It's enough to scare you, but it does occasionally happen. Perhaps the news media focuses too frequently on the bad aspects of the Net, particularly in these cases, but it is always good advice to be savvy about your online safety.
If you are female or underage, according to statistics, you might be the likely target of online harrassment and/or at risk in real life. Since women make up only about one-third of the internet population, there will be fierce competition among some males for their attention in specific forums, such as live chat or other social gathering arenas. Primarily, women should always use caution in what they reveal to anyone online, and especially in chat rooms. It is wise to choose a gender nonspecific nickname, and not give out your real identity -- and even when you feel comfortable, be careful about certain information that could lead right to your doorstep.
If you have looked over this website, you may notice a glaring lack of my real name. When I began developing my website, I realized that I could do so without mentioning my real name. True, to have used it would have given me recognition, particularly as a writer. Yet, I had already read many of the safety tips for women online at CyberAngels. That is an excellent website for learning about various safety issues -- and practical precautions as well as the legal definition of cyberstalking. If anyone is interested in learning my real identity, I can give them more information once contact is established via email. And there are a lot of surfers who hit websites, some of them obviously males looking for female companionship.
The issue of children's online safety has been widely publicized, therefore many parents DO monitor their activites on the internet. However, if you are a parent and have not explained this important issue to your children, please take a look at one of these websites for detailed information and how you can help prevent your children from becoming a victim.
U.S. Dept. of Education Parents Guide to the Internet
Another tip for the ladies -- if you are looking for a romantic partner online, you might wish to get a free email account with either Hotmail or Yahoo. These are somewhat anonymous and you can choose the option of how your name appears on outgoing email, thereby practicing screening of incoming responses to any ads you might place prior to establishing contact with anyone. Also, it is a good idea to treat all live chat as a singles bar where everyone has had a couple of drinks and inhibitions are lowered.
A general rule is that you do not put your real name, phone number and address on display for everyone in either email, a website or live chat areas. It takes diligence to make sure that such information cannot be attained by the 'finger' process, which allows others to find out more about your i.d. -- and to keep your name off search engines and people finder engines.
Sometimes you begin sharing with someone online, via email or chat, and just feel so comfortable that you reveal more and more about yourself easily. Not just about who you are, but your inner self -- your feelings, thoughts, hopes, dreams. And eventually, if the distance is not prohibitive, you might think you'd like to meet this individual. You might want to talk on the phone first though, just to make sure this person comes across the same in speaking as in writing. If you do, make sure you have caller i.d. blocking so that the other person cannot track you. Since the vast majority of stalking crimes are committed by men, it's recommend that if a man and a woman decide to take it to telephone talk, then the woman asks the man for his number but does not give hers. Then she calls him using caller i.d. blocking. This is a simple safety precaution that any sensitive man should understand. If he doesn't respect your safety concerns, then maybe he is not someone you want to get to know better anyway. Alternatively, consider using public pay-phone numbers so that your privacy is protected.
However, if you still wish to set up a meeting, always arrange it for a public place and let someone know where you are going in advance. One warning sign of danger is if the other individual starts rushing you in any way -- never let anyone pressure you into a face-to-face meeting. Trust your instincts if something seems odd or wrong in such a situation.
There are a number of other issues not addressed here, such as protecting your privacy online and security matters. But when it comes to personal safety measures, a bit of precaution can prevent unwanted attention as well as keep you from becoming a victim of online stalking and/or in real life danger.
To learn from a list of 'Dos and don'ts' for safe Net surfing, drop by this website: Safety Issues For All Surfers
