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copied from http://www.techtv.com web site. reposted here because i thought to try and help the kids.
not much typing when you copy and paste.

Chat Room Safety


Find out how predators use online information to single you out.

By Teri Schroeder



Kids know not to talk to strangers, but all the rules seem to fly out the window when it comes to the Internet. Bad people online prey on unsuspecting youth, often gathering information through screen names, profiles, and information from conversations. Today I tell you how to protect your identity when you chat and reveal what to do if you think a stranger knows who you are.


Information in your screen name, combined with information from your profile and the things you chat about, can paint a very telling picture of who you are. Here are a few common mistakes and common sense solutions.



Screen names
When creating a screen name, many people use a combination of their first or last name, age, birthday, address, school name, or phone number. For example, you can assume a person with the screen name SFAbbey13 is a 13-year-old named Abby who lives in San Francisco. Football45 could be a person who plays football with the jersey number 45.

Solution: Don't put anything in your screen name that strangers can relate back to you.



Getting too personal in your profile
Many profiles ask for your name, address, phone number, age, gender, and personal news.

Solution: Try to use sites that don't require personal information. Whenever filling out an online profile, remember: Less is best, and try not to reveal personal information.



Chatting with strangers
When you decide to chat with a stranger, they'll typically ask you about yourself. For example, you'll see "A/S/L," which asks your age, sex, and location. When you answer, you reveal identifying information. Indirect questions, such as queries about the weather, sports, school mascot, school colors, and local cultural events, combined with other questions can also reveal your identity to a stranger.

Solution: Chat with people you personally know from your family, school, or other community activities.


If you feel like someone knows who you are, or if you just feel uncomfortable, stop chatting and tell your parents right away.


Teri Schroeder is president and founder of http://www.isafe.org/, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping kids and teens safe as they communicate online.

Originally aired December 3, 2003
Modified December 1, 2003



Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:2203, old post ID:18639

AIM is one of the worse for this type of thing. AOL needs to monitor what goes on in those chat rooms or shut it down. It's a hot spot for predators since most parents don't monitor their children's internet activities. The kids are having a blast, filling out profiles with personal info and don't know they're putting themselves in harms way.

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:2203, old post ID:18650