subject: Internet Safety Tips For Teens [print this page] When chatting online it is a brand new world, thanks to the internet. The media are constantly presenting horror stories about young teens being lured off the internet from social media networks, teen chat rooms or dating sites into compromising positions by paedophiles and sex traffickers. Unfortunately these types of events are not just stories they really happen and young teen internet users are at the greatest risk.
Online social and dating sites continue to grow at a rapid rate over the last few years and there is an increased risk a teen will fall victim to an online predator. Websites like myspace, facebook and twitter all cater for teens and don't cost any money to join so young people and adults can meet. Unlike dating sites like oceanlovers.co.uk a screened and membership only dating site, free friendship building sites rarely screen users. All it takes to become a user is a username, password and a picture. These sites are not constantly monitored and information can be provided on how to reach users in the real world. Only if a serious compliant is made by parents, most profiles go unmonitored making these sites prime targets for internet predators.
It is extremely easy to lie about who you are on an online profile. You can post any picture of yourself and claim it is of you. Internet predators do this without remorse. These predators pose as teenage girls when they are really grown men and pictures posted alongside the false profile sometimes fool other users. Predators also pose as ideal boyfriends, making them seem to be every girls dream guy, and again, they add pictures to bolster the deception. The internet predators then befriend teens and work to earn their trust. On occasions, they try to make the teens fall in "love" with them. Once trust is earned it seems only natural to make a date to meet face-to-face. Since many teens that meet people online do so in secret, without telling parents or even real life friends about their activities, face-to-face meetings are often set up without anybody else knowing. It is ironic that the same teens that post many pictures of themselves leave detailed profiles at public sites, are unlikely to tell people in real time what they are up to.
The best way to avoid being targeted in this way is to set an anonymous phone chat service. This will mean that you can speak to the other person before meeting them face to face. Obviously, if they have a voice of an older person or don't sound quiet right this should send alarm bells ringing and you should switch off the call immediately. With an anonymous phone service you never have to give out your number and can use a username or tag id. A typical anonymous phone chat service would be a company such as paginglist.com.
Again, if you are a teen using a social site, never post online your personal information i.e. you're home or mobile phone number or your address. To be safe, always tell your parents or a friend where you are going. If you have to meet in secret for a particular reason ( not recommended), always meet in a public place like a shopping centre or a coffee shop.
