COMMUNICATING ONLINE

What do I need to know?

Types of Communication E-mail Instant Messages Social Networking

E-MAILThe Do’s and Don’ts

What is E-Mail E-mail is used to communicate with

others all over the world. It can send messages to people in a

matter of seconds or minutes.

The DO’s of EMAIL Use caution when opening attachments

from people you know. Sometimes attachments carry viruses without

others knowing it. These viruses can destroy a computer.

Always scan an attachment before you open it Even from a friend Some email providers automatically scan the

attachment and will let you know if it has a virus.

Delete all unknown messages immediately.

The DO’s of EMAIL Remember messages may not have been sent

by the person whose name is shown. Always check the email senders address. You may have a friend named James Suire and his

email is JimSuire@yahoo.com. James Suire may send you a message but the email

address is jsuire@bluecoast.net. The names are the same but the person sending you the message is not the same James Suire that you know as your friend.

Sometime emails say they are from a bank, government official, or friend but they are not.

Senders can disguise themselves and pretend to be someone else, this is called phishing.

The DO’s of EMAIL Research on the email provider you

choose. Make sure they use

SPAM filters Virus Scans

Report any email containing threats or material making you feel scared or uncomfortable to your email provider and an adult.

The Don’ts of EMAIL Open an email if you don’t know the

person sending it Even if it is from a bank – if it is not the bank

you have accounts with do not open the email Click on an attachment from people you

don’t know. It may be a virus. Forward chain letters to friends and

family

The Don’ts of EMAIL Share your password with anyone. Respond to emails that they are

suspicious of Be tricked by false messages (SPAM)

Offers incredible deals only if you reply with your information

INSTANT MESSAGINGThe Do’s and Don’ts

What is Instant Messaging Instant Messaging (IM) is when people

have conversation in “real time”. As soon as the message is typed and the

enter key is pressed the message is instantly sent to another person.

Most IM services have a “Buddy List”, which tells people when their friends are online and available to chat.

The DO’s of Instant Messaging Talk to only the people you know in real

life and who you have approved on your buddy list.

Know how the blocking features work on your IM service.

Block the senders you do not know from contacting you

Learn the lingo used so you can understand what each other talk about lol, ttyl, brb, etc….

The Don’ts of Instant Messaging

Share your password with anyone. Talk to people you do not know in real

life. Agree to meet anyone from your IM if you

do not know them well – even if it is a friend

SOCIAL NETWORKINGThe Do’s and Don’ts

What is Social Networking Websites that allow kids to connect with their

friends and other people with similar interests. Myspace Facebook Yearbook

People can express themselves through E-mail Blogging Music Videos Artwork Etc.

The DO’s of Social Networks Express Yourself Be careful what you post online Set your privacy settings on your page so

only the people you accept as a friend can view your profile.

Choose appropriate screen names or nicknames that do not include personal information.

Choose your wording carefully. Make sure it is not rude or hurtful.

The Don’ts of Social Networks Share your password with anyone. Talk to people you do not know in real life. Add people to your page if you do not know

them in real life. Post your age, address, or personal

information on you page. Compete to see if you can get the most

friends by adding people you do not know. Respond to any rude or hurtful message that

may have been sent to you or posted to a profile about you or a friend.

Post anything online that you don’t what everyone to know or see. Once it is on the page it is not something you

can “take back” Anything posted online can be saved by

others and passed on to unlimited people

The Don’ts of Social Networks

WEBCAMSThe Do’s and Don’ts

The DO’s of WEBCAMS Use webcams with an adults knowledge Turn off the camera when not in use Remain aware of the camera’s view when

using a webcam Remember that others can save the

webcam sessions and forward them to other people Some people believe that they were talking to

trust worthy friends and later found out that images of themselves were posted all over the web.

Talk to family members and friends only

The Don’ts of WEBCAMS Share your password with anyone. Talk to people you do not know in real life. Post things that have friends on it without their

parents permission or without letting the friend know about it.

Do anything that would embarrass you if other people see it.

Be scared to remind a friend to ask themselves if they would be embarrassed if their friends or family saw what they were doing while using a webcam. If the answer is yes they need to stop.