As students across South Carolina begin a new school year, Attorney General Alan Wilson has issued a direct appeal to parents to talk with their children about the dangers they may face online and from fentanyl.
“This is not just a back-to-school message. This is a wake-up call,” said Attorney General Wilson. “You are your child’s first and strongest line of defense. The threats kids face today — online predators, violent content, deadly drugs — are silent, invisible, and often go unnoticed until it’s too late.”
Wilson emphasized that threats to children are increasingly found on the internet rather than in physical locations. He warned that predators can reach children through gaming chats, social media apps, and direct messages.
“My warning to parents is this: this can happen even while your child is upstairs in your home. You could be sitting on the couch, and your child is being targeted by someone pretending to be a friend, a peer, or someone they trust,” Wilson warned.
The state has recently enacted laws targeting online threats such as the use of artificial intelligence for creating exploitative content involving children. However, Wilson cautioned that legislation alone cannot protect children from all online risks.
“Know who your child is talking to. Monitor what they’re looking at. Ask them what they’re doing online. If your child starts to become isolated, withdrawn, or ‘not themselves,’ don’t ignore it. These could be signs they’re being groomed or targeted.”
Wilson also addressed the continuing threat posed by fentanyl in counterfeit pills and street drugs throughout South Carolina and nationwide.
“If your child takes a pill they didn’t get from a doctor or a trusted adult, they could die. It’s that serious,” Wilson said. “Fentanyl is in everything now—brightly colored pills, fake prescriptions, and it only takes one. One pill can kill.”
He urged parents to remain vigilant both about their children’s activities online and any possible exposure to illicit substances.
