The Internet is a great way to do homework and play and to talk with new people! However there are risks involved! Always make sure that you stay safe and behave sensibly on the Internet. Although it's all on a computer screen, it's still very public!

CyberEthics cares about Internet Safety, how we use our mobile phones and any new technology. Our goal is to promote awareness concerning abuse, racism, gender discrimination, giving out personal information, as well as inappropriate use of people’s images either on mobile phones or Internet.

Chatrooms allow you to communicate with other people in real time (or live). If you enter one, you can type a message into the computer, send it, and it will be instantly displayed on the screens of the other users in the chat room.

But Chatrooms can be misused. The problem is that because you cannot see the person you are communicating with and because it is easy to pretend to be someone else online, you cannot be certain the person is who they say they are. It is important that you do not meet strangers you have met on the net without being accompanied by an adult. It’s always safer to meet in a public place and its always better if you always have you parents' approval first.

It’s also better to sign up in chatrooms using a nickname, that way your identity is protected.
Examples of applications that use chatrooms are Skype, MSN Instant Messenger, and AIM. Some websites such as Gmail and Facebook also contain instant messaging and chatroom options.
 

Social Networking Websites allow you to get in touch with other people and create groups and communities in cyberspace. Through these websites you can communicate with other people who are interested in the same things as you.

The most popular today are FaceBook, Hi5, MySpace and Bebo. These websites allow you to create an on-line profile where you can share information with the rest of the website's users. Others Social Networking Sites such as Second Life offer you the ability to interact in an unlimited number of ways in a three-dimensional virtual world through avatars.

The information that people share on their profiles is usually about their education, where they studied, if they are in a relationship, what their general interests are, and what sort of people they would like to meet. Most websites also allow the users to share photographs, videos and music-playlists through their profiles, as well as blogs, which are electronic journals.

When using such websites, be careful of what information you put online. Everyone can see it, even people you don't know. The information you put online also becomes property of the website, so be careful that you don't put too much information! You never know who may be viewing your profile. When using such sites, you should be just as cautious as when communicating with strangers in the 'real world'.