River Forest Public Library

Internet Safety - Guidelines for Teens (adapted from safeteens.com & isafe.org)

Tips for Teens

Click on a link below for information about:
 

Email and Messaging Tips:  

• Be careful when responding impulsively. Sometimes when we respond to email or other messages without taking the time to consider our response, we can end up saying messages that are hurtful, or even threatening. If you write something in the heat of the moment, it's a good idea to save it for later, and then reread it before sending it on to make sure that it's really what you mean to say.
  
• Never send threatening or offensive email to others, no matter what they may have sent to you. Besides heating up what may already be a tense situation, such messages may in themselves constitute harassment or another crime.

Social Networking Tips (Adapted from the FTC Guidelines):

• Think about how different sites work before deciding to join a site. Some sites will allow only a defined community of users to access posted content; others allow anyone and everyone to view postings.
• Think about keeping some control over the information you post. Consider restricting access to your page to a select group of people, for example, your friends from school, your club, your team, your community groups, or your family.
• Keep your information to yourself. Don't post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or bank and credit card account numbers- and don't post other people's information, either.
• Be cautious about posting information that could be used to identify you or locate you offline. This could include the name of your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or hang out.
• Make sure your screen name doesn't say too much about you. Don't use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn't take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found.
• Post only information that you are comfortable with others seeing and knowing about you. Many people can see your page, including your parents, your teachers, the police, the college you might want to apply to next year, or the job you might want to apply for in five years.
• Remember that once you post information online, you can't take it back. Even if you delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people's computers.
• Consider not posting your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways you may not be happy about. If you do post one, ask yourself whether it's one your mom would display in the living room.
• Flirting with strangers online could have serious consequences. Because some people lie about who they really are, you never really know who you're dealing with.
• Be wary if a new online friend wants to meet you in person. Before you decide to meet someone, do your research: Ask whether any of your friends know the person, and see what background you can dig up through online search engines. If you decide to meet them, be smart about it: Meet in a public place, during the day, with friends you trust. Tell an adult or a responsible sibling where you're going, and when you expect to be back.
• Trust your gut if you have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.

Cyber Bullying:

Cyber bullying can be considered a form of harassment in most states; punishable by law as a misdemeanor and in some cases a felony. Most schools have their own bullying plan in place with penalties that can range from detention to expulsion. Depending on the information, posting someone's private and personal information on the Internet without their permission can result in punishment by federal law.

• Be strong and stop it early. Don't stoop to their level and lash back.
• Don't suffer in silence. Tell an adult. Keep telling people until someone takes action.
• Don't open or read messages from cyber bullies.
• If the problem continues, alert the local police department.
• Tell your school if it is school related. If your cyber bully attends your school, contact a teacher or your principal.
• Don't erase the messages. Log all dates and times. Put them in a folder and hold them as evidence.
• Change your email address or screen name.
• If it's happening with text messages, change your cell number.
• Take screen shots of your chat room pages.
• Save URLs email addresses and profiles of the bully.
• Never agree to meet a bully face to face.
• Block the bully if you are in a chat room or IMing.

Useful Websites:

last updated 03/16/2007