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by Alycia Lane
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Most parents would never allow a male into their young teenager daughter's bedroom unsupervised. But with the help of technology, it's happening, often without parents even knowing about it and sometimes getting out of control. Alycia Lane files a special report.

For several years, teens have been turning to the internet to network with friends - but now, they're going one step further.

Webcams are pretty inexpensive these days, and they're providing a wide open window into the lives, and bedrooms of some teens.

It is not the kind of extracurricular activity you want to see your teenage daughter taking part in after school.

Teens disrobing, flashing the camera, making sexual gestures all at the instruction of a complete stranger.

We found a Delaware Valley teen through an online webcam chat room.

She is not one of those who engages in the lewd behavior on camera.

"I'll be like no, I'm 14. I'm probably like 20 years younger than you, and it's kind of gross," said the teen.

More than that, law enforcement says it's dangerous.

"It's exactly the same as allowing an unsupervised adult in your child's room," said G. Michael Green, Delaware County District Attorney.

For two months, CBS 3 has been monitoring the website stickam.com - the latest in chat room websites that allow users to communicate using a webcam.

It's as simple as hooking up your camera, logging onto the site, and then anyone can log on and watch you, live.

One local girl, who used the words "fondle me" in her on-screen name, went so far as to list her hometown.

Last year, CBS 3 showed you how easily a potential predator could find an unsuspecting teen on myspace.com with just a few key pieces of information listed on teens' web pages.

And now, Lt. David Peifer, head of the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, says webcams offer a new danger.

"Kids are easily convinced to do things by online predators," said Lt. Peifer.

One girl, who claims to be 16, calls herself the fallen angel.

We watched as she flashed her chest for the camera when someone in the chat room asks "can't we see what's under the blue top?"

Other comments to her were "I bet you look so sexy naked" and "you should come to my bedroom sometime."

And another teen, whose screen name is Toni, also made sexual gestures for the camera at the prodding of strangers, "we're not asking for a lot" one person writes.

"They lose entirely that sense of modesty that you would otherwise have in polite conversation, and the problem with that is that those images then end up on the internet," said Green.

And possibly into the hands of child predators.

Why are some teens so vulnerable? Dr. Kimberly Flemke says it's often tied to self esteem.

"Girls with low self esteem are very susceptible to something like this because if they're not getting the attention somewhere else, at least they're finding it here," said Dr. Flemke.

But it is not the kind of attention any parent wants their child to get.

In response to our investigation, stickam.com told us they do not condone obscenity and prohibit any online activity that would create an unhealthy and dangerous environment.

They tell us they do cooperate with law enforcement when illegal activity occurs.

It's important to note, and we're glad to report, that most of teens we encountered online were not participating in sexual behavior. Many of them use the cameras simply to communicate with friends.

But the bottom line is if you allow your teen to have a webcam, supervise their use, and make sure their computer is in a public area of your home.

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