Online Safety Tips For Teens - Part 2

Here is part 2 of my Online Safety Tips For Teens :)

For more information please visit Teenangels.org

Untile Next Time Safe Surfing

Brian
Teenangels.org

5. Never meet people in real life whom you meet on the Internet. If you insist on breaking this rule, make sure that you tell someone you trust whom you are meeting & any information that you know about this person. If you don't feel comfortable telling someone this person's personal information, you might want to seal the information in an envelope & tell someone to open it only if you are not home by a specific time.

Tell someone you trust where you are going & when. Before you go, talk to this person on the phone, & maybe have your parents speak to their parents. When you call, make sure that you block your phone number from caller ID (by dialing *67) or call from a pay phone.

Talk to a friend & have them look at some of your conversations to see if they pick up on anything misleading that you missed.

Make sure that you meet in a very public place. Bring along someone that you trust (preferably an adult) & keep your first couple of meetings to a minimum.

When you leave, don't go straight home; go to another public place & make sure that you are not being followed. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to say no.

6. Never open e-mail with an attachment from an address that you don't know. It may contain a virus or worm that can destroy your computer. Never download anything from someone you don't know or an unreliable source.

If you receive an attachment from someone you do know, make sure you run it through an anti virus program.

If you get a regular e-mail from someone you don't know, just delete it; don't reply to it, because it could be from a hacker. Delete chain letters & SPAM Do not forward chains or "tracked" letters, because they are fake.

7. Be smart; apply common sense & good judgment. Don't let down your guard & become infatuated with people you meet online. Don't break the rules for someone. If someone seems too good to be true, they usually are. Always remain in control of the situation.

8. If you think that you are being harassed or stalked, never reply to the harasser. Make sure you let an adult know what's going on. And if you're really afraid, report it to the police.

9. Just because someone gives you their personal information or sends you an e-mail, it doesn't mean that you have to send one back, or give them your information. You are always in charge. If someone is bothering you, just sign off. You don't have to tell anyone anything that you don't want to.

10. It's easy to become addicted to or obsessed with the computer & Internet by spending too much time online. Try to maintain a healthy balance between cyberland & the real world. Remember, the Internet is a great place for learning & talking to people, but as a teen your social life shouldn't revolve around the Internet.