Does Your Daughter Use a Computer with a Webcam? She May Be “Jailbait” for Online Predators
Video chatting is obviously the direction that we’re headed in when it comes to digital communication: Skype has taken the world by storm, cell phones and tablet PCs are being built with front-facing cameras and video game consoles are video-chat ready.
All-in-all, video chatting is a tool that people love, especially our children. My feelings aren’t any different. In fact, I think it’s a great way to connect with family and friends overseas, and it’s been a great business tool for my company. However, like most digital technologies (GPS technology, social media, photo tagging, etc) video chatting has its dark side.
Enter Jailbait, a 1-to-1 video chatting “game” that was created and is being “played” by Internet predators right this minute. And their message? “We’re coming for your daughters”. What, who and how? My FOX LA does a great job of breaking it down:
Original report from My FOX LA
Summary of what Jailbait is:
- A “game” designed to target young girls to get them to take their clothes off. The younger—the more naïve—the easier the target.
- “Played” over anonymous webcam video-chatting sites, like Omegle, Chatroulette and iMeetzu.
- A way for Internet predators and pedophiles to record your child’s actions and post them on child pornography forums and sites to be shared and viewed by thousands of other people.
- Accompanied by a point system. The points are useless, but it provides an incentive to a younger audience where “virtual status” can mean a lot.
- Happening right now.
- Illegal on several levels.
- Downright WRONG.
Now that there isn’t any question as to what Jailbait is, let’s talk about what we can do as parents to protect our daughters from this.
Having Their Own Laptop:
The older they get, the more they’ll need one, or at least convince you they need one. Do you get it for them? Maybe you already have. Either way, you should know that their laptop has a webcam built into it. Know that this webcam is a piece of hardware, not software, and therefore incapable of being completely disabled. This is their portal into websites like Omegle, where they can encounter Jailbait in less than 15 minutes.
Before purchasing a computer for your child, think about the level of trust in your relationship with them. Are they good listeners in general? Do they tend to follow your rules, or resist them? Taking the time to analyze this will help you determine whether or not they’re ready for their own laptop.
Establishing Rules:
Once you’ve determined this, you can set the rules for having their own laptop. I recommend having your child sign a contract regarding their use of the laptop (or other digital device). This way it’s clearly spelled out in black and white, what the rules, and consequences for misuse are. It’s a good idea to make one of those rules “keeping the door to your room open at all times when you’re online”. Or better yet, keeping the laptop OUT of the room and in a central area of the house. The reason for this is because things like Jailbait, where your daughter is encouraged to get naked or perform certain sexual acts, can only take place in the privacy of their own room. Having the laptop or computer in the living room or kitchen will help make their decision not to engage an easy one.
On the other hand, if no one’s home, the location of their computer doesn’t really have an effect on their actions, so please talk to your daughters about sites like Omegle, games like Jailbait and responding to requests not only from strangers, but even from people they know, especially if a webcam is involved. Explain to them the very serious consequences that can follow. They can easily end up on child pornography sites and possibly ruin their social and professional lives forever.
Use the Tools Available to You:
Finally, do what you can to safeguard their laptop. There are plenty of steps you can take to minimize the chances of them encountering these sites/games, like blocking individual sites on their web browser and setting things like time limits and content restrictions on their computer’s operating system. The trust factor and track record you have with your child will help you determine if installing spyware or parental monitoring software on their laptop is a step you need to take in looking out for their best interests. Software can range from expensive and intrusive, to cheap and a bit more passive. Either way, it will definitely help you keep an eye on things when you’re not home.
Mary Kay is a nationally-recognized Internet safety expert and the founder of 
