Common activities where people might exploit you: How ...

This information has been adapted from the following source for the purposes of middle and high school students.
http://deal.org/the-knowzone/internet-safety/interacting-online/

People interact online many times a day with friends, family and sometimes strangers.
Most of these interactions are positive, but sometimes the Internet can lead to negative
interactions with other people.

Interacting online can bring you into contact with people who want to exploit you.
There are certain people who go online and attempt to manipulate or abuse young people.
Contrary to popular belief, teenagers (and not young children) are the most common victims
of manipulation and abuse online. The people doing the exploiting can even be teenagers or
young adults; they are not always the stereotypical older men.

Common activities where people might exploit you:

Online chatting
Photo sharing

Webcams

Sexting
Online gaming
Social networking websites

How Exploiters Operate:

Exploiters find their victims in chat They may use threats or claim that they are in
rooms, instant messaging programs, email, an emergency in order to convince you to
social networking sites, and discussion cooperate. Some may actually pose as
boards. They may visit online support groups teenagers online and develop a “friendship”
in order to seek out vulnerable young people. with the goal of meeting a youth for a sexual

They may try to win you over by giving you purpose. While some will slowly and gradually
lots of attention, compliments, or gifts. They introduce sexual content into conversations,
are often patient and willing to work at others work faster, introducing sexual content
gaining your trust for weeks or even months. very quickly.

Online Chatting

Chatting online using instant messaging programs or chat rooms has many benefits:
You can stay connected with friends from school or those who have moved away.
You can chat while browsing the web.
You have the opportunity to make new friends from all over the world.
Chat programs can be used to work with others on school projects or to transfer files.

But, when chatting, some dangerous issues might come up:

It’s harder to determine who you should and shouldn’t talk to online. People can lie
about their age, sex, location, and intentions.

You can be pressured to share information you do not want to or others can send you
inappropriate messages, photos, or videos.
You can become the victim of harassment, verbal abuse, or cyberbullying.

Photo Sharing

Photos can be shared through instant messaging programs, chat rooms, social
networking sites, photo sharing sites, email and a variety of other programs.

But, photo sharing can raise some issues:
Once you send a photo, it’s out of your control. A private photo that you
send in to a boyfriend or girlfriend can easily be distributed to
everyone on his or her contact list. And once it’s online, it can be downloaded and
saved by anyone in the world.
Photos can be manipulated to make it look like you are in a compromising situation.
Once you post a photo online, anyone can see it. Some pictures can get you in trouble
with your parents or even with the police.
Keep this in mind when posting photos of your friends as well – always get their
permission before posting anything.

Webcams

Webcams are a great way to stay in touch over long distances, but webcams can also pose
hidden dangers:

Be careful about using a webcam with people you only know through the Internet.
Some people search for children and teens willing to model sexy clothes or act out
scenarios in front of a live camera.
Don’t believe people if they claim that it’s just a way to get a start in modeling or show
business.
Once your webcam broadcasts a video, it can be captured by the other person’s
computer and saved for later viewing, posted to a website or copied to a CD and
distributed.
Webcams can be controlled remotely. Even if you think your webcam is off, if someone
has hacked into your computer, he or she can use it to film you without your
knowledge.

Sexting

Sexting involves sending photos, videos, or messages that are sexual in nature by cell phone
or the Internet.
Sexting carries the same risks as photo sharing and webcam use:

Once someone has sent a photo, video or message of him or herself, it is out of his or
her control.
There is no way to limit who the photos or videos are passed on to or who will see
them.

The photos, videos, and messages can also be saved for later viewing, published to a
website, or saved to a CD and distributed.

Online Gaming

Online games allow you to talk to talking to other gamers because
the other players live. This makes it you feel like you know the person
even easier for those who wish to you’re talking to. The bottom line is
exploit you to gain personal that you have no way of knowing

information: you may be more likely who they really are or what their
to reveal this information when true intentions are.

Social Networking Sites

It’s easy for people to find out all kinds of information about you if you post it on your profile,
and some people may use this information to exploit you. Use privacy settings, only add
people you know in real life, and do not post personal information.

How to Stay Safe When Interacting Online

Never give out any personal information, such If you make an appointment to meet in person
as your address, phone number, password or with someone you have met on the Internet,
photograph. It is surprisingly easy for a make sure you have the permission of your
stranger to track you down with even the parents or another adult. Also make sure the
smallest amount of information. meeting place is a public place and other
people are with you.
Use impersonal nicknames that do not give
away any identifying information in chat If you do share photos or video of yourself, be
programs and other sites. For example, aware that anything you broadcast can never
something like “brown_eyed_girl_12” isn’t a be taken back. Once it’s out there, it’s there for
safe name because it tells people that there’s a the whole world – including your parents and
good chance you’re a 12 year-old girl with future employers – to see.
brown eyes.
If you use a webcam, be sure that you actually
Think about your online reputation – what unplug the webcam when you’re not using it.
you say and do online can reveal a lot about If it’s built in to your computer, at least cover
you and can have an impact on what people it up if you can’t unplug it separately. Don’t
think about you. use a webcam when you visit chat rooms or
instant messaging programs.
If you’re talking to people you don’t know
offline use a voice-mask so others don’t know If someone makes you feel uncomfortable
your age or gender. online save any inappropriate messages,
photos or videos as evidence. Block the person
Don’t believe everything you’re told. Those from contacting you and leave the chat room,
who want to exploit you will often pass gaming site, or whatever online activity you
themselves off as other teenagers, even using are doing.
photos of real teenagers to support their lies.