There's no doubt computers are our future. And any Alberta kids who aren't computer literate, even from a very young age, are clearly putting themselves behind the 8-ball when it comes to job opportunities and the ability to compete in today's complex world.
But computers – especially when the Internet is part of the equation – come with inherent dangers and serious risks, as several Alberta children found out following the arrest of Mark Gary Bedford of Kingston, Ont., last week.
Once he had gained the girls' confidence, he convinced them to expose themselves on a webcam, according to police statements following Bedford's arrest.
These girls ranged in age from nine to 15 and were from such far-flung locations as Edmonton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Kingston, Ottawa and Kent, England. The police talked of hundreds of victims and at least 10 in the Edmonton area.
Exploiting children sexually, then distributing the images, is one of the most repugnant and disgusting offshoots of the instant and anonymous nature of the Internet.
It has created a whole new class of criminal that police forces are only now just catching up with. And by its very nature, the Internet is proving a very difficult “crime scene” to effectively police.
It requires a tremendous amount of police co-operation, involving specially trained computer-crime officers from several jurisdictions – as was clear from the charges laid against Bedford.
This was clearly stressed by Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Unit Det. Kevin Fald. Like a dark alley in a bad part of town, or a playground lurker, the Internet can be a very dangerous place for children.
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