Social Networking and Virtual Environments are two popular ways of socializing online.

Social Networking: A social networking site allows users to create a profile that introduces them to other members of the site. Profiles usually contain information about hobbies, photos, and short blog-like posts. Virtual Environments: In virtual environments users control a character, called an avatar, that represents them in a virtual world. Some virtual environments are games, while others are focused more heavily on socializing, but all involve communicating with other users.

There are minimal levels of supervision in social net-works and virtual environments. Social networks allow users to set privacy levels to protect their personal information, but few do. Most virtual environments employ moderators to keep out offensive topics or harassment, but the size of these virtual worlds, as well as the number of users, makes supervision very difficult.

Some of the benefits of these include:

• Social networking sites and virtual environments can help you meet people from around the world who share your interests. 
• You can communicate directly with people you might not otherwise be in touch with: teachers, community leaders, or experts. 
• You can participate in an online community where you're not judged based on how you look.
• There are social networking sites and virtual environments that are only for kids, or have areas that are only for kids.

However, there are drawbacks to social networking and virtual environments:

• Discussions may become sexual or violent, or may promote hate against others.
• Because some people feel totally anonymous in virtual environments, they believe they can act any way they want. Girls in particular may receive crude or sexual comments.
• Online relationships with strangers met through social networking sites or virtual environments can lead to being cyberstalked, sent pornography, or pressured to arrange a real-world meeting.
• Anything posted to a social networking site (photos, contact information, etc.) should be considered as public. Never post anything you wouldn’t want your mother or your employer to see!
• Social networking sites and virtual environments are often venues for cyberbullying. This can happen through harassment, exclusion, or the copying and distribution of photos or personal information.

Social Networking and Virtual Environment Guidelines

Use age-appropriate and monitored environments.

Your best bet is an environment limited to kids, with adult monitors. (But remember, just because an environment is monitored, there's little to stop an adult from pretending to be a young person and joining in the conversation.) Whyville is only open to kids and teachers, and Second Life has both kids-only and teens-only “islands”.

Protect your privacy.

This is probably the most important thing for you to remember. Don’t reveal information about yourself, your friends or your family in your public profile. Set your privacy levels so that only your friends can see anything private, and be careful who you accept as friends. Remember that nothing is private on the Internet: anything you post can be copied and reproduced. Many sites also archive or store your material.

Remember, you're in control.

You don't have to respond if someone makes you feel uncomfortable or frightened. Tell an adult right away and block that person from contacting you. Complain about rude or abusive behaviour to the website or service. Never arrange to meet someone offline without informing a parent or other adult first. Any meeting with an Internet friend should take place in a busy, public place — and with an adult present.

Getting the Goods on Stranger Danger

A great thing about the Internet is that you can talk to people without being judged by how you look, how you speak, or whether or not you're cool. Unfortunately, though, the same technology that lets you communicate without being judged by your appearance may also help online predators trick you. Those same chat rooms that attract kids and teens are also going to attract people who want to exploit them, because there's nothing that prevents those people from pretending to be a young person. Many online predators are smart and patient. They take their time getting to know potential targets and will often groom three or four kids at the same time. They earn trust through the use of attention, affection, kindness and even gifts. They are often willing to devote considerable amounts of time, money and energy to this process. They listen to, and empathize with, your problems and will often be aware of your interests, hobbies and taste in music. (In other words, if an online friend seems too good to be true, or an instant soul mate, your antennae should be up!)

Use the resources on the right-hand side to learn how to reduce the risks associated with instant messaging.