‘Meet me tomorrow at the hotel on Sheraton Street.’ Typed my Internet friend. I hesitated before answering.
Should I? I didn’t want to be embarrassed by this Internet friend. Rapidly I typed in my reply - yes. My parents
would probably allow it. ‘Now that we are true friends, put me in the picture. Tell me your password.’ Once again
I typed in my answer. No, I did not know what lay ahead for me. Trouble. I should have known that it wasn’t safe to
do this. I should of known some rules of keeping safe on the Internet. I never knew not to give out my password.
But later on I finally understood. Here are some of the reasons why you should protect yourself while surfing the Internet.
Giving out your private password to anyone, even your best friend, is a massive capital letter NO. Sometimes if you
give out your password to an Internet friend you’ve known for six years, or to anyone, they might break into your
computer and ruin everything on your computer. In addition not giving out your password, no personal information
should be provided to people on the Internet. Never ever, as long as you live, give out telephone numbers, addresses
or where you go to school. You have to remember that someone else could be using the computer at the same time, same
place, and right there sitting as still as a statue with your Internet friend taking in all the information. Then one
day that person might both come to your house, school or anywhere and threaten to kill or hurt you. On no account
reveal photos of yourself, relatives or of your home to online people.
To keep ultra secure on the Internet, you’re better off not going into chat rooms. Sometimes, this is where your
problems begin, like four racers at the start line ready to dart off to the finish line. If you take pleasure in chat
rooms, stay away from bizarre people. Normally, these are the people that cause trouble. Of course, if they ask you to
meet them anyplace or ask for personal information, log off and notify your parents.
If you ever come across information that you don’t feel comfortable with, and makes you uneasy go and get hold of your
parents and tell them everything that made you feel awkward. They will listen to what you have to say and then calm you
down. Never respond to the person who is making you uncomfortable. Then log off the computer instantly, as fast as a
wink. Also, if someone sends you e-mail, and no door in your brain opens and tells you who the person is, immediately
delete it. It may contain destructive viruses.
When you are instant messaging someone or e-mailing someone, nothing is private. That means that you have to make sure
that you never give your friend some information that you don’t want anyone else to learn. Instead, tell them at school
or whenever you get the chance to see them. Also, not everyone is nice and cute and funny, as they might sound like
online. In real life they might be extremely cruel. Watch out!!!
When you are in doubt, always, and I repeat always, ask your parents for assistance. Also, just log off if you are not
quite sure of what to do! You can always click online later on in the day.
Talk with your parents and set up rules for using the Internet. The time of day, the length of time and the appropriate
sites you can investigate. Once these rules are prepared and finished, you should never break them without parent or
guardian permission. You should never access other areas on the Internet too.
If an online friend asks you one sunny morning if you want to accompany them around a massive field with bottle green
grass and tiny golden daisies scattered everywhere. To you it sounds terrific, and anyway, that was what you planned
to do that luminous morning. So should you say yes? NO!!! You don’t know the person, except that he/she is especially
polite and benevolent on the Internet. Maybe, off the net they do brutal and horrible things. You never know.
From these excellent rules, I’ve learnt from every mistake I’ve made on the Internet. I hope that they help you to.
So watch out while you’re surfing on the net!
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