Meeting Offline -Internet Safety

 Key Terms

online predator: Noun - a commonly used term for someone who uses the Internet to develop inappropriate relationships with kids or teens

 We hear through the media about danger from online predators – adults who target teens for relationships. Even though predators do great harm, they actually represent a small percentage of online threats for high school students. Teens are more likely to receive requests to communicate inappropriately or flirt from other teens or from young adults (ages 18-25). Risky online relationships can develop over time and they don’t always involve older strangers. Sometimes teens feel they "know" people they meet online because they communicate regularly and they are close in age. The key keeping online relationships healthy is to be vigilant for possessiveness, abusive or inappropriate remarks, jealousy,manipulation, and other unhealthy behaviors.

Teens who do develop unhealthy online relationships with older adults are typically unhappy at home or at school. This can make them vulnerable to flattery and manipulation, even if they know the person is much older. These situations end badly, especially if teens agree to meet offline. It's important to find a trusted adult to talk to in these situations. 

 Watch: "Meeting Offline" as teens discuss how they would react if asked to meet someone offline.

• identify the reasons teens give for or against
• reflect on their reasoning - which arguments are persuasive?
• understand the importance of having a trusted adult involved in these decisions