By Sharael Feist and Jennifer Gross
March 17, 1999
Does your teen-ager spends hours chatting on the Internet? Chat can be a dynamic source of fun and friendship, but it’s not always innocent. In a number of publicized cases, sexual predators have used chat rooms to lure children into realworld encounters. While the chances that your child will be victimized are slim, the fear is real. Don’t panic. If your kids love chat, you don’t need to ban them from the Net. Instead, take some precautionary measures to protect them.
Go undercover
If you want to know what goes on in the chat rooms your kids frequent, play private detective and do some chatting yourself. You may be shocked, you may be bored, or you may be pleasantly surprised.
Stick to moderated chats
Numerous chat rooms employ human moderators to watch the conversation and boot chatters who use inappropriate or sexually explicit language. All of ZDTV’s chats (including the Call for Help chat) are moderated. AOL and Yahoo!, among others, also offer a wealth of moderated chat environments.
Chat ground rules for teenagers
- Never give out your phone number or address to anyone online
- Never give out your password
- Never make plans to meet anyone you’ve met online
For more information on teens and chat, moderated chatroom recommendations, and more, check out “Who are Your Teens Talking to (And Why You Should Care)?” in the March 1999 issue of Family PC magazine.