Released on: July 9, 2008, 7:11 am

Press Release Author: Strategic Vision,LLC

Industry: Internet & Online

Press Release Summary: Tips Offer Warning Signs That Parents Should Be Aware
Of When Children Use Social Websites
Dittrich Is The Author Of The Soon To Be Released Book The Devil's Closet debuting
October 1, 2008; a fictional account of a serial child killer and sexual predator
inspired by a case she investigated


Press Release Body: Atlanta, GA/July 3, 2008 - Award winning former law enforcement
officer and former detective Stacy Dittrich, who specialized in sex crimes, has
developed a list of top safety tips for parents whose children use social networking
websites such as MySpace and FaceBook. The dangers from child predators are becoming
more toxic. As the issue of child predators stalking children on social networking
sites is becoming more prevalent, parents need to be more proactive in monitoring
their children's online activities. Dittrich has developed eight easy tips for
parents and warns that not just social networking sites, but all computer activity
should be monitored.

"The internet has given child predators a new platform to harass children and lure
them into danger," said Dittrich. "It is critical that parents be more vigilant now
then ever before as child predators have become more sophisticated and dangerous in
approaching children."

Dittrich's tips are:

1. Monitor all computer activity, not just social networks: Most internet providers
are giving parents extensive avenues to monitor all activity by their children.
Some, like AOL, will provide instant emails to parents with a list of web sites
visited.

2. Ask yourself, "What is the benefit of my 12-year old having a MySpace page? The
answer should be none. There is absolutely no productive or positive outcome for
anyone under the age of 18 to engage in social networking. The negatives, however,
are endless. They are subjected to harassment, sexual predators, and negative
criticism for starters.


3. Pay attention to conversations taking place on the network.
If your child is engaged in conversation with a person who claims to be a fellow
teenager (someone your child has never met), use common sense when reading their
conversations. Do their language, slang, and grammar reflect what a typical teen
would say and write? Do they write and speak "overly" proper, like an educated adult
would? Most pedophiles are educated to an extent.

4. Learn your way around the social networking sites
You can't monitor your child's activities or cyber conversations if you don't even
know how to turn on a computer. Take a quick class or have someone show you. Learn
your way through the sites and you will be able to quickly access your child's
activities.

5. Don't rely on local law enforcement when confronted with a predator.
Local law enforcement isn't equipped to track out of state offenders on social
networks, and federal law enforcement is having a difficult time keeping up with
them. Networks, like MySpace, are now providing complaint forms to perform their own
investigations to track predators. Even if the suspected pedophile is local, law
enforcement will still need a subpoena to even attempt to identify the suspect. It's
a long process, and a lot of work. It's as frustrating to law enforcement as it is
parents! The new video games that involve social networking are a breeding ground
for sex offenders since they are almost impossible to track.

6. Be a parent, not a friend
The bottom line and solution to criminal activities within social networks is
simple; shut your child's page down. Trying to be a cool parent may ultimately put
your child in danger. If you insist your child should continue to be active on
social networking sites, be diligent, watchful, and police your child's activity
with the strictest means necessary. Limit the time on the site, and watch for
warning signs that your child may be involved in something more serious than merely
talking to friends.

7. Keep the computer in a centralized area
If the computer is in the family room, your child is less likely to engage in
unwanted activity

8. Cyber bullying is the biggest problem facing teens
More so than predators, cyber bulling has affected almost 43% of teens. This has
resulted in suicides, violent behavior, problems at school, and in the home. If you
know who the bully is, contact law enforcement immediately and file a complaint on
the social network site.


Stacy Dittrich is an award winning 15-year law enforcement officer, author, and
former detective specializing in sex crimes. With past training by former FBI
Behavioral Specialist, and bestselling author, Roy Hazelwood, Stacy is certified
through the National Institute of Truth Verification as an examiner (CVSA- lie
detector). Stacy has also been assigned to a federal drug task force that resulted
in arrests from California to Mexico and has been involved in the investigations of
numerous homicides. In 2002, Stacy received the Victim's of Crime Award from former
Ohio Attorney General, Jim Petro. A certified law enforcement instructor, Stacy is
also a media consultant in the area of law enforcement. Her book that launches the
CeeCee Gallagher detective series, The Devil's Closet is due for release in October
2008; the second in May 2009. Her first true crime, "Murder Behind the Badge: True
Stories of Cops Who Kill" is slated for a September 2009 release. Stacy's memoir
about life as a female police officer debuts in Spring 2010.

Additional information on Stacy Dittrich may be obtained at www.stacydisttrich.com.


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