Benefits to using the Internet are endless but so are the dangers with 22 million children surfing the web, keeping them safe is a priority.

"A predator is a person that tries to mess up your head to get you to go with them," said Lt, Joe Donahue with the State Police.

A sexual predator can be anyone. From a trusted friend, a doctor, even your neighbor, there's no way of knowing.

"As a parent, you should understand if your child uses a computer, you are front line," Donahue said.

Donahue heads up the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. His unit has tracked down and arrested dozens of online sexual predators. They also teach safety seminars within the community, teaching parents how to protect their children in cyberspace.

“First thing is they are using this computer as a baby sitter. They get this computer, throw it in the kid’s bedroom, hook it up to the Internet and that's it. The figure they are not hanging out on the street corner, they are not hanging out at the mall getting into trouble. They are home in their bedroom. It's not a babysitter,” said Donahue. “You basically have potential of putting a child predator in your child’s bedroom by doing that. Take the time to learn what's going on. Take the computer and put it in a common area such as the family room, living room or the hallway where someone may walk by and look over their shoulder to see what is happening.”

Parents can learn more online by logging onto getnetwise.com. Teach kids to use safe search engines like yahoolagins.com and buy or download filtering software. You can block sites, even predetermine the hours the computer can be used. Look for signs things have already gotten out of hand.

"Are their grades going from good to bad? Have they been very involved in sports and now they're a loner,” Donahue said.

Investigator Donahue advises parents to be their own detective. Go through your child’s computer, look at buddy lists, and find out who they are talking to. But the number one warning lesson, teach your children never to give out personal information, even first name or where they go to school. Setting boundaries can keep your kids safe.

"Have a little sit down with your child and say here's what I expect from you, here's what you should expect from me. I will honor your privacy to a point, but still need to raise you as a safe active adult. If you're going to have a computer in a child's bedroom, don't hook it up to the Internet. They can have the computer, just don't hook it up to the Internet, because that's where our problems occur. If one child gets abducted, that is one child too many, " Donahue said.