Please
be aware that TWYA has no control over the identity or
actions of the individuals who are members of the Website
or blogs, and that we request that our users exercise
caution and good judgment when using the Website. We have
compiled a list of basic safety guidelines below. We
encourage you to browse additional safety resources as
well, and to review the
terms of service.
General
Safety Guidelines
Excerpted from
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtm
- Think about how
different sites work before deciding to join a site.
Some sites will allow only a defined community of
users to access posted content; others allow anyone
and everyone to view postings.
- Think about keeping
some control over the information you post. Consider
restricting access to your page to a select group of
people, for example, your friends from school, your
club, your team, your community groups, or your
family.
- Keep your information
to yourself. Don’t post your full name, Social
Security number, address, phone number, or bank and
credit card account numbers — and don’t post other
people’s information, either. Be cautious about
posting information that could be used to identify you
or locate you offline. This could include the name of
your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or
hang out.
- Make sure your screen
name doesn’t say too much about you. Don’t use your
name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think
your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take
a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are
and where you can be found.
- Post only information
that you are comfortable with others seeing — and
knowing — about you.
- Remember that once
you post information online, you can’t take it back.
Even if you delete the information from a site, older
versions exist on other people’s computers.
- Consider not posting
your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways
you may not be happy about.
- Flirting with
strangers online could have serious consequences.
Because some people lie about who they really are, you
never really know who you’re dealing with.
- Be wary if a new
online friend wants to meet you in person. Before you
decide to meet someone, do your research: Ask whether
any of your friends know the person, and see what
background you can dig up through online search
engines. If you decide to meet them, be smart about
it: Meet in a public place, during the day, with
friends you trust. Tell friends or family where you’re
going, and when you expect to be back.
- Trust your gut if you
have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or
uncomfortable because of something online, tell an
adult you trust and report it to the police and the
social networking site. You could end up preventing
someone else from becoming a victim.
More
Online Safety Resources
