A baby-sitter is being credited with protecting a 9-year-old girl from an online predator.
Hailey was innocently playing on a popular children's web page when a predator lured her to an M.S.N. chat site where the conversation quickly turned sexual.
"First he was all nice and everything, but then after awhile he got kind of nasty," Haley explained.
Fortunately her caregiver, Jason, looked over her shoulder and saw the sexual nature of the man's comments.
"I couldn't believe that it was actually happening to somebody that I know," he said. "I mean you hear about it, right, but it's like I said, you don't know how much of a shock it is until it actually happens to you."
Incredibly, Jason kept his cool, and that's how the story takes a dramatic turn.
Jason decided he was going to lure the person who was luring Hailey. He sat down at the computer and pretended to be her. At the same time, he was on the phone calling the police. When they arrived a short time later, the suspect had exposed himself and was performing a sexual act live on web cam.
Police were able to trace the suspect's computer and within minutes an undercover officer got on-line, posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Within half an hour, a suspect, believed to be the same person that was chatting with Hailey, was sending live web cam video performing a sexual act in front of police.
The suspect's computer was traced to Moncton, New Brunswick, so the R.C.M.P. were called. They moved to make an arrest within hours, only to find the suspect had moved to Nova Scotia, where he was later arrested.
A 20-year-old man now faces charges of luring.
Here's a checklist parents, teens and kids can use to test how web savvy they are - and what they need to learn to keep the bad guys out:
Checklist for parents
(The preferred answer is 'yes'. But if you respond with a no, you should reconsider how you're monitoring your kids online.)
Are you involved in your kids' online activities? Do you know what they are doing and who they are talking to when they are on the Internet?
Does your family have a set of rules or an agreement for appropriate Internet use?
Do your kids know to ask permission before submitting any personal information online? This includes: when using e-mail, chat rooms or instant messaging, filling out registration forms and personal profiles, and entering online contests.
Do you try to not be too critical of your kids' activities on the Net and use their Internet experiences as an opportunity to discuss inappropriate content, trust and responsibility?
Do you make Internet use a family activity by guiding your kids to good sites and teaching them how to do safe, effective searches?
Have you taught your kids not to believe everything they read online and to check online information with an adult or with another source?
If your child accesses the Internet from school or your local library, are you familiar with their acceptable use policies?
Do you look at the privacy policies on the commercial Web sites your kids visit to check what kind of personal information is gathered and if it may be sold to another party?
To make your monitoring job easier, have you placed your connected computer in a well-used public area of your house, such as a family room or kitchen?
If your child has her/his own Web site, have you checked to make sure it doesn't contain personal information that will identify her or him?
Have you talked to your kids about responsible online behaviour? Do they understand that stealing from Web sites, downloading pirated software, making online threats and
hacking are illegal activities?
Checklist for teens
(The preferred answer is 'yes'. Any 'no' responses should have you reconsidering your actions.)
I know how to protect my privacy on the Internet by not sharing personal details in chatrooms, newsgroups or instant messaging. This includes my name, gender, age, address, e-mail address, telephone number, picture, credit card information or passwords.
I talk to my parents about what I'm doing online and who I chat with.
I read the privacy policies on Web sites before filling out online registration or contest forms to make sure they will not be sharing my information.
If I encounter disturbing material or harassing messages online, I don't respond. I tell a parent or another adult and my Internet Service Provider.
If I am planning to meet an online acquaintance in real life, I get permission from a parent first. I arrange the meeting for a public place and I don't go alone.
I try to confirm that online information is correct by finding out more about the author and by checking it against other sources.
I respect others online. I never "flame" or insult others or spread gossip.
I know the following activities are illegal and I don't practice them: hacking, making physical threats and downloading pirated software.
I respect copyright by not stealing from other Web sites or using plagiarized material for homework assignments.
I check with my parents before making financial transactions online, including purchasing, ordering or selling anything.
Checklist for kids
(The preferred response is 'yes'. If your kids give a 'no' talk to them about what they should - and shouldn't be doing online.
I ask my parents' permission before giving out any personal information on the Internet, including: my sex, name, phone number, address, e-mail, school name, my parents' work address/telephone numbers, credit card information, my picture and my passwords.
I only use chat rooms for kids that my parents have checked out for me.
When I'm online I always use a nickname that doesn't reveal anything about me - including if I am a boy or girl.
If an online message makes me feel uncomfortable or frightened, I don't respond to it. Instead I tell an adult right away.
If I want to arrange a meeting with someone I've met on the Internet, I tell my parents first and make sure one of them comes with me.
I treat people nicely when I'm online and never post or send rude messages or threats.
I always ask permission from the author before taking words, pictures or sounds from a Web site.
I use Web sites and search engines for kids that my parents, teacher or librarian have told me about.
I know that things I read online aren't always true so I check the information with a parent or teacher.
I always check with an adult before opening e-mails from strangers.
Courtesy and copyright
Media-Awareness.ca