Internet Safety Tips

While you may enjoy being able to hop online and find out what your friends have been up to within just a few clicks and seconds, it can also be just as easy to fall prey to any one of the latest Internet scams and viruses. Hopefully some of these Internet safety statistics will help keep your eyes open to some of the potential dangers that lurk around the Web.

One of the biggest trends that Internet researchers have been tracking is the use of social networking sites online. Social networking has absolutely exploded in popularity for people of all ages, especially teens, and has even become somewhat of a necessity for certain types of businesses. However, the more people that you have the opportunity to come into contact with, the greater the chance that you will be exposed to malicious Internet activity. Parents and guardians should be aware that approximately 61 percent of 13- to 17-year-olds possess a personal profile on social media network sites such as Facebook and MySpace. The dangerous element here is that these profiles almost always include pictures which can most certainly lure Internet predators. Teens should always be reminded to never post pictures with revealing clothing. They should also be reminded to remain as general as possible with their location.

Why go through such precautions? Older teens around 16 and 17 years old, particularly women, demonstrated that approximately 71 percent said they’ve gotten messages through their social network portal or e-mails from someone they don’t know. And what’s even scarier is that about 45 percent of those people had been asked for personal information by people they don’t know. To top it off, about 14 percent have physically met people they only met on the Internet. While many people do in fact meet in person because of portals such as dating sites, this should only be done by adults who are well aware of certain elements that will keep them safe, such as meeting in a crowded place that is in a completely neutral location and gives no indication of one’s actual home address. Another statistic which reports that only 18 percent of those polled would actually tell a parent or guardian about such online communication underlines the importance of parents encouraging open trust and communication with their children.

What’s even more alarming is the state of most teens’ perception of how safe it is to use the Internet. Twenty percent of teens polled said that it is safe to exchange personal information on a public portal such as blogs and social networking sites. This raises the issue of continued education for teens, helping them realize the potential dangers of Internet use!