Social media can be dangerous for anyone

Smart phones and computers have changed the way we communicate. In many ways, the convenience cannot be beat. We always have a line of communication with us when we carry a cell phone. We also have a mini book, a way to look up anything we can think of and a way to instantly see what our friends are up to, whether it’s via text or social media.

While technology has certainly made life easier, it’s also made parenting more challenging. Most children these days have access to the Internet, whether it’s through their own cell phones or whether they are accessing it on a home computer or laptop. Even elementary-aged children seem to be connected these days and many have their own phones.

Doing research for homework is so much simpler these days because of the Internet. Long gone are the days when one had to go to the library and check out books or look through an encyclopedia. Now, it seems, children have all the knowledge they seek (and then some) at their fingertips.

But we also know that children use the Internet for other things, not just homework and research. They play games, watch movies and engage on various social media platforms. That’s why it’s so important to monitor their Internet activity. While most of their activity is likely innocent, you never know who they are talking to.

Take, for instance, an incident that occurred on Nov. 25, in Riverside, Calif. A 15-year-old girl was abducted by a police officer who is now accused of killing three people and kidnapping the girl.

Austin Lee Edwards, 28, is accused of traveling from Virginia to Riverside and abducting the teen, whom he met online. He then allegedly killed her grandparents and mother.

According to police, Edwards “catfished” the girl, using a fake identity. He then allegedly kidnapped her, killed her family and set fire to her home. The girl was not harmed. He was later killed after a gunfight with deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Edwards was an officer with the Virginia State Police and had recently been hired by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to being hired with the sheriff’s office, he passed a background check and psychological testing, officials in Virginia reported.

This is a tragic incident, but not the first time something like this has happened. This particular case seems more surprising because Edwards was a law enforcement officer.

Children and teens aren’t the only ones who have fallen victim to “catfishing,” though. Adults are also vulnerable. Earlier this month, a Southern California man was found dead in Colombia, after joining a woman in a nightclub whom he’d met on the dating app, Tinder.

Paul Nguyen, arrived in Medellin, Colombia, on Nov. 6, and was killed just four days later, according to news reports.

After meeting his date at the nightclub, he went missing and his body was found next to some garbage receptacles a few hours later. It’s not clear if the woman killed him, or if she lured him to his death. The person responsible for Nguyen’s death has not yet been identified or located.

These are just two examples of social media interaction going horribly wrong. Those with children should closely monitor their computer activity, whether it’s at home or on their phone.

Adults also need to be cautious when meeting and interacting with people on the Internet. Not everyone is out to cause harm, but it’s hard to separate them from people who are genuinely interested in making a connection and don’t have nefarious intentions.