The net has become a place where we talk to many people. Some ways of doing this may be:

• Chat rooms
• Email
• Instant messaging
• Websites

Meeting people with similar interests can be fun and exciting and it is not unusual to want to share information about yourself. When doing this it is important to keep in mind how much you know about the person you are sharing with. Sometimes we do not know a lot about them and it makes it harder to stay safe. There are a number of things, which can help you stay safe when you are meeting someone.

Using the Internet to communicate

The Internet is a great way of staying in touch and meeting people. Chat rooms, ICQ and email make it easy to speak to people from all over the world. However, the net can also be used for inappropriate communication and it is important to be aware of how to use it safely. Some of the ways in which the net may be wrongly used include:

* Harassing you with information when you have asked not to be contacted.
* People using the net to gain your trust so they can then have sexual contact with you.
* Using the net to work out your movements so that someone can rob your house.

There are a number of things you can do to help to reduce the likelihood of these things happening:

Avoid giving out personal details - Remember, using the Net to meet people means you don't really know who is on the other end of the line. It is possible to get to know someone's interests and to be friends with them without having to give out your personal details such as your address, surname or phone number.

If someone is pressuring you to give you these details it may be a good idea to question why they need them.

Avoid giving out your surname - this allows people to find out more about you, you may like to 'sign-in' with just your first name when chatting or using a pseudonym (e.g. Dolphin99) is also a good idea. When you are setting up an email account perhaps you should also use a pseudonym.

Meet new people in a group - If you decide to meet someone you have met over the net, meet in a place where there are lots of people around. This may be at the movies or in a shopping centre. You may also want to take a friend or two with you. Having a group of friends nearby is also a good idea. Meeting in places where no one is around like a park can be dangerous as if the person is not as friendly as first thought it is harder to get help or leave the situation.

Avoid chatting with people who make sexual references - If someone is using sexual language or references it best to stop contact with them. Research into pedophiles has shown that stalkers use the net as a place to attract young people and they often start by talking sexually before asking to meet the young person in face-to-face. If the person keeps contacting you, contact the police.