Kids Online Chat Rooms Free
Posted on Saturday, October 30th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Instant Messaging (IM) is similar to a chat room, except that it is usually a one-on-one experience instead of a group activity. This technology notifies a user when a friend is online, allowing them to “converse” by exchanging text messages. In some ways this can be safe if the person the child is messaging to is a friend or relative. But IM can spell disaster if the “wrong person” is on the other end. Like a chat room, people can pretend to be anyone.
Unlike in some chat rooms, there is never anyone else there to monitor activity. If your child is instant messaging another person, it’s as if the two of them are together in a private room.
The danger begins when a perpetrator creeps around in a public chat room looking for a child they think is vulnerable. The FBI says that parents and children should remember that a cyber-sex offender could be of any age or sex. Additionally, the person doesn’t have to fit the misrepresentation of a dirty, unkempt, older man wearing a raincoat to be someone who could harm a child. While most sexual predators are male, there have been cases of adult women using the Internet and IM to solicit underage boys and girls.
According to the FBI, when the perpetrator finds someone who seems vulnerable, they invite the child into a private area of the chat room to get better acquainted. This type of private chatting is commonly done via an instant messaging service such as MSN Messenger or America Online (AOL). While not always likely to happen these meetings can be followed by e-mail, phone conversations and, worse case scenario, a face-to-face meeting.
Keep these simple tips in mind for keeping your children safe while on the Internet.
• Place the computer in an area of the home where you can easily monitor your child’s Internet activity.
• Regularly ask your kids about their online friends and activities. Be present in the room so you can monitor the screen and the instant messages your child sends and receives.
• Consider using a monitoring software program such as IamBigBrother that hides on your computer and instantly records all instant messages.
While the Internet can offer very positive experiences for your child, this new medium also can present unsafe situations. Just as you would not allow your child to wander alone into an unfamiliar territory, you also would not want him or her to interact with strangers on the Internet without parental guidance and supervision.
Free articles directory. ( internet, sport, business and more…)
Chat room Web site poses dangers for kids
|
|
Barbie Girls MP3 Player – Pink $29.99 Looking for the perfect Barbie Girl? Be sure and check out our full selection of Barbie Girls and accessories at Amazon.com. The world seems a lot smaller these days thanks to connective technology such as MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs, the Internet, and more. So what better way for girls to go global than with this Barbie Girl device? Barbie has been at the forefront of trendsetting for nearly … |
|
|
Barbie Girls MP3 Player – Gold $29.99 Barbie Girls allows girls to connect to their favorite things: music, fashion, and going online. It’s the next generation of fashion doll play! Mix and match fashions and hair. Orange case. Window box…. |
|
|
2.0MP Clip-on Web Camera with Mic $36.99 Manufacturer Specifications ?Sensor type: Color CMOS 1/3 Inch |
|
|
Office Computer Super Station (Webcam/Microphone/Speaker) $55.99 Manufacturer Specifications ?Primary Function: Computer Super Station – Webcam/Microphone/Speaker Combo |
|
|
LEVANA LV-TW500 Digital Wireless Baby Camera with Online Monitoring and Email Alerts (White/Red) $99.95 Levana Twinkle 500 Digital Baby CameraDigital Wireless Baby Camera w/ Online Monitoring and Email Alerts Watch your Little One From Anywhere in the World! Ideal for parents on the go, the Twinkle 500 digital wireless baby camera allows you to keep an eye on your child or caregiver, online, from anywhere in the world. You can easily access the camera at work or abroad with your computer or sma… |
