Douglass Website
Parent Tutorials
Parents are not required to give permission or receive notification.
Chat/Instant Messaging
Chats are real-time conversations occurring over the internet. It's similar to a party-line where anyone can join in. Facts about chats:
- Anyone can "chat" and even host their own chat without any downloads to their computer.
- There is no effective way to block all chatting on a computer other than removing internet access.
- Chat tools (YahooMessenger) allow users to see who is online at any given moment.
- There is a whole language of chat code to prevent detection. Parents Are Watching", PAW is often used by children and teens to let their friends know parents are watching their chat. Learn more at: http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/chat.htm
- Viewers can sift through profiles about chatters and obtain quite a bit of personal information.
- Chatters use online nicknames that give the illusion of being anonymous. People tend to get very personal quickly in these environments.
- Viruses and inappropriate materials can be easily disguised and sent out quickly to all chatters. Last year a worm swept the internet in this manner.
- Now chatters can easily telephone each other using the computer as a phone. Even overseas calls are free and will not show up on any bill.
- Chatters can send/receive webcam video.
- Chatters can send/receive text messages to cell phone users. The SBCYahoo Messenger tool and website http://messenger.yahoo.com/?i=1 is full of cool animations marketed at children.
- By hitting 2 buttons on this chat tool I was into hundreds of x-rated chats, each full of many people waiting to talk.
- Children can create their own chatrooms that will be accessible through that same Yahoo directory - one click away for all visitors.
A blog is an online bulletin board about a particular topic. A visitor can read the posts or sign-in with a nickname and start leaving posts of their own. Usually blogs have a "diary" kind of feeling that encourages people to divulge very personal information.
Anyone can create their own blog in just a few minutes:
http://woodlandtrekkies.blogspot.com/
http://woodlandjrhigh.blogspot.com/
VOIP (using the computer as a telephone): There is free software from many sources that allows your computer to work just like a telephone. Calls can be made to anywhere in the world and they are free and leave no record on any bill. This software can also be put onto a hand-held computer.
Speakers and a mic are needed to make the calls; most monitors have speakers and a plug-in mic can be purchased for a few dollars.
The newest YahooMessenger chat tool already contains the voice software.
BACK TO MAIN >>