“The issue of harassment on the Internet is probably the number one problem among teens online and it’s something that my Office deals with every day. You can get in real trouble online in a lot of different ways, so it’s important to think before you act,” Officer Summerer told the students. “A simple rule of thumb is that if you can’t say it or do it in front of your grandmother or grandfather then you shouldn’t be writing it or doing it on the Internet.”

Officer Summerer discussed the potential dangers associated with social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace and reminded students that they can jeopardize their privacy when they post too much information on the Internet. He added that chat rooms are probably the most dangerous area online, calling them “a masquerade ball with hundreds of complete strangers.”

He also discussed ways to protect yourself and what to do if you become a victim of harassment online. “If something happens online that you are not comfortable with, let someone know immediately,” he said.

Head of the Middle School Darren Burns reminded students that “The purpose of the presentation isn’t to scare you from using technology, but to give you an appropriate framework for using it.”