As South Carolina students head back to school, Attorney General Alan Wilson is urging parents to have serious conversations at home. In a direct and emotional appeal released this week, Wilson warned that today’s most dangerous threats to children often originate not on the streets or in schools — but from screens inside their own homes.
“This is not just a back-to-school message. This is a wake-up call,” said Attorney General Wilson in a press release. “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.”
“Right now, your child’s greatest threat may be online, right under your roof,” Wilson added, emphasizing that predators no longer wait in dark alleys but operate freely through gaming chats, social media apps, and private messages. These individuals, he said, are grooming and manipulating children from afar, sometimes without parents realizing until it’s too late.
Wilson also drew attention to the rising threat of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is increasingly found in counterfeit pills and street drugs. Across South Carolina and the nation, the crisis is claiming young lives at alarming rates. “One pill can kill,” he warned.
The Attorney General pointed to recent legislative victories in South Carolina, including new laws targeting the use of artificial intelligence in creating and distributing child sexual abuse material.
You can learn more from the newly formed Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force here.
What Parents Can Do Now:
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Have ongoing, honest conversations about online predators, peer pressure, and digital safety.
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Monitor your child’s online activity and know which apps and platforms they use.
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Set clear technology boundaries and check devices regularly.
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Watch for signs of emotional or behavioral changes, such as secrecy or withdrawal.
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Talk openly about fentanyl and the danger of taking any unprescribed pills.
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Model healthy technology use and mental health practices at home.
Wilson’s message comes as schools across South Carolina reopen for the fall, marking a crucial time for families to revisit safety and communication strategies.
