IM
Some people you meet online may not be who they say they are, so it’s a good idea to make sure the people on your contact list are people you really know in the real world.
- If someone adds you to their contact list and you don’t know them, make sure you block them. This will stop them from seeing when you are logged on, and they won’t be able to contact you.
- If you add someone and decide afterwards you don’t want them on your list you can delete them too.
- If you have your own profile on IM, it’s not a good idea to include lots of information about yourself, like your hobbies, favourite band, your address and school.
- It’s also not a good idea to have a picture of yourself on your profile- you can use one of the pictures that are on IM already, or a picture of a cartoon character.
If you have someone on your contact list who you don’t know in the real world, they will be able to have access to your profile and see what you look like. And you don’t want that!
Lots of people also use webcams when they use IM- this can be a great way of seeing your mates when you are talking to them, but remember some people you meet online may not be who they say they are.
- Webcam images can be recorded and copied, and also shared with other people, so the best thing to do is not use a webcam with people you don’t know in the real world.
Some people will try and speak to young people using IM because they have bad intentions, and they can fake webcam images and pretend to be someone else to try and trick you. If you feel worried about this, make sure you tell to a trusted adult or report to thinkuknow.
Look out for this icon on other websites. This means that you can report abuse directly to CEOP from those sites. For example, MSN Live Messenger has a tab with this icon on it.
