I remember when I first started using a computer at home. I was so excited to get to use the machine to do other things than play "The Oregon Trail" like we did at school. Being the 90's, we set up our AOL accounts (mine was some annoyingly long name with "cutie88" at the end of it... tacky, I know). Mostly all I did on the internet was check my email (mostly from my mom) and look up pictures of my favorite *NSYNC member. One late night, I discovered instant messaging. My whole world changed.
I thought it was the best thing in the world to talk to my best friend through the computer! It wasn't long until we were pros and were using all the cool lingo, like "brb, g2g c u 2morrow! lylas! ttyl!". My parents never really monitored my computer usage, of course we had parental blocks and all of that, but otherwise they weren't really worried about what might happen.
I remember one night my best friend said that we should join a chatroom and be annoying prepubescent girls and mess with whoever we could. Well in the midst of our online escapade, I got an IM from a name I didn't recognize. I didn't think it was dangerous, so we talked for a bit. Nothing serious. The conversation with my new online friend was going swimmingly, until he asked me a question. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I definitely remember his response: "I'll kill you anyway."
I immediately shut the computer off and ran to my sister's room in total hysterics. I told her what happened and she reassured me that I was gonna be okay and calmed me down. I obviously haven't forgotten about it. Thankfully, I have been surrounded by people who protect me and taught me how to protect myself while using the internet. Unfortunately, hundreds of people have experienced far worse than what I have.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
WOW! SCARY! Maybe the best thing to come from that is your ability to be aware of the possible internet dangers for your own daughter. Have you ever seen the series of specials from Dateline NBC called "How to Catch a Predator"? If you haven't, you should. Talk about eye opening... Everything from military officers to doctors show up at these sting operations planning to have sex with girls(and boys!) as young as 12! Check out their website... It not only publishes the faces and stories of these predators, but also provides lots of good info, tips, and additional web links aimed at helping you protect your children from being targeted.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10912603/
I had a similar experience. Our family did not own a computer until I was in high school. It was all the rage when we could instant message (IM) to our friends or go into chat rooms meeting new people. Being naive about the internet, I felt that all people in chat rooms were just like me: a teenager. As I recall, there were several different occasions when someone would send a private IM to me that were explicit or ask sexual, provocative in nature. I was scared and quickly ended those conversations. Thinking about it today, it is scary to hear stories of young girls and boys who are raped, killed, kidnapped, etc by someone they met through a chat room or IM. Internet, IMs, social websites like Facebook and Myspace is great but we have to be careful of who we can trust in cyberspace.
ReplyDeleteYour experience is so horrible and I can completely understand you never forgetting it. For someone to get on your computer and send something threatening your life is devastating. I think so many women and young girls have been victims to this kind of thing, as in my blog I have too. I can also remember being in sixth grade when "prank calling" was the big thing and I got a obscene call, which I will never forget. I am sure it is the same feeling you have with this experience. I am sorry that there are such sick people, and I am also shocked by the multitudes of them. Hopefully you will not have to deal with something like that ever again.
ReplyDeleteHow creepy! Although you had to experience feeling violated, it was an good example of how people can use our modern technology for the wrong reasons. Obviously, the experience left you with a valuable lesson to learn from and to pass along to others. I have never participated in chatrooms and I don't know if I will ever feel comfortable with the idea....call me 'old school'!
ReplyDelete