In 2024, Arkansas State
Police’s Internet Crimes
Against Children (ICAC)
Task Force investigated 169
instances of sextortion. That
number has soared in recent
years, and is up from only 16
cases investigated in 2020.
Safer Internet Day 2025,
which was observed Tuesday,
noted that ASP is taking the
opportunity to emphasize the
importance of online safety
and provide tips for parents
to help their children stay
safe and thrive in the digital
world.
“The task force
receives around 6,000 tips a
year. Each of the 169 sextortion cases the task force
worked in 2024 revolved
around boys. These perpetrators scout for the most popular children, preying on their
social standing for extortion,”
said Sergeant Corwin Battle,
commander of the Arkansas
ICAC Task Force. “They
employ fear, threatening to
unleash private conversations and intimate pictures
to the entire school if their
demands aren’t met promptly. Parents must engage in
dialogues with their children
from an early age, creating a
safe space where kids feel
comfortable sharing their
concerns and fears, ensuring
they don’t have to face such
battles alone.”
With the rise of social
media and virtual reality,
there are many exciting
opportunities to connect with
others online. These connections, however, come with
risks and challenges. ASP
urges parents to warn their
children that everything they
see online is not as it
appears, including the identities of people they meet.
“The internet is right
there in the palm of our children’s hands, and often parents don’t know where the
internet has taken their
child,” said Major Stacie
Rhoads, ASP Criminal
Investigation Division
Commander. “It’s important
for parents to know where
their kids are, who they are
talking to and what they are
curious about.”
Rhoads reminds parents
to discuss the dangers of
sharing or downloading content.
“Everything creates a digital footprint. Think twice
before posting anything, and
avoid sharing content you
wouldn’t say in person,” she
said. “Remember, anything
posted online can be screenshotted and manipulated.
The best way to keep your
personal information safe is
to avoid sharing it. Once
something is posted online, it
remains indefinitely and may
fall into the wrong hands. We
are reminding parents to be
vigilant in identifying and
stopping sexual predators
who target children through
online connections.”
Rhoads offers the following tips for parents:
• Educate children about
online safety and the importance of staying cautious.
• Monitor children’s
online activities and the apps
they use.
• Encourage open conversations about internet use
and potential risks.
Key safety tips shared by
Rhoads include:
• Set social media
accounts to private and disable location sharing.
• Avoid meeting strangers
from the internet without
verifying their identity.
• Be cautious when sharing or downloading content
online.
• Never provide personal
information to unknown individuals or in response to
unsolicited requests.
• Research apps before
downloading, and be aware of
their content and privacy settings.
Anyone who encounters
suspicious online activity or
potential threats is asked to
report that to local law
enforcement or the Arkansas
State Fusion Center at 501-
618-8001.
According to Rhoads,
everyone can contribute to
promoting responsible internet use.
“Open conversations are
the best starting point and
ongoing dialogue encourages
comfortable discussions and
helps prevent and respond to
online issues,” she said.
“Sharing these tips with
friends and family can help
raise awareness.”
Arkansas State Police remind parents to warn children of dangers of internet
