The Daily News

One Fergus Falls, Minn., teacher is warning parents to keep a keen eye on their children's Internet habits.

Jesse Thorstad, technology specialist at Fergus Falls Public School, visited Wahpeton Tuesday to share tips on protecting children from online predators.

As social networking sites become more popular, Thorstad said students should only add people they truly know are friends and post limited information on their profiles.

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"Sometimes, even user names can help you narrow down who you are," he said. "One of the things we recommend is that kids use user names that are nondescript, that don't include their name, their birthday or birth year."

An example featured at the presentation involved a fictionalized girl whose profile stated she enjoyed hanging out with her younger brother, Billy Jr.

As she revealed the state she lives in, a school mascot or even school colors, the right person can track down a victim.

"[People] are familiar with the term carbon footprint, but now...anything they're sharing or posting online is adding to their digital footprint," he said. "All of those pieces can become pieces of a puzzle."

Cyberbullying has also a parental concern. In August, a Missouri woman was charged with the crime after posting personal information of a teenage girl after an online argument.

Bullies have access to kids 24-7, and many bad situations involved kids who had computers in their bedrooms, said Thorstad.

"I'm just a teacher who works with kids and technology, but my first word of caution is to always, always have your computer in a common space in your house," he said. "You can at any moment glance over their shoulder and see what's happening."

Thorstad said his presentation was intended not to scare families but emphasize common sense steps parents can take in keeping their kids within a safe radar.

"I recall seeing a study that...the possibility of your child being abducted (is) probably lower than what people think, yet the risks are there," he said.

Parents who were not raised during the technological age, a group Thorstad calls "digital immigrants," should get more comfortable with the concept.

"If you want to understand what your kids are doing, become part of it," he said. "Take a community education class, learn some Internet skills, create a Facebook account. It can be used in a real awesome way to connect with people you know, and you will understand as well how to keep your kids safe."

Thorstad spoke at STOMP, or Stand Together On Meth Prevention, an event that was sponsored by the Wilkin County Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Coalition.

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