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A safety net for social networking
Someone out there, some stranger, might know things about your teenager that even you don't know. What music they like. Who they're crushing on. Who they're fighting with.
Someone out there, some stranger, might have seen a picture of your son or daughter that you didn't even know exists.
Pay attention, Mom and Dad.
Fifty-five percent of American teenagers now have online profiles at social networking sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.
Of those, 43 percent have been contacted online by strangers.
Ashley Cole - high school senior, community volunteer, Girl Scout, budding journalist - is a big Facebook fan.
The 17-year-old senior at the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts was recently named "Youth of the Year" by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, the highest honor given to a member.
Ashley is club mayor of the Thornberry unit, where she participates in Club Tech after school. Sponsored by Microsoft, Club Tech gives young people across the country access to the Internet and teaches them how to use it safely.
Q. Are you on the computer a lot?
A. I am always on the computer.
Q. How much time do you spend on it?
A. I probably get on the computer around 7 o'clock, and I'll be on it for about 30 minutes.
Q. That's not too long.
A. On the weekdays.
Q. And how about the weekend?
A. If I don't have anything going on, I'm on there a lot .
Q. How many social networking sites do you use?
A. I just use Facebook. I've been on MySpace and Bebo, but I didn't really like those. There's no random people on Facebook. It's a little more comfortable.
Q. What rules has your mom set about using the computer?
A. Well, first of all, before I can do television, phone, Internet, chores have be done. Then I can be on the Internet. And if I'm on there too long, she tells me, "Time to get off of it, Ashley." We have an office in our house and two computers in there, so she can just roll her chair over to see what I'm doing.
Q. She keeps a pretty close eye? Do you like that?
A. I don't have a problem with it. But with any teenager it's like, "OK, Mama." But she never crosses a boundary and says, "Open your mailbox." She just wants to know what's going on.
Q. What has Club Tech taught you about being safe online?
A. First rule: Never give anybody information. That's something that's enforced because that's probably the easiest way for people to find you_a real name, address, personal stuff. And don't take a picture in front of your address.
Q. How do you know if there's a problem with the questions someone is asking you online?
A. If I don't know someone, I don't respond.
Q. Do your friends follow safety rules when they're online?
A. I think so ... a lot of people get their boyfriends and girlfriends on Facebook. Not the brightest idea in the world.
Q. Have you ever had a scary moment?
A. People have written me, and it probably could have gotten bigger than what it was, but because I didn't know them I didn't respond.
Q. What types of comments do you allow people to post?
A. The only way you can comment on my page is if I accept you as a friend.
Q. That sounds like a good idea. Do you know people who have gotten into trouble on MySpace or Facebook?
A. I do know a girl who did meet her boyfriend over Facebook, and later it turned out horrible.
Q. What other activities do you do at school?
A. I'm a theater major and orchestra minor. And I'm trying to run for senior class president.
Q. What do you want to do after college?
A. I want my own radio show. I've been on the radio quite a few times, but I've always been interviewed.
Q. How did I do?
A. I think you asked the right questions.
___
MYSPACE SAFETY
Todd Cione, a general manager for Microsoft, which sponsors Club Tech through Boys & Girls Clubs, offers safety tips to teens and their parents:
Don't use your last name on your site. And don't post other people's full names. Don't even use a nickname that could make you vulnerable to predators.
Drop any info that locates you. Omit details about your school, place of employment or the town where you live.
Consider whether you really want your space completely public. Think of this as a sliding scale - the more personal or identifiable the information you want to share, the fewer people you should share it with.
Be smart about photos. Photos show ethnicity, age, ways to positively identify people in a group and might even give clues to a person's level of self-esteem - all of which is useful information to a predator.
Avoid posting photos that include clothing with the name of a high school, sports team or last name on a jersey. Also consider: What's in the background? People sitting on a porch with their house number visible or a view that identifies street names or landmarks can make them findable and vulnerable.
Report a problem immediately. Don't worry that you might have done something unwise. Just tell your parents or the police.
___
© 2008, The Kansas City Star.
Visit The Star Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.kansascity.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Fifty-five percent of American teenagers now have online profiles at social networking sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.
Of those, 43 percent have been contacted online by strangers.
Ashley Cole - high school senior, community volunteer, Girl Scout, budding journalist - is a big Facebook fan.
The 17-year-old senior at the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts was recently named "Youth of the Year" by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, the highest honor given to a member.
Ashley is club mayor of the Thornberry unit, where she participates in Club Tech after school. Sponsored by Microsoft, Club Tech gives young people across the country access to the Internet and teaches them how to use it safely.
Q. Are you on the computer a lot?
A. I am always on the computer.
Q. How much time do you spend on it?
A. I probably get on the computer around 7 o'clock, and I'll be on it for about 30 minutes.
Q. That's not too long.
A. On the weekdays.
Q. And how about the weekend?
A. If I don't have anything going on, I'm on there a lot .
Q. How many social networking sites do you use?
A. I just use Facebook. I've been on MySpace and Bebo, but I didn't really like those. There's no random people on Facebook. It's a little more comfortable.
Q. What rules has your mom set about using the computer?
A. Well, first of all, before I can do television, phone, Internet, chores have be done. Then I can be on the Internet. And if I'm on there too long, she tells me, "Time to get off of it, Ashley." We have an office in our house and two computers in there, so she can just roll her chair over to see what I'm doing.
Q. She keeps a pretty close eye? Do you like that?
A. I don't have a problem with it. But with any teenager it's like, "OK, Mama." But she never crosses a boundary and says, "Open your mailbox." She just wants to know what's going on.
Q. What has Club Tech taught you about being safe online?
A. First rule: Never give anybody information. That's something that's enforced because that's probably the easiest way for people to find you_a real name, address, personal stuff. And don't take a picture in front of your address.
Q. How do you know if there's a problem with the questions someone is asking you online?
A. If I don't know someone, I don't respond.
Q. Do your friends follow safety rules when they're online?
A. I think so ... a lot of people get their boyfriends and girlfriends on Facebook. Not the brightest idea in the world.
Q. Have you ever had a scary moment?
A. People have written me, and it probably could have gotten bigger than what it was, but because I didn't know them I didn't respond.
A. The only way you can comment on my page is if I accept you as a friend.
Q. That sounds like a good idea. Do you know people who have gotten into trouble on MySpace or Facebook?
A. I do know a girl who did meet her boyfriend over Facebook, and later it turned out horrible.
Q. What other activities do you do at school?
A. I'm a theater major and orchestra minor. And I'm trying to run for senior class president.
Q. What do you want to do after college?
A. I want my own radio show. I've been on the radio quite a few times, but I've always been interviewed.
Q. How did I do?
A. I think you asked the right questions.
___
MYSPACE SAFETY
Todd Cione, a general manager for Microsoft, which sponsors Club Tech through Boys & Girls Clubs, offers safety tips to teens and their parents:
Don't use your last name on your site. And don't post other people's full names. Don't even use a nickname that could make you vulnerable to predators.
Drop any info that locates you. Omit details about your school, place of employment or the town where you live.
Consider whether you really want your space completely public. Think of this as a sliding scale - the more personal or identifiable the information you want to share, the fewer people you should share it with.
Be smart about photos. Photos show ethnicity, age, ways to positively identify people in a group and might even give clues to a person's level of self-esteem - all of which is useful information to a predator.
Avoid posting photos that include clothing with the name of a high school, sports team or last name on a jersey. Also consider: What's in the background? People sitting on a porch with their house number visible or a view that identifies street names or landmarks can make them findable and vulnerable.
Report a problem immediately. Don't worry that you might have done something unwise. Just tell your parents or the police.
___
© 2008, The Kansas City Star.
Visit The Star Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.kansascity.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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So if you've posted your hometown, company you work for, first name, and a photo, even if they're all on separate sites, someone determined could find you in person.