'PORN Detection Sticks' used to protect children

3-5-2010 National:

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The sordid side of the Internet is that teens and children who are even younger are potentially exposed to porn and sexually explicit images daily.

The younger you are, the more computer savvy you're likely to be and this is unsettling for many parents.

Moms, dads, and even businesses, are now using a new device called the PORN Detection Sticks to find hidden images on a computer.

"We have an agreement that he's only supposed to visit certain sites," said Keith Gray talking about his 13-year-old son's use of their home computer.

Like many teenagers, Gray's son is a whiz on the family computer. Despite their agreement, Gray wants to know what's online when his son surfs the net.

"When he's on the Internet, it's an open doorway to him and if I'm not there, and he's viewing materials, then I want to make sure that I can look at an archived record of it and make sure that everything he's seeing is appropriate," said Gray.

That's where the PORN Detection Stick might be helpful.

Private Investigator Nicole Bocra uses the technology developed by computer forensics companies which is now available to average consumers.

"The PORN Detection Stick will allow you to quickly identify any images and extract them off the computer," Bocra said.

Whether it's something left on a used computer you bought, something unknowingly downloaded, or racy images someone deliberately put on your personal computer, a Porn stick should find it.

"It uses different algorithms to identify flesh tone, to identify skin detection," said Bocra.

The device doesn't discriminate. The program will find images of a baby innocently bundled up, girls posing on the beach, Selma Hayek's head shot that shows a little more than just her face, or something more illicit.

Aside from the risk of a computer virus, children are being exposed at an alarming rate.

Bocra says 1,500 children were interviewed for a study and 25 percent said they had been exposed to sexual images. Twenty percent had received sexual advances online.

The chat stick might address concerns about your kids being contacted on Yahoo or MSN messengers.

"I think the chat stick will enable a parent to monitor what's going on with their kids and monitor who they're talking to without the children really being aware of it," said Bocra.

In about a minute, the chat stick can download all the chats cached on a computer.

Bocra showed us an example of a conversation a sexual predator might have with a child. It starts with an innocent question about a dog.

Sexual predator: "Wow, I love dogs. Do you have a dog?"

Child: "Yes, I have a brown dog. His name is Coco."

Sexual predator: "Do you walk him everyday?"

Child: "Yes, everyday when I get home from school."

Sexual predator: "You're such a good girl. Does anyone walk him with you?"

Child: "No, just me."

One in three kids who goes online or enters a chat room is introduced to a pedophile.

Accessing possible conversations and knowing the language to look for can really empower a parent.

"The more tools as a parent that I have to protect my child from predators, from inappropriate materials being sent to him knowingly or unknowingly, I'm all for it," said Gray.

The PORN Detection Sticks cost about $130 and are 100 percent effective.

Bocra say you will be able to see every image a computer finds questionable enabling you to decide for yourself. ..Source.. WECT News 6