Tips for Teens who Socialize Online
WHAT TO TYPE: Be smart. If you don't use privacy settings, anyone has access to your blog or profile, not just people you know.
DON'T:
- Post your cell phone number, address or the name of your school.
- Post your friends' names, ages, phone numbers, school names or addresses.
- Add people as friends to your site unless you know them in person.
- Communicate with people you don't know.
- Give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian.
- Meet in person with anyone you first "met" on a social networking site.
- Respond to harassing or rude comments posted on your site.
- Make or post plans and activities on your site
- Post photos with school names, locations, license plates or signs.
- Post photos with the name of your sports team.
- Post sexually provocative photos.
- Respond to threatening or negative e-mails or IMs
DO:
- Check the privacy settings of the social networking site that you use.
- Set privacy settings so that people can only be added as your friend if you approve them.
- Set privacy settings so that people can only view your profile if you have approved them as a friend.
- Remember that posting information about your friends could put them at risk.
- Consider going through our blog and profile and removing information that could put you at risk.
- Delete any unwanted messages or friends who continuously leave inappropriate comments.
- Report comments to the networking site if they violate that site's terms of service.
- Save or print questionable activity and include date and time.
- Tel your parents or guardian if anything happens that makes you scared, uncomfortable or confused.