Guidelines for Online Socializing Posted at 8/25/2008 06:03:00 PM 0 comments (+) Parents, teachers, and others who care for young people who are socially active online should first set reasonable expectations. Forbidding young people to use social networking sites may force them to "go underground" and find other avenues (e.g., library computers, mobile phones, or friends' computers) to continue their online social life. A positive alternative is to teach them how to think critically about what they are seeing, reading, hearing and sharing online, and to ask for advice when something doesn't seem right.

Guidelines for Young People

Following are some guidelines for young people to follow when they are using social networking sites, chat rooms, blogs, or message boards:

* Use a nick name or code name instead of your real name. Do not use a name that might be sexually suggestive or offensive to others in any way. This can help reduce the likelihood of online harassment.
* Set your profiles to private so that only people you invite can see what you post.
* Do not share your address, phone number, or other personal information online. Do not reveal your actual location or plans for outings or events.
* Be cautious about sharing provocative photos or intimate details online, even with people you know or even in a private email or text conversation. The information or conversation could be copied and made public. Remember: what you say in a chat room or instant messaging session is live and cannot be deleted later.
* Keep your security software up-to-date and make sure all other software applications are up-to-date and patched.
* Read "between the lines." Be aware that, while some people are truly nice online, others act nice because they are trying to get something.
* Avoid face-to-face meetings. The only way someone can physically harm you is if you're both in the same location, so don't meet them in person. If you really have to meet someone in person, don't go alone and tell a parent where you are going.
* Be nice online; treat people the way you'd want to be treated.
* Think about how you respond. If someone says or does something that makes you uncomfortable, block them and don't respond. If they continue, let your parents or another adult know and save the messages.
* Be smart when using a cell phone. All the same tips apply to phones as to computers.

Guidelines for Parents

Following are some guidelines for parents to consider when letting kids use social networking sites, chat rooms, blogs, or message boards:

* Set reasonable expectations. Pulling the plug on your child's favorite social site is like pulling the plug on their social life. This can shut down communication and send kids "underground" where they're more at risk.
* Talk with your kids about what sites they're visiting and what they're doing online. Help them understand basic safety guidelines, such as protecting their privacy (including passwords), not harassing peers, never talking about sex with people they don't know, avoiding face-to-face meetings with people they meet online, and being mindful of their online posts.
* Support critical thinking and civil behavior. Encourage your child to develop good sense about safety and relationships – both online and offline.
* Consider requiring Internet use in a high-traffic place in your home to aid monitoring of activities and extent of use.
* Try to get your kids to share their profiles and blogs with you. Also, use search engines and the search tools on social networking sites to search for your kids' full names, phone numbers, and other identifying information. You're not invading their privacy if they're putting personal info in public places online.

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Labels: online safety