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Internet Safety: Their techniques
Identifying a cyber predator is difficult because they sound like anyone else. Chatting online can be really fun and can be a quick way to make new friends, but it might not be the safest way. Predators have many techniques that they use to convince you that they are just like you, can relate to your problems, and would like to become your real friend instead of your online buddy.
Giving you special stuff
When an online buddy sends you sexually explicit material, whether you want it or not, it is smart to stop speaking to that buddy. Predators use this technique to scare or befriend you. Almost all of the time this material is unwanted, but if you continue to speak to this person, they will push you to do more than just look at inappropriate material. Ending the conversation with this person will tell that predator that you are not interested in what they have to offer.
Pretending
Predators will often disguise themselves a teenagers and young adults. Most often they will try to befriend you as a peer. These people can be very convincing and, without realizing it, you may befriend a predator. There really is no way to know who is your age and who is an adult. But being safe means ending communication with any online buddy if they begin to harass you. Remember, never give out personal information (not even an email address) and if anything mean or inappropriate happens, don't be afraid to tell your parents.
Threats
If an online buddy begins to threaten you because you refuse to meet him or speak to him anymore, the best thing to do is tell your parents. Predators exploit any weaknesses they can find. A predator's objective is to make you do what he wants. Getting advice from your parents will help you make the right decision and will make sure you stay safe.
Cyberstalking
Searching chat rooms or reading your blogs are easy ways for a predator to learn how to talk to you and earn your trust. By following you through chat rooms, a predator can gather information about you and make you feel comfortable enough to talk to them about anything, even revealing secrets. Beware of someone who knows everything about your conversations or who is quick to say "the same thing happened to me."
Photographs
Putting photographs online is becoming more and more popular, especially with chat rooms, blogs and MySpace or Facebook. Unfortunately there are a number of reasons why photographs are a problem:
Email
Sometimes you meet people who you really like online and you want to talk to them more than just in chat rooms. But be careful before you give out your email address or instant messaging screen name. Often your email has a profile that can be easily accessed by a predator. Emails are personal and are sometimes unsafe to give to online buddies. Limit the people who have your email address to friends and family. Don’t give it to people you meet in chat rooms and set your chat profile to not display your email address.
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Giving you special stuffWhen an online buddy sends you sexually explicit material, whether you want it or not, it is smart to stop speaking to that buddy. Predators use this technique to scare or befriend you. Almost all of the time this material is unwanted, but if you continue to speak to this person, they will push you to do more than just look at inappropriate material. Ending the conversation with this person will tell that predator that you are not interested in what they have to offer.
Pretending
Predators will often disguise themselves a teenagers and young adults. Most often they will try to befriend you as a peer. These people can be very convincing and, without realizing it, you may befriend a predator. There really is no way to know who is your age and who is an adult. But being safe means ending communication with any online buddy if they begin to harass you. Remember, never give out personal information (not even an email address) and if anything mean or inappropriate happens, don't be afraid to tell your parents.
Threats
If an online buddy begins to threaten you because you refuse to meet him or speak to him anymore, the best thing to do is tell your parents. Predators exploit any weaknesses they can find. A predator's objective is to make you do what he wants. Getting advice from your parents will help you make the right decision and will make sure you stay safe.
Cyberstalking
Searching chat rooms or reading your blogs are easy ways for a predator to learn how to talk to you and earn your trust. By following you through chat rooms, a predator can gather information about you and make you feel comfortable enough to talk to them about anything, even revealing secrets. Beware of someone who knows everything about your conversations or who is quick to say "the same thing happened to me."
Photographs
Putting photographs online is becoming more and more popular, especially with chat rooms, blogs and MySpace or Facebook. Unfortunately there are a number of reasons why photographs are a problem:
- Combining a photograph with personal information can make it extremely easy for a predator to find his way to your school or doorstep.
- Photographs can be manipulated—your face put onto another person’s body in a sexually explicit photograph—and posted for anyone, including your parents, to see
- The bottom line is that you should never send photos of yourself to people online who you don’t know. And you should always be careful who you allow to have access to your photos on MySpace or Facebook.
Sometimes you meet people who you really like online and you want to talk to them more than just in chat rooms. But be careful before you give out your email address or instant messaging screen name. Often your email has a profile that can be easily accessed by a predator. Emails are personal and are sometimes unsafe to give to online buddies. Limit the people who have your email address to friends and family. Don’t give it to people you meet in chat rooms and set your chat profile to not display your email address.
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