The third boy didn’t have to be asked to meet up, he’d been persistent in meeting Amanda from day one.
He rode his bike over to “Amanda’s house,” and let himself inside as instructed by his online “friend.”
That’s when two men appear from different rooms.
“Who are you?” the boy asks.
“I’m Amanda,” one of the men replies.
After letting him scream for help, the boy’s mom enters the room.
Though none of the boys were ever in danger, they very well could have been. A lot of parents will be quick to say, “My kid would never do that,” but you’d be surprised how vulnerable kids are when they see only the face that’s on the screen in front of them.
All three of these boys knew not to talk to strangers online, but Amanda didn’t alarm them as a stranger.
The video is scary, but it’s a wake up call.
As parents, we simply can’t rely on “don’t talk to strangers” as a warning to our kids.
When it comes to social media, we’re all interconnected in some way. Kids should never become “friends” with or be talking to someone who they’re unfamiliar with.
Encourage your kids to do some investigating before ever accepting a request or a message from a stranger. Do they have mutual friends and followers? Are any of the followers trusted adults that your teen knows? Does the stranger have only a few friends and followers? And are many of the friends and followers the same as your child’s?
Protecting our kids from online predators and the dangers of social media is a major part of parenting today. Share this video with your kids and get the conversation started. It could literally be the discussion that saves your child’s life.
