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| Online Chatting Basics. |
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| Author : Jim Lynch.
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| Created : 13 Mar 2002
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| Last Revision : 13 Mar 2002
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One of the great things about the Internet is the ability it gives each of us to connect to other people. Distance and geographic location don�t matter when people are using the Net.
One of the Net�s most widely used connectivity features is live chat. When people chat, they communicate in real-time. One person is able to see the messages of the person right after they are typed or, in some cases, as they are being typed.
In this section we�re going to cover the basics of online chatting, including how to find chat sites, chatting safely and how to locate the chat events that interest you. If you�ve never chatted before, don�t worry! Soon you�ll be chatting up a storm with the best of them!
Rules of the Road
1.Never let young children chat unattended. There are just as many different kinds of people online as off and not all of them can be trusted. Chat rooms with themes geared toward children can attract sexual predators. Under no circumstances should young children be allowed to chat without an adult supervising.
2.Always turn off instant messaging features when your children are chatting. This will prevent anyone from sending them private messages. All interactions should take place in the chat room itself, where it can be more easily monitored.
3.Never give out or allow your children to give out personal information such as real names, credit card numbers, phone numbers or addresses. Again, there is no way of knowing who the person is on the other end of the computer and what their real motivations might be.
4.Never use real names in chat rooms. Always use a gender neutral screen name if possible. Real names, particularly those with a feminine twist, can sometimes attract obscene messages and predators.
5.Don�t allow profiles of your children (or yourself) to be visible to other chatters in the room. If possible leave the profile blank or put in fake information. Profiles can sometimes ask for information such as real names, ages, email etc. This kind of information can make it easier for predators to identify potential victims.
6.Never accept or allow your child to accept file transfer requests from strangers. Some chat programs allow users to exchange files. These files can potentially contain viruses, pornographic material or other harmful things. If possible, turn off this feature in your chat software.
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