We've all heard the dire warnings – beware of the internet, and chat rooms, and never give out personal information. But, if we are not giving out our personal information, how are internet predators finding out where we live? Why are 10% of us agreeing to meet with people we met online?
The internet has become an major part of most people's lives. It is also an important way to connect with friends. MySpace and Facebook and Instant Messaging have made it extremely easy for friends to communicate.
But, those social networking sites have also made it easy for internet predators to gather any type of information about us. We never think that our online friends might use what we have posted against us or that they might not be who we think they are.
Internet predators are professional con-artists and expert manipulators. They don't evn need your personal information to find out who you are. They can cleverly use little bits of information from your profile or your conversations to masquerade as a person who will attract your attention and earn your trust over time.
So how can you protect yourself against Internet Predators?
Be aware! Check your profile for identifying information. Does it include your full name, address, or phone number? Does it tell someone if you are on a sports team or where you go to school?
Keep identifying information to a minimum. If you have online friends you don't know well, consider keeping certain information off your page. Do not use your full name. Let only close friends have access to your cell phone number or email.
Do a test. If someone wants to find you, can they manage it with the information on your profile? What about the information you reveal about yourself in a chat or a blog. Add that to your profile information and see what someone can learn about you.
Know your friends. Who has access to your profile? Unless you restrict access to your MySpace or Facebook page in your privacy settings, anybody can see what you have posted on your site.
Check your photos. You may have a screen name and no identifying information in your profile, but you may have your school, your house, or your school mascot in a photo which would still let someone locate you.
The truth is, no online groups are completely safe, and none have a failsafe policy of verifying the identity of members. But some have more protective features than others. If you feel threatened by a user on MySpace, Facebook, or AIM, you have the option of blocking that user from viewing your profile or contacting you. If they persist, some sites offer the option of kicking the user off permanently.
One last tip, never agree to meet with someone you met online. Remember, no matter how much you think you know someone you have been talking with, keep in mind that it can all be a lie. The photo they have posted may not actually be of them. And, you have no way to tell if someone online is lying.