Do you know what your children are up to online right now?

A story the Eagle published Wednesday stresses the importance of parents keeping a watchful eye on the social media activity of their children.

An Adams Township teen ran away to Arkansas with two men he met online and $150,000 worth of silver coins he took from his parents’ home.

The teen used Facebook, Snapchat and Discord to communicate with the men, who are from Arkansas. Left alone in a motel room in Missouri, the boy had second thoughts about what he had done and dialed 911.

Due to a rapid response by Adams Township police, law enforcement in other states and the FBI, the teen returned home safely Monday. The two suspected culprits were arrested in Arkansas and are awaiting extradition to Butler County.

Gaming, social media and dating are mainstream online platforms, but federal investigators say they're also providing cover for predators targeting our children.

The FBI estimates 500,000 online predators are a daily threat to children going online. The majority of them have multiple online profiles. More than 50% of victims are ages 12 to 15, and 89% of victims are contacted by predators through chat rooms and instant messaging.

The nonprofit National Center for Missing & Exploited Children operates a clearinghouse for tips regarding child online exploitation. The center says it received 29.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation last year — an increase of 35% from 2020 and an all-time high.

The center also reports that within a year, one in 25 children gets manipulated into physical contact by an online predator, and only 15% of parents know what their children do online.

The most common goal of online predators is to receive images from children, and they typically target those who feel unpopular or unloved and seek attention and friendship.

These online “friendships” can result in kidnapping, sex trafficking, rape and even murder.

Adams Township police Chief Shawn Anglum cautioned parents to be aware of their children’s social media activity.

Telltale signs your child may be falling victim to an online predator include: if your child becomes angry (or angrier than normal) about not being able to go online; or if your child is suddenly secretive about their activity online, to the point of trying to hide what they're doing, such as suddenly putting the phone away or closing a laptop screen.

The FBI offers some tips on keeping your family safe from online threats: Learn about websites software, games and apps your child uses; talk about what is appropriate to say or share online; stress that images and comments never truly disappear online; and utilize privacy settings.

We realize you can’t watch everything your child does, but be alert to any suspicious activity or behavior. Be wary. You never know who might be lurking behind the messages your child is receiving on their screen.

– JGG