As internet activity among children and teenagers is expected to increase during school shutdowns and social distancing, state attorney general Clare Connors urged parents to increase their vigilance and focus on online safety.
“The current situation with COVID-19 presents many challenges, including massive disruptions to our children’s daily routines and school life,” said AG Connors in a statement Wednesday. “I urge the whole community to be vigilant about how our children are accessing the Internet and who they are interacting with online.”
The statement added that parents can protect children from internet predators by talking to them about how they are spending their time on the Internet, explaining the dangers, and setting parental controls on apps and systems to set boundaries that appropriately moderate their usage and increase safety. For more information visit https://ag.hawaii.gov/hicac/
Earlier this week, Maui Police Department announced that it completed “Operation Keiki Shield 6,” an operation that ran from March 13 to March 15 and was intended to identify, locate, and arrest offenders “who commit internet-facilitated sexual crimes against children and to identify and rescue child victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”
Ten individuals were arrested on Maui during Operation Keiki Shield 6. MPD did not release names or mugshots.