With the extensive expansion of internet and deeper penetration among youths cyber safety is major issue that often intrigues parents. Moreover, easy sign-up processes in the Indian chat rooms and the increased volumes of people logging into such chat rooms further adds to the natural anxiety of parents to keep the kids safe in chat rooms.
To keep kids safe in chat rooms, it is important for parents to teach them chat etiquette. Chat etiquette encompass the general behavior the people should use while chatting. Concealing of privacy is very important while chatting in public places like Indian chat rooms. Private information like name, instant messengers, personal emails, address, work address etc, should never be shared on such platform. Even in the privacy of private message the kids should be made aware that the information that they share may be misused by the person they are sharing with.
Sharing of pictures and photos in the chat room is equally harmful and can lead to unpleasant consequences in the long run. So the kids should avoid sharing their snaps to any person sitting across the screen.
Anonymity is the safest mode to conduct oneself on chats. Even the webcams can be viewed and recorded easily, so the kids should not turn on webcams on site that offer webcam services along with chat.
While in chatting, kids should avoid using language that might sound racist or sexist to other people in the room and unnecessarily create controversies or hurt sentiments of people. Similarly usage of vulgar and profane terms might spoil the fun for other people chatting in the room.
Clicking on any link posted by chatters repeatedly should be avoided. Such links might be viruses which are frequently posted in chat rooms by hackers and can expose kids to risk of hacking.
Chat rooms no doubt are fun place and can act as perfect stress busters but the excessive use of chat rooms not only acts as addiction but also exposes to can lead to more disclosure of information in the process of deeper conversation with people.
Sometimes kids tend to like people online. The point to remember here is, most of time you might be lied to, so before getting serious about someone you have met online, you should spend more time with the person, gather information from him/her, fix up personal meetings in consultation with parents and then go ahead with the idea of online love. Before trusting anyone you have met online make sure to cross check the information and keep parents in loop.
Bottom-line while chatting is nothing is safe on the internet net. This line should be deeply engraved in the minds of kids, so that they do not fall prey to hackers, abusers and people who might harm them in any way. Happy chatting.
Aina Singh is a freelance writer, blogger, designer and net enthusiast. She has several high quality SEO articles to her credit.