There are many dangers about using the Internet, and with social networking these issues have become more prevalent. Information about people has become so accessible, all you have to do is Google a person's name, and if they haven't done a good job keeping their personal information private, you can find out anything you need to know. Websites such as Facebook and MySpace make it so people can actually contact you, and with a little conversation a stranger who's intention is to harm you can find out enough information about a person to find them. Simply by telling a person your first name, the weather, and what activities you enjoy can help a person track you down, especially if they know what you look like.
Some of the most ubiquitous offenders include: cyber bullies, stalkers, and sexual predators. More often than not, victims of the listed culprits will have some relation with the above prior to meeting online, but the danger is nonetheless present. The following are news stories I found on what can happen if you are irresponsible in your use of the Internet:
[NOTE: I named the social network that was used. The hyperlink is to the actual stories, not the social websites themselves.]
Justin.tv: A 19 year old boy who suffered from clinical depression and bipolar disorder had threatened many times online that he would commit suicide. Eventually they were not taken seriously, and so he turned on his webcam and began to OD on many pills. Meanwhile many viewers egged him on and threw insults at him. The police were not called until viewers realized that he was not moving anymore. Cyber bullies have become of of the biggest problems online.
Teen Chat Rooms: Chat rooms made specifically for teens and preteens are exactly where pedophiles go first. A reporter went in multiple chat rooms acting as a 14 year old girl and was immediately bombarded with vulgar messages and requests to chat on MSN or AIM. Many of these chat rooms did not even require you to make an account making them a hot spot for online predators to lurk until finding a person willing to give them means of further contact.
MySpace: Heather Kane was upset at another woman for contacting her boyfriend on myspace and sending him pictures. Using the information and pictures from this girl, Heather plotted to murder her through a hit man. This uncovers the danger of revealing information about yourself though public comments and posts.
Facebook: George Appleton from Greater Manchester used Facebook as a tool to stalk his ex-girlfriend and came in contact with girls he met through dating websites; this led to the murder of his girlfriend as well as sexual assaults on at least 4 women. He has yet to be caught but his Facebook reveals that he very much enjoys horror films. Police have reason to believe he goes under other aliases on Facebook as well as other websites and warn women not to add him.
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Yahoo:
Alicia Kozakiewicz met Tyree in a Yahoo online chat. She was later convinced to meet him when he kidnapped her and took her to his apartment where he tortured her. It was only by luck that she was found 5 days later. Alicia was tricked into thinking that Tyree loved her because she did not fit in with people at school. It can be easy to be deceived online when you can't hear how the person types what they do and interpret what you read the way you want to hear it.
While all of these situations may seem very scary, there are ways to stay safe on the Internet, things such as keeping your profile on social networking websites private except to your friends who you have met in real life. And if you don't feel comfortable with people seeing certain things about you, you can keep them private on most websites, for example on Facebook you can keep your wall private from other people. It's recommended that you do not post your pictures online unless they are on private websites. In naming your pictures, its best you don't use words but a bunch of numbers as well so people will not be able to search things like "teenage girl" and use them inappropriately. Another step you can take is to alter your name and location, and keep different activities you enjoy hidden.
Also, remember to act suspiciously if meeting a person online, If there's no way for them to prove to be who they say they are, you have no idea who's on the other side of the screen or what their intentions are. It's usually best to avoid these people if at all possible. If you don't talk to strangers in real life why should you online?
Don't forget that people's accounts can get hacked as well, If a friend is acting strangely you should probably avoid talking to them online and ask the person about it on the phone or the next time you see them. Keeping all this in mind, your Internet use can be safer.
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