| General Risks |
| Situations and Behavior That Make You Feel Uncomfortable |
|
Not everything that can go wrong in cyberspace necessarily puts you in physical danger. There are web sites, newsgroups, chat rooms, and other places online that contain material that could make you feel uncomfortable. It could be material that's sexual
and/or violent in nature. It could be material espousing hateful attitudes or discussing activities that you find repulsive or unpleasant. It really doesn't matter what it is. What does matter is that you have the right -- and the tools -- to instantl
y remove yourself from any area where you feel you shouldn't be.
|
| Putting Yourself in Physical Danger |
|
The most serious risk you can face involves the possibility of someone hurting or exploiting you because of information that you post or someone else posts about you online or because of something you do or somewhere you go as a result of what you encount
er online. The number of teens who are molested, abducted, or leave home as a result of contacts made on the Internet are relatively low, but when it happens the results can be tragic.
|
| Giving Up Privacy or Putting Yourself or Your Family in Financial Risk |
|
The Internet, like so many other places in this world, is home to people who would try to take money from you or your family or just pester you with unwelcome advertising and marketing material. Be especially wary of any "get rich quick" schemes that pro
mise to help you earn lots of money in your spare time. If something
sounds "too good to be true," it probably is. |
| Harassment |
| Not everyone in cyberspace
minds their manners. When you're online, especially in chat rooms or
bulletin boards, there is a chance that you'll get messages that are
harassing, demeaning, or just plain mean. Don't take it personally. A
message that is demeaning says a lot more about the sender than it does
about the person who gets it. Ironically, even people who are nice in the
"real" world can forget their manners when they go online. The best thing
to do if you encounter messages or people in chat rooms who are acting
that way is to ignore them. Some messages, however, may constitute
harassment, which is a crime under federal law. If someone sends you
messages or images that are obscene, lewd, filthy, or threaten you,
report it to your Internet service provider and the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline by calling
1-800-843-5678. |
| Hurting Others and Getting Into Trouble |
| Avoid anything that might hurt
people and risk getting yourself into trouble. You need to respect other
people's privacy and avoid taking any actions that annoy, harass, or hurt
other people. You are responsible for your behavior online. |
Next: Risks by Area
|
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