The Carly Ryan Case
15-year-old Carly Ryan believed she was talking to an 18-year-old musician named Brandon Kane. They had met online and they had continued an 18-month relationship of online contact and phone calls. Carly thought she had met her dream boyfriend.
Brandon Kane was actually a 50-year-old predator, Gary Newman. He had spent 18 months winning over Carly. They eventually met in 2007 at a secluded beach in Port Elliott, South Australia where he murdered her. He was found 11 days later in Victoria. Police found him at his computer, logged in as Brandon Kane talking with a 14-year old girl. He was arrested and charged with Carly’s murder.
The Advancement of Online Predators Today
Online predators were just beginning to infiltrate the online world in 2006. Today, you’ll find them preying on our little ones in popular social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and gaming sites such as Roblox and now Among Us. They have advanced their grooming techniques and have more knowledge on successfully targeting a child.
What You Need To Know
Please take this as a means of awareness and a warning that what happened over 10 years ago is happening more and more as our children are spending more time than ever online. Be aware of the apps they are using and who they are talking to online. If you don’t know, then ask them! Having an open form of communication with your children will allow you to notice any red flags.
Some tips that you can apply today are:
- Install a parental monitoring app. Some of the apps that we recommend areNet Nanny,Bark, and My Mobile Watchdog. Do your research and find which one will work best for you and your family dynamics.
- Check your child’s device weekly, even if you have a monitoring app. Technology can’t catch everything. It’s not a matter of “invading their privacy.”What your child does online is for the whole world to see.It’s your duty as the parent to know what type of behavior your child is engaging in online.
- Have the tough conversations. Talking to them about your expectations of use while they have access to their device and the consequences when they violate the guidelines. Talk to them about the dangers and that you want to keep them safe. Don’t be pressured by other parents or your child’s friends to give into online activities that you don’t feel comfortable with.
The Carly Ryan Foundation
To learn more about Carly Ryan and the efforts her mother is making to educate others on online safety, please visit www.carlyryanfoundation.com.