ADOLESCENTS ON THE INTERNET CAN
BE NAVIGATING DANGEROUS WATERS

Blogs and social networking sites that allow people to meet, communicate and interact online have exploded in popularity. The number of visitors to MySpace went from 4.9 million in 2005 to currently more than 200 million. Every day, more than 100 million video clips are viewed on YouTube and another 65,000-plus are uploaded.

The majority of activity on these sites is legal and can be positive. People can connect with friends and like-minded individuals. However, many children and teens are not aware that they put themselves in danger when they give out too much personal information and communicate with people they’ve only met online.

The unprecedented amount of personal information available on blogs and social networking sites makes them a perfect place for people who would harm children to identify their victims and gain their trust. This trust can be used to lure children and teens into a false sense of security, making them vulnerable to enticement to meet in person, which can have serious consequences. Other dangers to children include exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying or identity theft.

Children and teens often are not aware that their words — which may have been intended for a small audience — sometimes find their way to a larger one, especially if they are controversial. Some students who have posted threatening messages against their school or classmates have attracted the attention of law enforcement, while others who have posted inappropriate comments about school personnel also have been disciplined. Some universities and employers even have used online postings to find out more about potential candidates.

To promote online safety, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse has developed awareness information for parents, children and educators. Some tips are listed on the back of this sheet.

• Never post your personal information, such as cell phone number, address or the name of your school.

• Be aware that information you post in blogs could put you at risk of victimization. People looking to harm you could use the information you provide to gain your trust. They also can deceive you by pretending they know you.

• Never give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian.

• Only add people as “friends” to your site if you know them in real life.

• Never meet in person with anyone you first "met" on a social networking site. Some people may not be who they say they are.

• Think before posting your photos. Personal photos should not have revealing information, such as school names or locations. Look at the backgrounds of the photos to make sure you are not giving out any identifying information without realizing it. The name of a mall, the license plate of your car, signs or the name of your sports team on clothing are all types of information that can give your location away.

• Never respond to harassing or rude comments posted on your profile. Delete any unwanted messages or friends who continuously leave inappropriate comments. Report these comments to the networking site if they violate that site's terms of service.

• Check the privacy settings of the social networking sites that you use. Set them so that people can only be added as your friend if you approve it and view your profile if you have approved them as a friend.

• Remember that posting information about your friends could put them at risk. Protect your friends by not posting any names, ages, phone numbers, school names or locations. Refrain from making or posting plans and activities on your site.

• Consider going through your blog and profile and removing information that could put you at risk. Remember, anyone has access to your blog and profile, not just people you know.

Content adapted from “Blog Beware”. Copyright © 2006 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. All rights reserved.

NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services – Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse To view detailed online safety information, including video and PowerPoint presentations, or to schedule a presentation, visit the Operation SAFE CHILD website: www.operationsafechild.org