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The dangers of Internet Chat Rooms is proven - but although this article does go into detail of the dangers, it's important to point out that many times chatting on the Web in Forums, Message boards, IRC etc can be perfectly fun and safe providing you use well known and respected companies who provide a level of protection for their users.....

The popularity of chat rooms doesn’t pale even in comparison to the most popular of sports. At any given moment there are literally hundreds of thousands of people chatting around the world. One of the more amazing statistics about the Internet is that of all in the world who have Internet access today, 33% of them have at least been into a chat room at one time or another. When you consider that in the US alone there over 100 million on the Internet today, that translates to a staggering 33 million people who have engaged in "chat". If we assume that only 33% of that number becomes repeat chat room visitors, there are 22 million chat room users.

Let’s reduce that number one more time and say that only 10% of that number really becomes chat room regulars, we still have 2.2 million in the United States alone that frequent chat. This is part of the draw, the attraction that people have to chat rooms. At any time of the day (or night) there are people from all over the world that you can go and meet and talk to. The problem is in what can happen when you get there.

Chat Room Dangers

Just as Internet Safety is a much broader subject than most realize, so also is chat safety.

What do you think of when you hear the term "chat safety"? Probably pretty much the same as when you hear "Internet safety" right? I would be willing to bet that the first thought that comes to mind is pedophiles and stalkers. There is so much more to it than that. What is the primary object of promoting Internet safety awareness? Let’s define that first because the definition itself expands the understanding of the dangers. To promote Internet safety awareness is: to create such a comprehensive understanding of the dangers that exist in cyberspace that those who implement protective measures based on the information supplied may avoid loss, pain, or damage from such dangers. So what is "loss, pain, or damage"? Is it limited to pedophiles, child pornography, and stalkers? Absolutely not! Don’t misunderstand; we are not downplaying the importance of those threats, simply trying to develop a "comprehensive understanding". The dangers in chat rooms are far more diverse than these, the most severe of dangers. If you construct a list from the definition above it would look more like this:

• Child pornography, pedophilia
• Stalking (kids or adults)
• Rape, and/or murder (kids or adults)
• Emotional damage (kids or adults, variety of causes and levels of damage)
• Needlessly broken homes
• Psychological change
• Financial loss
• Chat addiction
  
  

There are probably more but this helps broaden the base of understood dangers doesn’t it? That is our intention here, to bring an expanded understanding of how to protect yourself and your children from loss, pain, or damage, through any and all of the exploits that are perpetrated against unwitting users of the Internet and it’s resources. Our task is not a small one because new exploits seem to be introduced in a viral way, and those who prey upon others develop their exploits as dynamically as the Internet itself evolves.

Guidelines for Chat Safety

Many safety sites on the Internet have developed and posted guidelines for Internet users and the parents of children who are Internet users. To some these guidelines hold little importance because they do not understand the risks to which they are exposing themselves. In the next two installments of this series, "Chat Dangers for Kids",  and "Chat Dangers for Adults" we will provide more in depth examples of these dangers in order to validate the importance of following these guidelines and developing a more intuitive and informed approach to your time, or your child’s time in chat. Some of the dangers apply to both kids and adults in the same way, some in different ways, and some not at all. We must therefore cover these issues in two separate articles. In the mean time, here are those guidelines with a plea to all that you trust us that they have a reason to be implemented in your regular Internet habits.

• Do not give out personal information such as your address, telephone number, work address/telephone number. If you are a child, do not give out parents’ work address/phone number, the name and location of your school, or any other personal information without your parents’ permission.
• Never agree to get together with someone you "meet" online without first checking them out to the best of your ability, or if you are a child without checking with your parents. If your parents agree to the meeting, be sure that it is in a public place and bring your mother or father along.
• Do not send anyone your picture unless you are sure of whom you are sending it to. If you are a child don’t send this or anything else without first checking with your parents.
• Do not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me you uncomfortable. It is not your fault if you get a message like that. Keep track of screen names of those who send them, and turn them in to the service provider. If you are a child tell your parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.
• If you have kids that use the Internet talk with them and set up rules for going online. Decide upon the time of day that they can be online, the length of time they can be online, and appropriate areas for them to visit. Spend time with them to explain the dangers and help them understand what to watch for and what to avoid.
• Do not give out your passwords to anyone, even your kids. If you are a child do not give out your Internet password to anyone (even your best friends) other than your parents.
• Find out before you proceed too far with anyone on a personal level, and providing specific information about yourself, who it really is that you are talking to.