Cyberchat #14
In today’s digital world, staying vigilant is the key to keeping our families safe online. Protections against explicit content being shared without consent are slowly increasing — like with the newly signed Take It Down Act — creating a path to making the internet safer for everyone, but there is still more we can do.
As a big sister and godmother, I try to share as much information about what is happening on the internet not just for the safety of my family, but for all the amazing new parents in my life who are trying to stay ahead of the curve for their little ones. Whether they are five or fifteen years old, it is never too late to start the conversation. Introduce the habit of creating strong passwords, monitor your children’s online activity, and talk to them regularly about what they encounter online.
Let’s stay aware, informed, and safe — together.
JESSICA BRAVO
SafetyNet® Bilingual Presenter
Take It Down Act
The Take It Down Act was introduced by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota in January of this year. The bill received strong bipartisan support and was backed early on by the First Lady, Melania Trump.
On Monday, May 19, President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law. This legislation criminalizes the nonconsensual sharing of sexually explicit photos and videos of others — including artificial intelligence-generated images known as deepfakes — and mandates that platforms remove them within 48 hours of notice from a victim. The platforms must also take steps to delete duplicate content. Those prosecuted may face up to three years in federal prison.
The Take It Down Act helps ensure justice for victims of deepfakes, who are often teenage girls. The spread of widely available nudification apps have made it easy for young boys to create and distribute sexually explicit images of their female classmates. Before this act was signed, there were no federal legal consequences for this behavior.
If you or someone you know is a victim of revenge porn or deepfakes, report the incident to local law enforcement. If the victim is also under 18 years of age, visit NCMEC’s Take It Down webpage. Take It Down is a free service for minors that can help them remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos.
Roblox Kidnapping
Recently in California, a 10-year-old child was kidnapped by a 27-year-old man. The child was initially targeted on the popular gaming website Roblox, which has a public chat feature. They then continued their communications on the popular messaging platform Discord. Gamers favor Discord because it combines text, voice, and video chat in one app. This also makes it more dangerous for children and favored by child predators.
Fortunately, state and local authorities recovered the child within 48 hours and they were returned home. The predator was charged with kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The victim’s family is seeking legal action against Discord.
Check out these video game safety features you can enable for your child.
AI Down Syndrome Scam
According to CBS News, bad actors are using artificial intelligence to impersonate people with disabilities, in particular, those with Down syndrome. These fake social media accounts are sometimes used to gain followers more easily. One woman, who calls herself “the NUMBER 1 DS creator,” promotes her adults-only content using the fake account. Others are asking for donations to help with “medical expenses.” This behavior is harmful because it detracts from real disability advocates and siphons off donations from legitimate organizations.
If you are interested in financially supporting a cause that is important to you, do your research and ensure you are giving to a legitimate organization. Some legitimate non-profit organizations that support those with Down syndrome include the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.
Resources
- WATCH: Trump signs Take It Down Act
- NCMEC – Take It Down
- Senate Bill 146 – Take it Down Act
- California man accused of kidnapping 10-year-old he met on Roblox
- CyberChat: Videogames
- Why people are using AI to fake disabilities like Down syndrome online
Join us in bridging the digital divide!
Help bridge the “digital divide” by ensuring schools in underserved communities, like Title One schools, have access to this vital cyber safety education.
SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices® is a collaborative program of the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SD-ICAC) and the San Diego Police Foundation. It is designed to help kids, parents, educators, and concerned adults learn how to keep kids safe online.