Girl, 10, Inadvertently Accepts Video Chat from Masturbating Man

Incident highlights need for parents to monitor child Internet use, children to understand dangers

A 10-year-old girl accepting a video chat request from someone she thought was a new friend in the neighborhood instead found herself staring at a middle-aged man inappropriately touching himself, authorities said.

The girl, who wishes to remain anonymous, was chatting on Skype about school and homework as usual when she received a request to chat from an unknown user. 

She saw the video and screamed for her mother, who notified police, according to the Lake Forester.

Skype is one of several ways to communicate over the Internet with video chats, instant messaging, and file sharing.  But what happened to the girl is not a new phenomenon to the Internet.  The popular website Chatroulette which was known for men masturbating in front of a camera.

Skype is doing the best it can to ensure everyone is safe online according to their security page.  There is even a list of etiquette rules available on the website.  They also offer links to the following sites to help parents ensure the safety of their kids online:

* Get Safe Online
* Ins@fe
* InHope

While monitoring a child's activity on Skype is advised, their access should not be completely restricted.  Earlier in the year, Skype made it possible for a second-grader to earn perfect attendance despite being bedridden for 8 weeks.

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