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The Internet is still a fairly new thing, having come out to the public in 1992. It’s only in the past couple of years that email and chatting have become popular. As more and more people get on the net, safety and etiquette become an issue.
In a chat room, which is generally unregulated (at least by someone who’s actually in there), there are rules of conduct that users are supposed to follow. Very few people follow these rules, which sometimes results in a TOS (terms of service) violation. For the most part, people are supposed to be considerate of one another. This means using appropriate language and not saying anything obscene. Though this seems simple, many people use swear words and are blatantly rude to one another. Generally, care should be taken when using such words, in case of an audience that might not appreciate it. Of course, it does depend on which chat room one is in. One geared at younger members should have no such language use in it, while one geared at teens or adults usually will. One should watch one’s own language, and not worry too much about another’s unless it is directed at them.
Another general consideration is not scrolling (saying several short things or the same thing many times in a row, which monopolizes the chat and makes it hard for others to talk). Should any of these things happen, one can report the offender or simply put him/her on ignore. This is merely annoying, not dangerous in any way, but should not be done as a consideration for other members of the chat room.
Many people feel that it is all right to advertise porno sites either in the chat rooms or by sending them to people’s email without their permission. This isn’t something that anyone wants. Porn should not be sent to anyone who does not request it. Nothing should be sent to anyone’s email address unless s/he has given his/her prior permission. Not doing things like this is simply showing consideration for others who don’t want things like that appearing onscreen or in their mailbox. In email, it may even be considered spam, which is illegal. In order to guard against this, one should set controls blocking such material on his/her mailbox.
A very typical piece of information that is given out in chat rooms is a/s/l. This stands for age/sex/location, and wants age/male-female/STATE, or country, if outside the U.S. From these simple details, it would be quite impossible to find someone. This is safe. Also, FIRST names are sometimes used – still too general. Sometimes, people who live in the same state will ask for further location details, in order to see how close they live to one another. At this point, mentioning one’s general area (in terms of the nearest large city) is okay. If two people live in the same general area, further communication about location can be shared using private messages.
Sending a picture is often done, but should be done with caution – not if the other person has any idea where the sender lives. This is ideal for stalkers, so exercise extreme caution. Be very careful of sending a picture to anyone older, as s/he may not even be telling all his/her age. Anytime one is in a chat for love, romance, or cybering, pictures should be avoided if at all possible. As far as receiving pictures, people can upload viruses, and it’s best not to do it. If it’s desirable or necessary, it should be done in the body of the message, not as an attachment.
Some final cautions: one should NEVER tell one’s last name. Unfortunately, this does happen sometimes, no matter how many times someone’s told they shouldn’t do it. Also, phone numbers and addresses are sometimes given out. The argument here is that when it’s done, it’s usually someone that the individual has been talking to for some time. Unfortunately, pedophiles wouldn’t be as good at what they do if they weren’t good actors. Talking to someone for several months may still not be enough to prove that they are who they say they are. It’s better to be safe than sorry. For this reason, online romances are not a good idea, as it is well advised never to meet an online pal. One should not believe everything they are told; anyone can choose to become anyone or anything on the Internet. For the most part, general commonsense and caution should be used.
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