FBI Issues Child Sextortion Warning Amid School Closures

America's Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned that children who are spending more time online as a result of early school closures face an increased risk of being exploited.

In a statement issued on March 23, the FBI wrote: "Due to school closings as a result of COVID-19, children will potentially have an increased online presence and/or be in a position that puts them at an inadvertent risk. 

"Due to this newly developing environment, the FBI is seeking to warn parents, educators, caregivers, and children about the dangers of online sexual exploitation and signs of child abuse."

According to UNESCO monitoring, over 160 countries have implemented nationwide closures of educational institutions in response to the COVID-19 health crisis, impacting over 87% of the world’s student population. 

In America, where almost all public-school buildings are now closed in the majority of states, the digital divide has deepened between those students who have the computers and internet access needed to carry on their education online and those who don't.

According to a 2019 report from the Federal Communications Commission, around 21 million people in the United States don't have access to broadband. In New York City alone, there are an estimated 300,000 students without access to electronics, according to the Department of Education's chancellor, Richard Carranza. 

In some states, it's the schools rather than the students that lack the resources needed to educate virtually.

"The reality is that pr ..

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