Lots of teens use social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and ProfileHeaven to keep in touch with friends from school, camp, church or work. Some use them to connect with people who share very specific interests, from Swiss cheese to Scandinavian indie rock. Teens also use them to strike up conversations with strangers -- teenage and otherwise -- whether they're seeking help with their homework, advice about a problem or a date for Saturday night. No matter how you're using them, here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re being social online.
Don't Use Your Real Name
It may seem obvious, but for many teens, it's not: Use an alias (a made-up name) for on sites such as MySpace. It's fine to tell trusted friends from school how to find your profile and what name you use for chatting and instant messaging, but keep your last name, age and other identifying information off of your page, if possible. It keeps a lot of shady characters from looking up other information about you, such as your address or what school you attend.Be Picky, Be Private
Especially if you can't use an alias, be extremely careful about who you let into your inner circle of friends on social networking sites. Consider setting your profile to private so you can carefully screen who can view your page.Also, don't post photos that might give people the wrong idea about you. Here's a good rule of thumb: If you'd be embarrassed for your favorite teacher or your best friend’s parents to see it, it probably doesn’t belong on your page.
Keep Your Address and Phone Number To Yourself
Even if you screen your online friends carefully, it's good common sense to keep as much contact information to yourself as possible. Don't share the name of the place you work, your school or even your favorite after-school hangout on your page -- even in a bulletin or invitation.If you must list some contact information, list your secondary email account, not the one you use for everyday stuff. Spammers and phishers love to grab email addresses from Facebook and MySpace pages, so use an email address with a good spam filter, too.
Set Time Limits
Taking quizzes, writing comments and posting videos on your site or your friends' sites is a lot of fun, but it can easily eat up an entire afternoon. Set aside a specific amount of time -- say, 45 minutes -- to check your messages, send a few shout-outs and maybe play a quick game of Scrabulous.If you're craving a chat, make sure your homework is done and that you don't have family obligations before you hop online. Better yet, why not call your friend on the telephone or meet up with them to listen to music or watch your favorite TV show?
