Before your next chat, check out these 9 common mistakes you should avoid to limit abuse and other negative consequences for you or someone you know.
Top 9 Common Chat Mistakes
1. Sharing Identifiers in Your Screenname
Before you create your chat room screenname or ID, make sure it does not contain any major identifiers. Identifiers may include city, school name, or real names, making it easier for someone online to discover their true identity.
Users should also try not to use identical screennames across services (ex. Facebook), which make it easier for someone to find you via search engine.
2. Giving Personal Information Out Online
Just as you would not want to share personal identifiers in your screenname, users just learning how to chat should also be careful not to share telephone numbers, addresses or other information with anyone you do not already have a long-standing relationship with.
While they may seem nice, new friends online may only seek to cause harm. Be cautious.
3. Never Share Your Password
Some new users learning how to chat have had their accounts hijacked by sharing passwords with someone identifying themselves as website or IM representatives online. Never share your password or account information with anyone, without contacting the service provider first.
4. Beware of Hyperlinks, File Transfers
Receive a hyperlink in an IM or chat room message, or a request to transfer files? When you click on a link or accept files, you are at risk for a computer virus, spyware and other malware. When in doubt, check with the sender to make sure they sent the link or file, and have antivirus software enabled to protect your computer.
5. Flashing More Than a Smile on Webcam
On many of the popular free webcam sites and chat rooms with video features, some people get themselves into the embarrassing situation of having their nude photographs circulated on the Internet after showing some skin. Consider the consequences. Inversely, if you do not wish to view naked persons, consider twice before viewing any chat room webcam.
6. Engaging in Inappropriate Conversation with a Minor
Unfortunately, most chat room and IM services have difficulty preventing minors from mixing in with adults. If you engage in any conversation which may be deemed inappropriate for a minor, it may be difficult to verify the age of the person(s) you are chatting with. The consequences could be violating local, state and federal law, in addition to jail time and fines for engaging a minor in sexually-explicit conversation.
7. Being Unaware of Blocking Features
If you are being harassed by someone in a chat room or on an IM client, blocking features can stop a cyberbully dead in their tracks. Being unaware of blocking features only allows prolonged contact and the cycle of abuse to continue.
8. Failure to Report Cyberbullies
Cyberbulling is a huge problem on the Internet, in chat rooms, on IM and on social networking sites. If you are abused by a cyberbully, failure to report them to the authorities, including institutions like WiredSafety, means there will be other victims. Always report cyberbullies.
9. Not Reading Terms of Service, Privacy Policies
Unfortunately, some chat room services may exploit legal loopholes, making any photos, text, video or other multimedia fair game for advertising or use across their website(s). Never allow yourself to be caught unaware of the terms of service and privacy policies of your favorite chat rooms, available typically via link on the bottom of each webpage, or through the "Help" menu of you favorite IM client.
