Cyber space is a world of virtual reality and has become an integral part of our daily lives. It is a world in itself. It is a library of its own kind which can be accessed from anywhere and everywhere.
It provides information on almost each and every subject. Information can be accessed by just clicking on the mouse.
You can play games, read newspapers, watch movies, read books, and chat with friends using social interworking sites, search jobs, search places and much more.
It has made our life so easy. You can even buy things online without physically visiting the shop or a market. With the increasing use of advance technology, a new type of crime has emerged which is known as cyber crime.
Among nearly two billion internet users worldwide, there are greater opportunities for criminals to entrap new victims, including children.
Specifically, new information technologies are being misused to commit crimes such as: (a) child exploitation; (b) production, distribution, and possession of child pornography; (c) exposure to harmful content; (d) grooming, harassment, sexual abuse; and (e) cyber bullying.
The latest technologies make it easier for criminals to contact children in ways that were not previously possible. Children are particularly vulnerable to the exploitation of online predators because they rely heavily on networking websites for social interaction.
Offenders use false identities in chat rooms to lure victims into physical meetings, thus connecting the worlds of cyber and physical crime.
When this happens, virtual crime often leads to traditional forms of child abuse and exploitation such as trafficking and sex tourism.
The victims of online exploitation must live with their abuse for the rest of their lives.
It is widely believed that exposure to certain content and easy contact with criminals online may affect the integral development of children.
And once information and images are online, they remain online forever and are available to an increasing number of persons. Experts remind parents that online images of abuse are the result of actual, physical crimes.
Crime without Borders
Criminal enterprises benefit from the relative anonymity the internet provides. Law enforcement authorities struggle to locate offenders because of the ability to conceal online identities and shield unlawful activities with security programs.
This anonymity is compounded by strategic use of internet service providers ISP in multiple jurisdictions.
When a perpetrator suspects that law enforcement in one jurisdiction is tracking his/her activity, he/she need only relocate the criminal enterprise to an ISP beyond the reach of those authorities.
As a result, swift action is required to attribute cyber exploitation of children to users before they can transfer to the relative safety of a different ISP.
Criminals also frustrate law enforcement by developing new means to further their misconduct. Commercial websites once served as the major source of online exploitative images of children, where individuals paid a fee to access site content.
These groups are now moving toward smaller social networks, image-sharing sites, free hosting platforms, and hacked websites.
The less formal, peer-to-peer networks do not leave a money trail, making it more difficult for law enforcement to identify online perpetrators.
The existing legal framework to combat transnational organized crime was not created with the internet in mind.
Some suggest that legislation and other preventive measures designed to protect children from abuse must be amended to adapt to new threats posed by online perpetrators.
Many experts however, suggested that no new treaties are required. Instead, the existing legal framework if fully implemented and enforced is sufficient to punish online child abuse and exploitation.
Prevention
Beware before it’s too late. We all understand the need of protecting children in the real world but it is equally important for all parents and elders to protect their children from online threats.
As a parent you can play an important role in protecting your children against Cyber Abuse. It is high time for parents and elders to take an active role in sharing with your kids about the use and abuse of cyber.
So here are some specific cyber security pointers for your awareness.

Anuradhi Wijeyawardena is the Newman Limited’s Business Development Manager. If you know of a child in immediate risk or danger, call law enforcement right away. For more detail information about cyber security write to – info@newman.com.fj.