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Social Networking Safetynline social networks, such asFacebook and Myspace, continueto provide a popular forum forstudents to connect with oneanother and post personal pro-files. While the long-term effects

of building virtual communitiesremain to be seen, chances are thatyour student and her peers are cur-rently part of the growing trend ofusing virtual communities to buildreal relationships!

These sites can be wonderfultools for students to express them-selves, learn more about others, andbuild technological skills, but it isimportant for them to keep in mindboth the benefits and the risks inherent with use. Asa parent, you can encourage your student to considerthe potential costs associated with these convenientcommunities and help them stay safe as they utilizethese resources.How Parents Can Help StudentsStay Safe OnlineReputation

People often forget that the Internet’s pseudo-nym is the “World Wide Web.” Almost anyone in theworld can access information posted from a personalcomputer. While safety and security are important, sois one’s reputation! In today’s technological world,many of us are quick to casually write what we arethinking, without first stopping to think about how it

might be interpreted. Additionally, we tend to assumethat the Internet is an anonymous forum for commu-nication, when this isn’t the reality.

Expressing oneself without limits can be temptingyet, encourage students to do so away from theInternet. It is not uncommon today for people –including potential employers – to do a web search tofind out more about an individual. An offensive orinappropriate online journal entry or profile note willnot be missed.

Ask students to consider the following questionsbefore posting information online:� Could I jeopardize my opportunity to obtain a

leadership position on campus or in the commu-nity by posting this information in my online pro-file?

� Is it possible for future employers to see a photo-graph of me engaged in unethical, dangerous, oreven illegal activities?

� Could I be held responsible for violating a cam-pus policy if an administrator saw what I amabout to post?

� Would I be proud to present my online journalentry or profile to members of my family?

Meeting On-line Friends in PersonIt’s quite possible that students may eventually

want to meet an online friend in person. Gentlyremind students to take safety precautions in thesecircumstances, such as:� Choosing a public place like a coffee shop or din-

ing hall for the first meeting� Setting a time frame in which to meet,so a definite end time is pre-established� Making sure someone knows whereshe will be and making a plan to check-inwith one another at an established timeProtecting Private Information

Online predators search for unsuspectingvictims. One way they do this is by obtainingpersonal information from posted profilesand journals. Just because a profile asks for apiece of personal info doesn’t mean it mustbe provided! Additionally, most online com-munities offer the option to make parts of aprofile accessible only to friends, rather thanthe broader community, even though thedefault setting is usually “all public.”

Remind your student to be smart andsafe with these simple precautions.

O

Benefits of Cyber Communities� Conveniently connect with others on campus� Learn about other students who share similar interests� Advertise events (such as birthday parties or club meet-

ings) to a wide audience� Coordinate academic initiatives and groups� Communicate quickly and easily with friends� Have fun meeting and interacting with peopleChallenges of Cyber Communities� People can be artificial/insincere about shared information� Personal and private information is available to a large

population of people, so misunderstandings happen� Spending too much time online can interfere with school-

work and other obligations� Assumptions are made based on posted information