Chat rooms are a common social component among teenagers. Generally set up according to a specific subject, like a TV show, celebrity, or sport, teens can get together with other like-minded people in their peer group. Sounds like a great idea at first glance; however, chat rooms can pose dangers. For instance, not all friends in chat rooms are who they say they are. Your teen may be interacting with an adult skilled at exploitation for financial or sexual gain by extracting personal information from their online acquaintances. One tactic is to persuade teens to telephone them since many teens have been taught not to give out personal information. Now the predator has their home phone number from the caller ID.
Look for warning signs that your child might be exploited. Behaviors include excessive hours online, especially late night; turning computer off suddenly when you walk into the room; evasiveness and withdrawal; calls from strangers; or gifts mailed to your child. The internet is a great tool for learning and exploring our world. By taking an active role in your teens’ internet usage, they can reap the benefits while minimizing the risks.