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Are you worried about privacy and security online? Could you be a victim of Identity Theft? Chat safety
Basic safety tips for online and mobile chatting
There are many ways you can communicate with others online, like e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin boards and instant messaging. There are also mobile communications such as text messaging that can be conducted offline but with many cell phones now able to connect to the Internet, some problems can travel across to the online environment. In fact, many online safety practices can be applied to your cell phone, even if you do not use it to access the Internet.
Where can we take you?
Online and mobile chat safety tips for:
- Cell (Mobile) 'phone safety
Tips for protecting yourself and your phone. - Chat room safety
Using chat rooms wisely. - Instant messaging safety - an overview of IM safety and specific tips for the most popular IM clients like, AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger
- Online discussion safety - staying safe while using newsgroups and forums (bulletin boards, discussion boards, message boards, notice boards, e-mail-based discussion groups etc.)
- Online gaming safety - included here are tips for staying safe while playing games online as many gaming Web sites host communities with options to chat while playing.
General precautions you should take when chatting with people online
- NEVER give personal information to anyone you have not met in person. While it is human nature to want to know about the other person, their name, age, what they look like, where they live, this information is not needed to carry on a conversation. If someone presses you for this type of information, back away! Especially if the requests come early in your relationship. Most users with legitimate intentions will realize WHY you are reluctant to tell them, and will respect your desire to play it safe.
- NEVER agree to meet someone you have only met online unless you have a mutual friend that could possibly vouch for them.
- If you are under the age of 18 NEVER meet up with someone you have only met online unless your parents not only know who this person is, but agree to go along with you to the meeting.
- If you feel you just must meet a new online acquaintance, NEVER go alone, and ALWAYS meet in a very public place like a popular coffee shop, a busy shopping mall, or similar place.
- Choose your screen name carefully. Never include your real name, or any elements of it. Choose something fun, yet gender neutral. You may think that having a risqué screen name is cute, but be advised, you will attract the type of people your screen name appeals to. A screen name such as “Panda” is much less provocative than “SexMagnet”. And much less offensive to many of your fellow netizens.
- Resist the urge to ‘tell people off’ or engage in ‘flame wars’. People come in all temperaments, and as in real life, there are those who will try to provoke you into an argument. This type of activity is becoming all too common online these days. Many people feel power through the anonymity that the keyboard gives them. Therefore, if you encounter someone who is rude in online chats, ignore them, back away! Most importantly, resist the urge to strike back at them. This type of person craves the attention their behavior brings them. Deprived of this attention, most either quit acting like jerks, or else move on. Either way, you have avoided a confrontation that can quickly escalate into a full-fledged harassment situation.
- Remember your Netiquette and be nice! More...