When the Alarm Clock Rings

Internet Safety

Do you really know who you are talking to? Here is a story we read in a magazine...

My friends weren't ALWAYS on their computer, so sometimes I chatted with people I met on the computer. I did not know who they were exactly, but I trusted them and told secrets. Some of which obviously gave away things.

(This is part of a conversation with her 'Online Friends') ~She is Caligrl768~ (Where there is this ^ sign it means that a name has been removed for privacy)

caligrl768- Sometimes my friends ^ and ^ get in my way. It's sooo nice 2 hav a frend like u.

sillyyou82- i kno wat u mean. people who understand r normally the people who u dnt kno enough to get mad at..LOL

caligrl768- ya, btw wher do u liv?

sillyyou82- California. u?

caligrl768- California 2, duh!!! luk at mah usrname!

After that, it all went downhilll. Sillyyou asked me what county, and she said the same. I believed her, since she was the one who said the state first. That was one of her tricks. My username gave away my state, and the rest did itself.

One day, sillyyou asked me if we could meet up sometime. We had been 'friends' for about 5 months, a half a year, and I had been longing to know who she was. The pictures she sent me looked like she would be a nice girl. A little spunk here and there, too. And that's what I had wanted. We agreed to meet up at a McDonalds, just in between our towns. I rode my bike, since it was only a little over a mile. When I got there, sillyyou wasn't there. There was just a man staring at me.

Suddenly, I was forced into a car by the man, and I was tied up. I tried to rip the ropes off, but they cut my arms. He brought me to his house, where purposely he hurt me.  I was extremely scared, and I was crying. He did horrible things to me, and took pictures of me without asking permission. When he left the room to get something, I was too scared to find out what it was. I found a way to text my mother, and she called the police.

Ever since that day I have been more secretive to people and shyer. I am glad that I have my friends and family, who care for me. I do not go on chat sites, since I'm too afraid Sillyyou will be there. Me and my family have moved, and It is a great neighborhood with a well built school district. They have great programs that teach you many things about life. I have learned from my mistakes and I hope many other people have too. I haven't been too open about that day, but after being interviewed several times, I opened up and cried. I cried of joy and sorrow, of my life and many others to come. I cried about how stupid I was. The name sillyyou haunted me in my nightmares. I was silly when I believed 'her'. Hopefully noone else will.

I don't remember much about that day, as it was now four years ago. I remember it was probably the worst day in my life, and it won't happen again. Hopefully it won't. I'll make sure of that. 

   What a teenagers blog might look like...

  Posted By: Blogalotz

2 Weeks Ago

 Hey all you bloggers! OMG!!! My mom is totally turning off my computer privliges tonight! She SAID so!!!! Can I live? Uh.... NO! All my friends are on AIM, and they'll llike totally never IM me again. You are talking to burnt toast here, you guys! All I did was IM this girl from South Dakota. She says she met Lil Wayne. Eep!

Gots 2 Go! Comment!

Blogalotz

Comments:

From: taylorswiftfann

 1 Day Ago

What? You IMed someone u didnt kno??

From: omgyahrite32

 2 Weeks Ago

And did u perhaps tell her wher u live? Wow... not very smart Blogalotz

From: SDlilwayne

 2 Weeks Ago

Ohhh..... Sorry I got your privliges taken off..... can we maybe meet one day?

Reply:

From: Blogalotz

1 Day Ago

No. Apology not excepted. And we will never meet. I will never even IM you again. I bet you're just a stalker.

Are the people you are talking to telling you truth?

Have they asked you where you live? (Other than country)

Have they suggested you meet one day?

Do they not sound like who they say they are?

Do they ask for photos but give you none (or give you photos)?

Have they asked for information that made you uncomfortable to answer?

Have they said uncomfortable/inappropriate suggestions/things?

Have you answered YES to more than two of these?

If you have, there is a big chance they are stalkers. Tell an adult you've been talking to someone online that you think might be a stalker. Do not talk to them again, no matter what. If it is possible, block their username. If you have answered YES to 5 or 6 of these, they are a stalker. Tell and adult RIGHT NOW!

My daughter is 15 and is on AIM all the time. I also have another daughter, whos only 11, and has a freewebs site. One day, she found a post on her guestbook. It was from Gavi. She went on this site, and found the 'do Not Press' Game. She loved it, and showed it to me. It is HILARIOUS! Then, I clicked on the Internet Safety Page, and showed it to her. She enjoyed reading it, and said it sounds like her sister who got her computer privliges off (she recently did). So we showed her this and she said it did sound like her. We all laughed. I give this page  5 stars. * * * * *.

My daughter Katie loves your site. She posted to it a few weeks ago, but I wanted to say I like it too. It is very nice and appropriate. I think that the whole website adds up to internet safety, since it gets kids minds away from IM or MySpace. Katie will probably kill me because of this post, but can you please publish it? I would like every parent to know how 'awesome' and 'cool' it is.