For teens, Teenwag is a popular online hangout because the site
makes it easy for them to express themselves and keep in touch with
their friends.
As a parent, please consider the following guidelines to help your
children make safe decisions about using online communities.
* Talk to your kids about why they use Teenwag, how they
communicate with others and how they represent themselves on Teenwag.
* Kids shouldn't lie about how old they are. Teenwag members can
be any age. We take extra precautions to protect our younger members
and we are not able to do so if they do not identify themselves as
such.
* Teenwag is a public space. Tell your children they should avoid
posting anything that would make it easy for a stranger to find them,
such as their local hangouts.
* Remind them not to post anything that could embarrass them
later or expose them to danger. Although Teenwag is public, teens
sometimes think that adults can't see what they post. Tell them that
they shouldn't post photos or info they wouldn't want adults to see.
* People aren't always who they say they are. Ask your children
to be careful about adding strangers to their friends list. It's fun to
connect with new Teenwag friends from all over the world, but members
should be cautious when communicating with people they don't know. They
should talk to you if they want to meet an online friend in person, and
if you think it's safe, any meeting should take place in public and
with friends or a trusted adult present.
* Harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content should be
reported. If your kids encounter inappropriate behavior, let them know
that they can let you know, or they should report it to Teenwag or the
authorities.
* Don’t get hooked by a phishing scam. Phishing is a method
used
by fraudsters to try to get your personal information, such as your
username and password, by pretending to be a site you trust. http://www.onguardonline.gov/phishing.html
to learn more.
For more information on Monitoring software, please visit:
* OnGuard Online: FTC safety tips for parents
* Netsmartz.org
* WiredSafety.org
* The Child Safety Network
* GetNetWise.org
* SafeTeens.com
* BlogSafety.Com
* Common Sense Media
* SafeFamilies.org
* National Crime Prevention Council
