Inappropriate Contact

You need to know how to recognize and protect yourself against contact with cyber-bullies, hackers, phishers, and predators.  People are not always who they say they are.  Learn how to keep away from Internet strangers:  the Internet is a place to enhance existing relationships, not a place to meet new people.

Inappropriate Content

This includes both content that is viewed and content that is uploaded by kids.  You must understand and tell your friends that the Internet is forever:  everything they post online is tracked and stored and will follow them to future job interviews and college entrance interviews.

Inappropriate Conduct

Because the web environment can feel anonymous, some youth become dis-inhibited.  Remember that the Internet is a public forum:  anonymity is a myth.  Try to be the good person online that you are when you are off line.

Also:

Phishing attacks:  involve the use of a specially crafted email and/or a website to obtain sensitive information.  The email is "cast" out to thousands of people in the hopes that a few will respond.  Those that do respond will likely fall victim to fraud or identity theft.



Cyber bullying:  refers to the new, and growing, practice of using technology to harass, or bully, someone else.  Bullies used to be restricted to methods such as physical intimidation, postal mail, or the telephone.  Now, developments in electronic media offer forums such as email, instant messaging, web pages, and digital photos to add to the arsenal.  Computers, cell phones, and PDA's are new tools that can be applied to an old practice.

 

 

"Never write down anything you do not want the whole world to know."

TO FILE A COMPLAINT contact the
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.