What do I need to know?

  Instant Messages  Social Networking

The Do’s and Don’ts

 is used to communicate with others all over the world.  It can send messages to people in a matter of seconds or minutes.

 Use caution when opening attachments from people you know.  Sometimes attachments carry viruses without others knowing it. These viruses can destroy a computer.  Always scan an attachment before you open it  Even from a friend  Some providers automatically scan the attachment and will let you know if it has a virus.  Delete all unknown messages immediately.

 Remember messages may not have been sent by the person whose name is shown.  Always check the senders address.  You may have a friend named James Suire and his is  James Suire may send you a message but the address is The names are the same but the person sending you the message is not the same James Suire that you know as your friend.  Sometime s say they are from a bank, government official, or friend but they are not.  Senders can disguise themselves and pretend to be someone else, this is called phishing.

 Research on the provider you choose.  Make sure they use  SPAM filters  Virus Scans  Report any containing threats or material making you feel scared or uncomfortable to your provider and an adult.

 Open an if you don’t know the person sending it  Even if it is from a bank – if it is not the bank you have accounts with do not open the  Click on an attachment from people you don’t know. It may be a virus.  Forward chain letters to friends and family

 Share your password with anyone.  Respond to s that they are suspicious of  Be tricked by false messages (SPAM)  Offers incredible deals only if you reply with your information

The Do’s and Don’ts

 Instant Messaging (IM) is when people have conversation in “real time”.  As soon as the message is typed and the enter key is pressed the message is instantly sent to another person.  Most IM services have a “Buddy List”, which tells people when their friends are online and available to chat.

 Talk to only the people you know in real life and who you have approved on your buddy list.  Know how the blocking features work on your IM service.  Block the senders you do not know from contacting you  Learn the lingo used so you can understand what each other talk about  lol, ttyl, brb, etc….

 Share your password with anyone.  Talk to people you do not know in real life.  Agree to meet anyone from your IM if you do not know them well – even if it is a friend

The Do’s and Don’ts

 Websites that allow kids to connect with their friends and other people with similar interests.  Myspace  Facebook  Yearbook  People can express themselves through   Blogging  Music  Videos  Artwork  Etc.

 Express Yourself  Be careful what you post online  Set your privacy settings on your page so only the people you accept as a friend can view your profile.  Choose appropriate screen names or nicknames that do not include personal information.  Choose your wording carefully. Make sure it is not rude or hurtful.

 Share your password with anyone.  Talk to people you do not know in real life.  Add people to your page if you do not know them in real life.  Post your age, address, or personal information on you page.  Compete to see if you can get the most friends by adding people you do not know.  Respond to any rude or hurtful message that may have been sent to you or posted to a profile about you or a friend.

 Post anything online that you don’t what everyone to know or see.  Once it is on the page it is not something you can “take back”  Anything posted online can be saved by others and passed on to unlimited people

The Do’s and Don’ts

 Use webcams with an adults knowledge  Turn off the camera when not in use  Remain aware of the camera’s view when using a webcam  Remember that others can save the webcam sessions and forward them to other people  Some people believe that they were talking to trust worthy friends and later found out that images of themselves were posted all over the web.  Talk to family members and friends only

 Share your password with anyone.  Talk to people you do not know in real life.  Post things that have friends on it without their parents permission or without letting the friend know about it.  Do anything that would embarrass you if other people see it.  Be scared to remind a friend to ask themselves if they would be embarrassed if their friends or family saw what they were doing while using a webcam. If the answer is yes they need to stop.