Parents who would never leave their kids unattended in New York City don't think twice about giving their children computers with high-speed Internet connections and Web cams, said Flint Waters, Wyoming's leading investigator of online child exploitation crimes.

Those who investigate and prosecute such crimes say no matter how effective law enforcement is, parents need to educate their kids about Internet safety.

"Parents need to talk to their kids about computers. They don't need to be graphic to express the dangers out there," said Matthew Mead, U.S. attorney for the District of Wyoming.

Children need to understand that the people they interact with on the Web aren't always who they claim to be, authorities say. An estimated 50,000 child predators are thought to be online at any one time.

Nicole Balliett, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, said child predators will instruct their victims not to tell anyone about them, she said.

"Let's just keep it a secret," she said, describing a typical request. "It's our little thing."

Filter programs designed to prevent children from being exposed to sexual explicit material can give parents a false sense of security, Mead said.

Children shouldn't give out personal information on the Internet, and should restrict access to their profiles on a social networking site like MySpace, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Anderson.

Gaming sites, social networking sites and chat rooms have all been used by people trying to exploit children.

"Anywhere children want to go, anywhere teens want to go, anywhere victims want to go, predators want to go," Anderson said.