LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Since the invention of the internet, there have been good and bad users.
With the technology, Arkansas became a part of a task force that goes after the bad guys looking to hurt children.
Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) has spent 20 years arresting more than 1,000 predators.
Since 2003, how kids spend time online has changed drastically, which keeps the task force constantly training for the latest crimes.
"There were a lot of chatrooms," ICAC Senior Intel Analyst Lenore Paladino said. "Yahoo chatrooms."
The task force is a division under the Arkansas State Police. Since its creation, the investigations have gone from online chatrooms and websites to apps and social media.
"And then Instagram came," Paladino said. "It is still very much active with young people. Snapchat is still active with young people."
Paladino, along with other ICAC investigators, works in Arkansas and across state lines to keep our state's children safe.
"Unlike a lot of crimes, this one can happen with your victim in one state and your bad guy in another state," Paladino said.
Police train frequently as the next popular technology comes along, including the state's newest police pup, Lucy, who sniffs and detects hard drives and computer software.
Parents and kids should be aware that nothing stays private once put online or on an app.
Companies like Google, Facebook and Snapchat report child abuse images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and then they determine which ICAC receives the case.
Additionally, new technology is playing a part in these crimes.
Predators are creating rendered child sexual abuse materials, so Paladino said it's essential to keep lawmakers informed as technology advances.
"The laws in place dictate how we conduct our investigations, so our laws are going to have to keep up with things like AI," Paladino said.
There are things parents can do to ensure their kids' safety while online:
- Know what apps and online games your kids are using
- Research any technology you don't understand to get a better idea of what the content is
- Know what your kids are downloading and doing on their phones