Internet Safety

The internet has proven to provide an extraordinary form of communication and social networking. However, it is not without its dangers and pitfalls. There are several steps you can take to lower the possibility of being victimized online.

• Do not give personal information over the Internet. Police discourage giving information such as names, home addresses, school names, or telephone numbers. It is especially dangerous to put this information out on public bulletin boards and chat rooms.
• Beware of sending personal photographs online to individuals you don't know. You never know where they might end up.
• Never respond to suggestive, obscene, or inappropriate messages or emails. This is an invitation to trouble.
• Be cautious of individuals offering something for nothing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Avoid offers of personal meetings or other personal contact. Arranging face-to-face meetings with strangers is extremely dangerous. If such a meeting is arranged it should always be in a public place and never alone.
• Remember that people online are not always who they claim to be. There are those who prey on individuals by misrepresenting themselves. Remember you can never know for sure who you are communicating with.
• Develop friendships online carefully, and always exercise sound personal safety techniques in all your dealings and interactions.

Report any inappropriate communications to the police and/or webmaster.