Students learn to defend against internet predators

ALBUQUERQUE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS GOT A LESSON TODAY IN SELF DEFENSE BUT NOT THE KIND THAT PROBABLY COMES TO MIND INSTEAD OF LEARNING HOW TO FEND OF AN ATTACKER FACE TO FACE THE KIDS ARE LEARNING HOW TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST FACELESS PREDATORS ON THE INTERNET JEFF MAHER IS LIVE AT VAN BUREN MIDDLE SCHOOL NEAR LOUISIANA AND KATHRYN WITH OUR TOP STORY JEFF IT S NO SECRET THAT MANY OF THE KIDS HERE AT VAN BUREN MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE ONLINE PROFILES LIKE MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK BUT WHAT A LOT OF THOSE KIDS DIDN T KNOW UNTIL TODAY IS THAT THEIR PROFILES COULD BE JUST WHAT A PREDATOR IS LOOKING FOR well you have to protect yourself on the internet you can t like just go on there and talk to anybody 8TH GRADER JUSTIN GRIEGO IS ONE OF DOZENS OF VAN BUREN MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS - LEARNING MORE ABOUT SEX PREDATORS ONLINE HE SAYS HIS MOM ALREADY DOESN T LET HIM USE MYSPACE I probably won t ever have one because of the predators THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE IS HOLDING THE SEMINAR STUDENTS WERE SHOWN TRANSCRIPTS OF AA UNDERCOVERT BUSTED FOR TRYING TO LURE CHILDREN IN MOST OF THE CASES - THE PREDATORS INITIATED CONTACT THROUGH MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK-DOT- COM - INTERNET SITES MEANT FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS don t put anything on the internet that is personal and if you ve got a myspace page or a facebook page make your page private don t make it public OFFICIALS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL S OFFICE SAY PARENTS NEED TO WATCH THEIR KIDS - BUT ALSO WATCH OUT FOR THEMSELVES LATELY JUST LIKE IDENTITY THEFT - PREDATORS ARE STEALING PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM ADULTS AND USING IT TO CREATE FAKE PROFILES TO ENTICE CHILDREN it s a big puzzle that can be put together by these people A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVE HAD THEIR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH ONLINE PREDATORS COMING UP AT SIX WE TALKED WITH A PARENT WHO CAUGHT AN OLDER MAN RED-HANDED TRYING TO ENTICE HER 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LIVE IN SOUTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE JEFF MAHER EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR