There is a website called 2smrt4u. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children joined together to fund a site to help teach safe and smart internet usage to teens.
They have some reasonable tips, such as:
- Post your cell phone number, address, or the name of your school
- Post your friends’ names, ages, phone numbers, school names, or addresses
- Add people as friends to your site unless you know them in person
- Communicate with people you don’t know
- Give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian
- Meet in person with anyone you first “met” on a social networking site
- Respond to harassing or rude comments posted on your profile
- Make or post plans and activities on your site
- Post photos with school names, locations, license plates, or signs
- Post photos with the name of your sports team
- Post sexually provocative photos
- Respond to threatening or negative emails or IMs
Not that I agree 100% with all of them, but it gives a better starting point than some kids have been given before.
However…
They also offer an IM ICON 
, you know, so you can present yourself as a challenge and dare stalkers to try to find you.
Best of all they are giving away a free ring. Really. It is free. All they want you to do is tell them your date of birth, your address and whether you are male or female. Don’t worry, they won’t ask for your address if you say you are under the age of 13.
So obviously, it is teaching excellent online habits.
Leave a Reply