Avoiding Predators - Online Safety Tips
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 3:46 pm
We do encourage networking, and this site is a great way to meet people with whom you can share your spiritual beliefs. There are a lot of great members here, and I myself have met people with whom I have established friendships. But common sense still has to be exercised here, as with anywhere else.
All the warnings you see in those public service announcements about predators lurking on message boards and chat rooms are TRUE. The reason why they're written is because bad things REALLY DO happen to unsuspecting, innocent people, especially teenagers. The victim's thinking is always "bad things like that only happen to others, never to me" or "this person is nice to me, so this must be safe," etc., and the criminal is banking on this kind of thinking.
Moderators cannot know 100% whether people on this message board are telling the truth about who they are, where they live, their age, etc. We just can't know. If we do find out they're misleading you, we will remove them as a member here.
Online Safety and Security
EUTM's accounts of every member is password-protected. The site takes every precaution to protect the information of the members, as well as information collected from other users of the website, so we asks all members to take reasonable steps to protect themselves. If you have any questions about the security at our website, please contact the Board Administrators.
Password
Never give your passwords out to anyone. It is your responsibility to safeguard your password for your own protection. The best passwords are 8 characters long or more. You may mix in uppercase letters and numbers when you're creating your password. We also recommend you to change it frequently, so that no one can break into your accounts.
Personal Information
As was stated, EUTM may also serve as an online social networking community that connects people through networks of people for communicating, sharing and making new friends. As with all things good, there is also a dark side to any websites you visit, (not just here at EUTM). Rogue applications, predators, identity thieves and other assorted badasses love to play and surf the internet almost as much as you do.
So we encourage everyone to practice not to share or reveal his/her PERSONAL information such as home address, telephone number, mobile phone number, school name, office address, I.D. nos., bank information and financial status on the message board, private messaging or chatroom.
If someone asks you for your personal information and the request is worded in an enforcing manner or in a manner which makes you feel uncomfortable, please contact one of the Staffs with the person's username and, if possible, a copy of the message what was asked of you.
Email Address
It is up to you to decide whether you're going to post your e-mail addresses here at our site under you contact field or not. But we really ask each of our member not to post your email addresses in any of the threads or show them in your signatures. Keep these details to PM only.
If you do post this info it's possible that predators or spammers could use your e-mails to SPAM, torment or harass you. The less exposure the better.
Log Out if you are using a Public Computer
At the end of your session when you use a computer in public like in an internet cafe, campus computer lab and even at your friend's house, remember to always Log Out so that no one can use your account.
Meeting other Members from EUTM
We ask each and every member to remain safe and secure at all times if you wish to meet up with someone from our site. While you probably feel like you know a member from this community very well, the internet tricks people that way.
If you are under 18 you must have your parent/guardians permission to do so and they should also accompany you. You should also be sure to arrange the meeting in a public place like mall, park etc. and make sure someone knows where and when you're going, who you are meeting, and at what exact time you'll be back.
All the warnings you see in those public service announcements about predators lurking on message boards and chat rooms are TRUE. The reason why they're written is because bad things REALLY DO happen to unsuspecting, innocent people, especially teenagers. The victim's thinking is always "bad things like that only happen to others, never to me" or "this person is nice to me, so this must be safe," etc., and the criminal is banking on this kind of thinking.
Moderators cannot know 100% whether people on this message board are telling the truth about who they are, where they live, their age, etc. We just can't know. If we do find out they're misleading you, we will remove them as a member here.
Online Safety and Security
EUTM's accounts of every member is password-protected. The site takes every precaution to protect the information of the members, as well as information collected from other users of the website, so we asks all members to take reasonable steps to protect themselves. If you have any questions about the security at our website, please contact the Board Administrators.
Password
Never give your passwords out to anyone. It is your responsibility to safeguard your password for your own protection. The best passwords are 8 characters long or more. You may mix in uppercase letters and numbers when you're creating your password. We also recommend you to change it frequently, so that no one can break into your accounts.
Personal Information
As was stated, EUTM may also serve as an online social networking community that connects people through networks of people for communicating, sharing and making new friends. As with all things good, there is also a dark side to any websites you visit, (not just here at EUTM). Rogue applications, predators, identity thieves and other assorted badasses love to play and surf the internet almost as much as you do.
So we encourage everyone to practice not to share or reveal his/her PERSONAL information such as home address, telephone number, mobile phone number, school name, office address, I.D. nos., bank information and financial status on the message board, private messaging or chatroom.
If someone asks you for your personal information and the request is worded in an enforcing manner or in a manner which makes you feel uncomfortable, please contact one of the Staffs with the person's username and, if possible, a copy of the message what was asked of you.
Email Address
It is up to you to decide whether you're going to post your e-mail addresses here at our site under you contact field or not. But we really ask each of our member not to post your email addresses in any of the threads or show them in your signatures. Keep these details to PM only.
If you do post this info it's possible that predators or spammers could use your e-mails to SPAM, torment or harass you. The less exposure the better.
Log Out if you are using a Public Computer
At the end of your session when you use a computer in public like in an internet cafe, campus computer lab and even at your friend's house, remember to always Log Out so that no one can use your account.
Meeting other Members from EUTM
We ask each and every member to remain safe and secure at all times if you wish to meet up with someone from our site. While you probably feel like you know a member from this community very well, the internet tricks people that way.
If you are under 18 you must have your parent/guardians permission to do so and they should also accompany you. You should also be sure to arrange the meeting in a public place like mall, park etc. and make sure someone knows where and when you're going, who you are meeting, and at what exact time you'll be back.