or predator? police warn parents to be vigilant
Some of the dangers of social media are under the spotlight again and police warn parents to be on the lookout. This comes after parents in the city found grown men talking to children especially girls from as young as 13 years on Facebook.
POLOKWANE – Some of the dangers of social media are under the spotlight again and police warn parents to be on the lookout. This comes after parents in the city found grown men talking to children especially girls from as young as 13 years on Facebook. Mandie Jordaan said that with the holidays she have decided to help her daughter set up a Facebook account for the first time. “She had just turned 13 and I thought it was time that she got her own Facebook account. She made friends quickly but as we have a close relationship she immediately told when she received messages from a man she did not know.” Jordaan said.
She said that the first messages started a week ago when a man invited her daughter to be his Facebook friend and she excepted. “At the beginning the man just said hallo and asked what she was doing but later started asking her daughter what she was wearing and if she listens to her parents and does everything we tell her to do… he wanted to be her secret friend.” Jordaan said.
“When I tried to confront him the Facebook page were removed. I would like to warn other parents to be on their guard when their children are on social media,” concludes Jordaan.
Polokwane police spokesperson Capt Ntobeng Phala said that the police are warning parents to make sure that they know what their children are involved with and who they are talking to on social media. He said that in most cases where children have been violated or abducted it was found that the predator’s first contact with the child was on a social media platform. “We urge parents to make use of the holiday season and share social media with their children taking the time to see what they are doing and see who they are interacting with. “Holidays mean that children have a lot of free time to spend on social media and this gives predators the chance to meet up with them. We urge parents to make use of this time to bond with their children and have a open communication stream where the children feel free to tell their parents things that happen to them.” Phala said. He also added that where people find that their children are targeted by someone they should contact the police to investigate the matter.
