This is for all the younger kids out there 13 and under who have MySpace pages; guess what, you’re not supposed to have them! Yes, I know that is not fair but those are the rules, and if you lied about your age, that’s not good either!

If, however, you already have one, then here is some information you should know and follow. First of all, don’t EVER, Ever, ever put your real information out there, except for maybe your email address. Don’t put your address, phone number or your real name. You also might not want to put your pictures online, unless you don’t give your real information. Don’t put fake pictures of other people on there either because that’s not safe for the person who is in the picture. It is ok to put your age, but remember you might want to use a nickname instead of your real name. Don’t just put yourself out there for the whole world to see because you are not invincible. There are some really crazy people out there; something dangerous could happen.

Only let your friends have access to your site. Don’t talk to strangers and don’t accept messages from people whose names don’t look familiar. For example, don’t accept emails or messages from people you don’t know because if you open the email or message, it might release a virus into your phone or computer. Don’t meet a person that you met online in a chat room. Many girls have been solicited by guys who they met online. Also, try not to let anyone take over your page and steal your identity. Try to make it impossible for this to happen; for instance, use a password that would be difficult to guess. In order to protect yourself, if you suspect someone has taken over your friend’s page, ask that person something only your friend would know to verify it is them. It could be a secret word, phrase, or weird experience.

Another important thing to do would be to make sure your parents know about your pages. This will probably make your relationship with them stronger because they’ll feel they can trust you; especially if you let them know how to get to your page. It also helps you make sure you aren’t putting information on the Internet that shouldn’t be there.

There are many dangers on the Web that you need to know about. There are sex offenders, kidnappers, and even rapists. Since you are younger, you are an easier target; don’t let yourself be vulnerable. Make sure you take the right precautions to keep you and your friends safe.