Keeping Your Teen Safe Online

The internet is almost as vital to a teen's social life as a car. For those without a car, an internet presence is crucial. However, the internet isn't exactly a safe place. By knowing some basic internet safety tips, teens can stay safe while online.

~Never Trust Strangers

This is something children are taught when they're young. The same applies, no matter how old you are. It's incredibly easy to be someone else while chatting or doing anything else online. Unless the person you're talking to is someone you already know, then don't trust them. Better yet, it's safer not to talk to them at all. You never know who the other person really is so be safe and don't trust strangers.

~No Personal Information

Never, under any circumstances, give out your personal information to people you meet online. Also, never post personal information on blogs, message boards, profiles, or any other online areas. Never use your full name. Stick with first names or screen names only. This prevents anyone from using your full name to learn more about you. Addresses, phone and cell numbers, email addresses, and even schools are off limits.

Also, be careful of what personal issues you talk about online. You may believe your blog or MySpace page is only seen by your friends, but others can see the information as well unless the page is set to private. That big secret you only wanted a select few to see may become public knowledge and ruin your reputation. If the information is questionable, don't share it.

~Talk to Your Parents

So parents aren't exactly popular when you're a teen; however, they can help provide some guidance on safely using the internet. Parents should know what you're doing online. As a word to parents everywhere, talk to your teen and keep the computer in a public area so you can see where your teen goes while they're online.

Before downloading anything or clicking on any questionable links, ask your parents. They can help you decide if the download or link is safe. Also, ask your parents before going to questionable sites. You can decide together if they site is safe or not.

~Keep Profiles Private

On social networking sites, keep as much information private as possible. Places like MySpace, LiveJournal, Facebook, and other networking and blogging sites allow you to keep your profile, blog, and or page private. Only users you specifically add or allow will be able to see what you post. Preventing strangers from viewing your information to start with is an excellent way to stay safe online.

The internet isn't always a safe place. The biggest thing is to just be careful and keep your information private. Teens can have a lot of fun online and stay safe at the same time.