Internet Safety for Teens

Submitted by cshcn_staff on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 3:44pm

Teen playing on computer Protect yourself from cyber stalking, harassment, and bullying:

The internet can be a great place for you to express yourself and connect with others who have ongoing health conditions like yourself. Unfortunately, what you choose to share may also be used to hurt you. Whether using blogs, forums, chatrooms, Facebook, or MySpace, it is important to do it safely. And just like in “real-life,” you should be comfortable with how much to share about your medical condition.

Your reputation is on the line:

Don’t make it easy for people to judge you without even meeting you. The internet is open to everyone, is searchable, and can be seen as a record of who you are for college admissions officers or future employers. Things that you have privately written online to a friend can eventually become public. If a friend becomes an “ex-friend”, is there anything on your page that could be used against you? If something you post shows up in 5 years, will you be embarrassed by it? If so, don't post it in the first place.

Here are a few tips to help you use good common sense while online:

Lock it down: Take the time to learn about the safety and security features available on each site you use and lock your information down. Encourage your friends to lock down their page or other people will be able to read your comments to them.
Don't make it a popularity contest: Do not put yourself at risk by adding or allowing access to people that you don’t know in real life. You are trusting them with a part of yourself, so don’t feel bad blocking or not accepting someone’s friend’s request. Come up with a plan for how you will ignore or respond to someone if you are uncomfortable adding them.
Keep your personal information private: Do not post identifiable information such as your date of birth, cell phone number, school, address, full name, password, email or IM address. Be careful when posting information about events or activities you are participating in that would help others track you.
Use caution when posting photos: Anyone that can see your photos online can also photoshop them and use them in ways you may not like. Watch for personal information in the background and do not post suggestive photos or photos showing illegal activities.
Avoid in-person meet ups with "online friends": As hard as it may be to believe, there ARE people out there that use the anonymity of the internet to victimize people. "Online friends" may not be who they seem. It is best to not to meet up in person with anyone you met online.
Search yourself: You may want to occasionally enter your name into a search engine to see what shows up

Want more information? Check out the following sites:

Internet Safety for Teens

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