Big technology companies are using methods to target children through websites and online apps in the same way that tobacco companies used to craft their advertising to draw the attention of young people, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said at a town hall last week at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg. The town hall on internet safety focused on protecting children from online predators and providing parents with the dos and don’ts for keeping their children safe, given the proliferation of online apps that could pose dangers to kids. Miyares was joined on stage at the event last week by Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison and Capt.
Steve Anders with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, who also leads the Southern Virginia division of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Going through the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends that law enforcement agencies were already seeing, including the impact of social isolation on mental health. “And now we’re seeing the ramifications of the social isolation, of addiction, of depression, of child pornography,” said Miyares, who emphasized the growth of new technology can be overwhelming for parents trying to protect their children.
Law enforcement agencies face two types of “bad actors,” according to Miyares, when seeking to protect children from online predators. “One is the perverts going after our kids,” he said. “You know who the other bad actor has been? These big tech c.