Learn about llamas, read up on your favorite skateboard star, or
study a stegosaurus. You can do all these things online and then
email or text message your best friend about it. But when
you're moving through cyberspace, you need to stay safe.
It comes down to just a few simple guidelines:
- Don't communicate with strangers online and never agree
to meet in person.
- Tell a parent or another adult if a stranger contacts you in
a chat room or through email or text messaging.
- Don't enter contests, join clubs, or share your personal
information for any reason, unless your mom or dad says it's
OK. Personal information includes your name, address, age, phone
number, birthday, email address, where you go to school, and
other facts about you.
No Talking to Strangers
Since you were a little kid, your mom or dad has probably told you
not to talk to strangers. The same goes for the online world.
It's easy to meet a stranger on the Internet. You might visit a
chat room or get an email or text message from someone you
don't know.
It can be fun to make new friends, but
do not communicate with strangers
you meet online. Don't talk to them, agree to phone them, or
email them photos of yourself. To a kid, this can seem kind of
silly. Why not make a friend with someone who likes skateboarding
just as much as you do? The writer might seem really nice and tell
you how you sound really smart and cute.
Unfortunately, kids have been tricked online by people who
pretend to be something that they're not. Someone might lie and
say they're in sixth grade, too, when they're really
all grown up and they don't even know how to skateboard. Some
kids have found themselves in a dangerous situation when they
agreed to meet the mysterious online "friend" in
person.
Let your parents know if a stranger emails you, sends a text
message, or starts a conversation with you in a chat room. The
email could be from a person or a company trying to sell you
something. A grown-up should decide what's best to do, which
may include changing your email address or telling the police.
Keep Your Privacy
Anybody who uses the Internet has been asked to sign in, log in, or
create a personal profile. Kids need to check with a parent or
grown-up before doing so. Why? This information could be used for
reasons you wouldn't like, like getting a lot of junk
email.
Another word about email: If you have your own account, let your
mom or dad know before you reply to email that asks for your
personal information. Some email looks official, as if it was sent
by your Internet provider, but it's actually a trick to
get your personal info.
Another way to keep your privacy is to choose a screen name or
email account name that isn't your
real name
. For instance, instead of "Jack_Smith," why not choose
"Sk8boardKing21"? Only your friends and family will know
your code name!
Reviewed by:
Neil Izenberg, MD
Date reviewed: August 2006
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2009 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. All rights reserved.