With the right guidance and open lines of communication with trusted adults, teens can keep themselves safer online, says Madison Brill, a 13-year-old who prides herself on her online savvy and independence.
First of all, the Web is not the only place you need to be careful in this electronic world; you have to make sure you’re protected when you use an instant message program such as AIM, MSN, or iChat on a computer or wireless phone. Most early teens use these services as much or more than telephone calls to connect. It’s one of the easiest ways to communicate and talk to friends-and on the surface, you may not realize you are putting yourself at risk when you are IMing someone.
A friend of mine got an IM from someone she did not know. Her first reaction was to ask who this person was. They did not respond, but tried to start a different conversation. The next thing my friend did was IM me and ask for my advice.
“Block the person on AIM and make sure they don’t bother you again,” I told her. I also told her that she should tell her parents-because even though it didn’t turn out to be a big situation, I think it’s important to tell someone about it and how you handled it, in case it happens again.
Online safety is a really serious matter, but teens can monitor themselves very easily and quickly, with help from parents and teachers. I feel there are three simple rules for early teens to check their Internet Safety, whether they’re on the Web or IMing. (These are true for adults too!)
1. Check the site’s background.
Sites like Facebook or MySpace are commonly used and have good reputations, but other sites will require you to learn more about what they offer and who normally participates in the site before you join it.
2. Protect your personal information.
How secure are you on the Website, and is it a public site or private site? If you put personal information on these sites, will they protect this information from getting out to just anyone?
3. Check your permission.
Are you allowed to be using this site? Most early teens are hesitant to ask parents because they think the answer will be no! They want to be able to decide things for themselves-but it’s important that your parents know what you’re doing because you may not be aware of all the dangers.
Many kids feel pressured to be part of a social network site because they want to be “in” with their friends-but they don’t think about how dangerous some of these sites can be. Like everyone, I’ve heard the stories about scary adults trying to get in contact with kids. You roll your eyes at these stories, thinking, “This won’t happen to me,” and that you won’t be stupid enough to post personal information or pictures. But as you get more involved in these sites, you can begin to convince yourself that it will be perfectly safe to add something else, something small like, let’s say, your cell phone number. Things can eventually get out of hand and you don’t realize how much information you have allowed others to see.
Know Who You’re Talking To
Teens need to know that if they have an account with social networking sites, blogs, forums, or IM providers, they should always be careful about whom they talk to-and even more careful about who they share personal information with.
Don’t Take Chances
There will be times someone you don’t know may message you or leave you a comment. When this happens, ask a friend or a family member you are close to. I sometimes test the person. See if they know people you know. See if they are familiar with the schools in your area. Can they name teachers you can check up on?
Tell Someone
If any of the answers to your questions don’t sound right, notify someone for your own safety. If a person keeps sending you things and it becomes more a problem, it is time to tell your parents or even your school. Never be scared to speak out about it, because even if you might get in trouble for visiting or using a Web page you are not supposed to, you’re keeping yourself safe and unharmed.
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Madison Brill is a 13-year-old seventh grader in New York City
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