Parents are increasingly using social networks to keep kids safer online and in the real world, but sometimes you need structure to succeed, as parent Kate Mattos discovered. en Español

Many kids are eager for validation and acceptance, which makes them vulnerable to advances from predators. Nearly 20 percent of online teens say they’ve received unwanted sexual advances, according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. en Español

Simple and smart tips for kids from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. en Español

Know the danger signs-these can include: spending lots of unsupervised time online; having pornography on his or her computer or wireless phone; hiding the screen or shutting it off quickly when adults are near; receiving mysterious gifts or packages; and becoming withdrawn from family or classmates. en Español

Gary Brill, father of this issue’s Youth Voices columnist Madison, has some tips for parents, based on his own experience living with an Internetsavvy kid. en Español

With the right guidance and open lines of communication with trusted adults, teens can keep themselves safer online, says Madison Brill, a 13-year-old who prides herself on her online savvy and independence. en Español

If adults want to learn how to connect with kids and help them be safer online, we need to understand what really matters to them-and keep the lines of real-world communication open. en Español

In thisissue we’re focusing on social networking. More than17 million youth ages 12 to 17regularly use the Internet-and of these, more than half (55 percent) use social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. en Español