The Dangers Of Internet Chatrooms

Ok so I'm doing this assignment for school, and I chose to do it on the dangers of internet chatrooms. Partly cause I'm in one. Well, I was just wondering if I could do a survey, as everyone here has had experience with chatrooms. If you do share with us any personal story, you don't have to mention names or anything like that, ok? Finally, please take this seriously.

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?

I don't know if this allowed or anything, but I'm sorry if it isn't.

 

Sorry for not answering all of them, but if you look up information on Dateline MSNBC: To Catch a Predator, I think this will help you with examples. This guy Chris Hansen gets Perverted Justice, a detective company for the internet, to act as 13-16 year old girls/boys on the internet and lure these older men who tend to solicit via the internet to a house to get arrested. Hope this helps with your project.

 

I don't mind helping you out. I actually run an RPG on IRC that is Kingdom Hearts related. I won't post more so as to not be spam. Also, I'm in quite a few other rpgs around IRC and have used various chats for quite a few years.

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?
I can consider chat rooms to be no more dangerous than sending children to school to be exposed to bad and good kids who do various things. If parents do their jobs of knowing there are scum that can get into chat rooms, just as a kid at school can coerce another to taking drugs, or doing something lame, then things work out fine. I do not consider chat rooms to be dangerous unless a kid is foolish to give out their information such as their whole names, street address, phone numbers and pictures. Chat rooms otherwise, even if people can sometimes be rotten, are pretty safe, and even if you meet some unsavory person, generally each chat room has some function of 'ignore'. Also kids can make their own chat rooms and invite friends, refusing to let others in. This is another way to allow them the capability to interact. Many people do not know the full functions and capabilities so adults should take the time to learn.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?
I have not -sent- explicit images but yes, I can say I have, and some others in the channels I do run or am a member of, posted links to pictures. Of course, everyone in my channels is 16+ years of age and it's never anything -that- bad. If we worry on it, we send the links to people in PM and also if it is too indecent we'd post a warning that it's not 'work or kid' approved, when the kids usually are at school. Nothing is ever that bad though such as something horrible like child porn.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?
Not really, unless you mean crass language like the F word now and then. However, the teens in my channels tend to cuss worse than the adults. We are protective of the kids and have actually had parents of them talk to us to make sure we are all decent people. I highly approve and am happy to see when parents actually take the time to give a rat's *** at what their child is doing. As for gross, disgusting language, I'd say no. If you mean sexual language, I run an rpg on IRC and am in others, but never in channels does the rating go above kissing or hugging sorts of things. Also, no children are ever let to do explicit things in PM, ever. I strongly forbid that as a rule. Depending on where you chat too, like on IRC, many networks will just ban someone who is being a sex offender if you have logs and proof.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?
I've been threatened in some rooms, sure, but I just left them or told the person to get lost. If the person doesn't have any information about you, he/she can't do much to you if you know how to ignore and block the user. Again, things can seem very dangerous or intimidating if someone is easily spooked and does not know how to use the chat network, so studying that is a good thing. Another point is to know the admins of where you are and how to get in touch with them, and KEEP LOGS of all that happens. Where I am, I am a sort of Admin so I ban people who are stalkerish sorts and won't leave people alone, and also spammers, flooders, trouble makers who post nasty pics across chat rooms etc. If you don't know how to get in touch with someone to complain about a bad person, it should be a primary concern to do so. Then there is no reason to feel unsafe.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?
I'd say that yes, I have been lied to or deceived. If you mean by people that pretend they are male or female and aren't...Yep, I've seen it. However, it's never been older men pretending to be something else. 1 time it was an older woman in her 50s pretending to be a teenage girl...and the other 4 times there were teenage males pretending to be teenage females because they wanted to run female characters in the RPG I run, but felt intimidated that other guys would laugh at them. They told me of the deception and I explained it to the channel and we all dealt with it and went on. Most people I find don't really want to deceive people about who they are, with what they 'can' tell and feel safe.

Hope that helps you out with your report. Good luck!

 

Well,if you want my opinion about this,I don't think that chatrooms are dangerous.Actually i think it depends on what webdite you are.Oh,and if you need info about that survey why don't you make a poll?I think it'd be quite helpful. :)

 

A poll is a great idea but I think he also wants some questions written out so that he can quote or work with the information in ways he might not have thought before. The poll would be a good thing for support in the essay as well.

 

Thanks for all the feedback so far guys. I'll add this all in my assignment. About the poll though, won't I have to make a different poll for each of the questions I gave out for this thread?

 

I'd be glad to help =)

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?
Hmm, I'd say it depends on the person. If the person chatting is smart enough not to give out their personal info, it's safer.
I also think that kids under ten should not be allowed in chatrooms. It's just... They're too young and immature to know when not to press the "Enter" key.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?
Yes, but not many times.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?
Edit: I thought it said "Been sent", oops.
I've sent cuss words, but that's it.
I've been sent explicit text over a hundred times. (Still, not that much. xD)

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?
Practically every chatroom I enter, unless it's related to a website I trust.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?
When I was younger. Now I know better.
(No one decieves me! NO ONE!!!)

Please note that I don't use chatrooms much anymore, but I've seen a lot of bad stuff happen in chatrooms. In computer class last year we watched a video about a kid who commited suicide because of "Cyber bullying"
His dad found AIM logs on his computer, and apparently the kid was talking with someone he trusted online about the least painfull way of suicide. It was a sad story, too bad it was true.

 

Thanks CarbuncleGem. It actually was meant to be "Been sent explicit text", but now so many people have already replied its seems pointless to change it. This mistake that I made still gives me information though, so I'm happy about that. :D

 

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?

Yes. For idiots

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?

I am the one sending them. lol goatse

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

I am the one sending them.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

Nein

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?

Nein

 

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?

Chatrooms are only as dangerous as you, the individual let them be. A chatroom is only an extension of a public forum through text. Whatever the chatroom's rules are, you expect that sort of content/safety. However a cursory knowledge of "what is the internet" should be understood to all who use it. Real name, address and other such personal information are "common sense" to be held at the utmost secrecy. It should also be understood that chatrooms are about as dangerous as PUBLIC. You won't be able to shield everything but images and text are generally, considerably less harmful then anything physical. -Graphic images are an exempt from this, but by ACCEPTING the transfer of any "sketchy" image, you put yourself at risk.-

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?

No I have not. I usually do not trust such images sent from strangers. I'm one more prone to "I should know you better before accepting such things" such as actual images or image links.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

I curse more then an angry drunk. Though nothing specific, usually to nonessnetial things that are not directed at anyone in particuliar. It is a bad habit, but a habit nonetheless I have.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

Never. I keep all of my personal information safe, so I'm about as threatened about chatrooms as I am about seeing...oh the alphabet on a wall. Because really, all it is in chatrooms is TEXT. And only I can determine how much the text means to ME.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?

Deceived? Probably....but all of the times were nothing malicious or anything otherwise. More like jokes or people trying to pass themselves off as the other gender, or even siblings usurping their other sibling's screen names.

 

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?

They have the potential to be, in my opinion. Even more so if parents are leting kids neter chatrooms because they think everyone's taking about something popular and it suddenly veers off course.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?

Never, thank goodness. I also haven't sent any myself to any other users. I know you didn't ask that, but meh.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

Yes, and I've had it come back, but the room was 18+, and we were joking around so no one took it seriously.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

If it's a new chatroom and I don't really know anyone, I do get a bit uneasy. Usually if I get too uncomortable I just leave and never go back to that room.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?

Nope. If something doesn't sound right, I go with that feeling. It takes a lot to trick me.

 

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?
I think if you are responsible in them I think they can be a good place to be. If you're 18+, don't give out anything that could harm you(address, gender, last name, social security number etc.) and overall just be careful with how and what you post. I think anyone below the age of 18 needs parental awareness of what they're doing on-line.

Yahoo recently got involved in a lawsuit where a child was lured by a child predator to meet with him. I think if the parents were aware of what their child was doing, I think this whole problem could be avoided.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?
Once, and I reported it straight away and blocked the person sending them to me.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?
Yes, but it was a one on one setting in IM and I knew the other person was mature and could handle the text I was sending.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?
Yes. Yahoo is known to have "booters". Basically they're just users who go and download programs that do any number of things. From kicking you out of rooms to locking your accounts, to installing "packets" or trojans on your hard drive. Some even eventually wreck the hard drive.

In fact, I had three accounts locked because I wouldn't give someone the link to a torrent for Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Which I just think is childish.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?
Aside from gender identities which I don't even really care about anymore.

 

Its good to warn anyone about Predators on the internet, but sometimes people go overboard by starting to suspect everyone they talk to is a rapist or sometihng. Its good to stay vigilant.

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?
Anything can be dangerous, Chat rooms are no different. Espicially now that the people who wish to do others harm are getting smarter about how to do things, they are usually charasmatic, supportive of whatever you like and even act like teenagers just to blend in and not be spotted, they are smart B@stards, emotional and cunning, a dangerous mix, people who do things on the net are usually driven by emotion, to past the point when they can't control themselves but still can plan and think, blend in anything. Its a dangerous palce, and my best advise is never give your face away like in pictures, (which is why I go against the Post your Picture thread) and unless you know someone in real life never met them, unless you both have submitted as much as possiblr to each other, like pics, but only if you BOTH do it, if only one person does it then you shouldn't trust them until they do.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?
I go to an all boys school with hormonal children aging variously, and I have most of them as friends (unfortunatly), when I talk to them I get them in the loads sometimes, but I make them call down, and I won't report them, they are my friends after all, that would be a betrayal to them.

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

Yes, but not anything violent at least more of being annoyed at something, just telling someone my feelings at that moment and have reassured people I mean no harm.

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

Myself, no, because I know and have seen to many things in my life to not be afraid of someone who taunts me, but I have seen other people being threatened and even bullied, I put the bullly back in his place and told the other person, my friend to block him straight away.

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?
Not as such, more like being told that the person i was speaking to was being cautious about me, so the decived me by telling me false info but confessed when they knew they couldtrust me.

 

1. Overall, do you consider chatrooms to be dangerous?

Sort of, because it just matters if you're responsible and smart enough to not tell ALL about yourself.

2. Have you ever been sent explicit images through chatrooms?

Sorta

3. Have you ever sent explicit text through chatrooms?

yes

4. Have you ever felt threatened or unsafe in chatrooms?

Nope

5. Have you ever been deceived in any way on chatrooms?

no

I don't know if this allowed or anything, but I'm sorry if it isn't.

 

If your smart, then you can chat safely.
If your dumb, your at risk.

I avoid chatrooms at all costs. I know very well that 1/6 people in chat rooms are pedophiles 0_o

 

I don't know where you chat but seriously...that is just not true. 1/6th? I have met maybe 2 pedophile sorts of people in all of 8 years chatting in various places. People make the problem a lot bigger than it is. It's not "that" bad. =:/

 

Sorry, im a bit paranoid. Pedophiles scare the **** outta me

 

Understood, but really you have more of a chance of meeting a pedophile in real life that can actually do something to you than on the internet. Chat rooms don't harbor them like that. If you do ever go to chat rooms, only go to ones with friends really or make your own so you have control of the room. Pedophiles ruin anyone's day but they can't harm you really. Just never give out personal information like your last name and where you live. Also, don't give out pics of yourself unless you feel safe with who you show them to.

 

Ok guys, I finished my assignment, thanks for all the info, I've added it all. Should I get a mod to close this?

 

You should tell us how it went! Then close it. Or...just close it and we'll wonder what your grade was.