A U.S. Postal Inspector’s 

Guide to

Internet Safety 

for Children

INTERNET SAFETY FOR CHILDREN

A U.S. Postal Inspector’s Guide to

January 2016 Publication 312 | 1

The Internet is a global community that allows people to share 

information instantly and anonymously, anytime and anywhere. 

Despite its many advantages, the Internet is a potential source of 

danger to your children. Child predators may use this medium to 

lure children into sexual activity or peddle illegal images of child 

pornography.

Online Children at Risk

Child predators who once targeted children at playgrounds and parks 

can now reach children more easily by using the Internet to mask their 

identities. They often lavish children with attention and gifts, devoting 

considerable time and money to “groom” them for sexual exploitation. 

They will listen and empathize with children’s problems, and learn 

about their music, hobbies, and interests in order to relate to them. As 

children’s inhibitions are lowered, they begin to feel more comfortable 

with their “online friend.” Over time, sexual themes and materials are 

introduced into the relationship.

Some predators will approach children online and encourage them 

to produce and send pornographic images of themselves. These 

offenders may trade the images worldwide, victimizing the child for 

the rest of his or her life.

Postal Inspectors Protect Children

For more than a century, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service® has 

investigated the sexual exploitation of children. It was the first federal 

law enforcement agency to aggressively identify, target, and arrest 

individuals who produce and traffic in child pornography. Specially 

trained Postal Inspectors investigate crimes related to the sexual 

exploitation of children nationwide. Today, the majority of child 

exploitation cases investigated by Postal Inspectors involve both the 

U.S. Mail® and the Internet.

The Postal Inspection Service partners with the National Center for 

Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Department of Justice’s 

(DOJ’s) Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section to investigate child 

“This person 

becomes their 

best friend. It’s 

a specific pointby-point process 

where a predator 

tries to make 

friends, make 

trust, make it a 

secretive affair, 

and then basically 

turns victims 

against their 

families.”

— Jeff Godlis, 

i-SAFE (nonprofit group 

for Internet safety 

education) director of 

communications
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sexual exploitation involving the U.S. Mail and the Internet. The Postal 

Inspection Service actively participates in Project Safe Childhood, 

a DOJ initiative that combines law enforcement efforts to prevent, 

investigate, and prosecute child exploitation and community outreach 

programs to raise public awareness.

Reducing Online Risks

As a parent, you can reduce the chances that a predator will reach 

your child. U.S. Postal Inspectors recommend you follow these 

guidelines:

3⁄4 Familiarize yourself with the various technologies children use 

to communicate — computers, cell phones, gaming systems, 

laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices.

3⁄4 Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home where you 

can monitor your child’s activity.

3⁄4 Establish rules and limitations for social networking, photosharing, gaming, and other online communication sites and 

applications used by children.

3⁄4 Take an interest in your child’s online activities and learn whom 

they communicate with, including who is on their friends list.

3⁄4 Use filtering or monitoring software for all of your computers 

and devices. Good products list accepted sites and give children 

access only to pre-approved sites.

3⁄4 Encourage communication. Let your child know he or she can 

talk to you without repercussion. Children may do or see things 

online that they shouldn’t, but don’t want to tell anyone because 

they’re afraid of losing Internet privileges.

Additional tips and resources for all audiences can be found 

online at netsmartz.org. NetSmartz teaches Internet safety skills in 

age-appropriate modules.
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Online Safety Tips

Talk with your child about safety and personal boundaries, and post 

these guidelines by the computer:

3⁄4 Personal information shouldn’t be shared online — that 

includes address, phone number, e-mail address, school 

name, or information about friends.

3⁄4 Passwords are private — just parents and kids can share.

3⁄4 Use the privacy settings of social networking sites. 

3⁄4 Only communicate online with “real life” friends and family. 

Never meet face-to-face with someone you met online. 

3⁄4 Remember that EVERYONE can see what you post. Don’t post 

inappropriate pictures.

3⁄4 Say something if anything or anyone makes you feel 

uncomfortable.

Report Suspicious Activity

Your early involvement and open communication can prevent your 

child from becoming a victim of a predator. Report suspicious 

online activity when something does not feel right to you or your 

child. Trust your intuition!

3⁄4 If you suspect someone is attempting to entice your child 

online, do not delete any material, and do not shut down the 

computer. 

3⁄4 Immediately contact your local law enforcement agency 

and make a report to the National Center for Missing & 

Exploited Children (NCMEC) at www.cybertipline.com or call 

1-800-THE-LOST.
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What Is Your Child Saying Online?

Do you know what language your child uses online? Children 

and teens use Internet acronyms to communicate, sometimes to alert 

others of parents nearby. Be aware of these acronyms and understand 

that new ones are constantly introduced. Visit www.missingkids.org

or do an online search for “Internet acronyms” for more examples and 

updates. 

POS = Parent Over Shoulder

PIR = Parent In Room

P911 = Parent Alert

PAW = Parents Are Watching

PAL = Parents Are Listening

ASL = Age/Sex/Location

LMIRL = Let’s Meet In Real Life

KPC = Keeping Parents Clueless

ADR or Addy = Address

WYCM = Will You Call Me?

Publication 312

January 2016

PSN 7610-10-000-8367