The Internet is a great way to find information for your schoolwork and research, to talk with new people and new ideas, and also to play and be entertained. 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 approaches all issues concerning Internet Safety, the ethical use of mobile phones and any new technology. Its target 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 users to communicate with each other in real time (or live), as opposed to the delayed time you get with e-mail. A user enters a chat room, types a message into the computer, sends it, and it is 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 relatively easy to fake an identity 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, friends or others you trust. It’s always safer to meet in a public place and its 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 enable the creation of groups and communities in cyberspace. Through these websites, people who feel that they share the same interests, activities, or simply wish to communicate with other individuals, can use their services in order to come into contact.

The most popular today are FaceBook, Hi5, MySpace and Bebo. These websites have become specialized in offering people the opportunity to create an on-line profile which houses the information they wish to share with the rest of the website's users. Others, such as Second Life, offer users the ability to interact in an unlimited number of ways in a three-dimensional virtual world through their avatars.

The information that people usually 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 aware that the terms of use may be quite complicated and in some cases may change without the service provider having to notify the users that changes have taken place. This raises the issue of privacy and the safety of your personal information.

Keep in mind that Social Networking Websites are very much public and when communicating with other individuals, you should be just as cautious as when communicating with strangers in the 'real world'. Also, the amount of personal information being shared should be kept to a minimum. You never know who may be viewing your profile.