It is a phenomenon that has taken TEENs by storm. It offers you an opportunity to interact with an extraordinarily expansive universe of new people and even to stay connected or reconnect with old friends. However, this social networking craze has brought on a global problem, and it was only a matter of time before Jamaica felt its effects.

TEENage learnt about a most disturbing incident which occurred after the curtains came down at the 99th GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championship last weekend. After leaving the venue, a 17-year-old female patron was allegedly raped by two men she had met through the popular social networking site Facebook. She had never previously met these young men. But she accepted a 'friend request' on Facebook that subsequently allowed one of the men to access her home address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address, along with a host of other personal information, all available on her profile.

After various interactions on the Net they planned to meet face-to-face after Champs, and it was at this rendezvous that the alleged rape took place. The girl reported that after the Championship the young men called her, inviting her to dinner. After accepting their invitation, she proceeded to the vehicle they had told her to meet them at. When she entered the vehicle the young men took her to a small house where they requested that she perform oral sex on them. She allegedly refused and both young men proceeded to rape her.

TEENage could not help but be outraged by what has transpired. Even though we sincerely sympathise with the victim, TEENs must be aware of the fact that what they place on the Internet is accessible to the wider cyberworld. As a result, we must refrain from placing personal information such as one's telephone number and home address on these sites.
Also, we need to remember that the persons we meet on these social networking sites are not necessarily who they appear to be. We live in a world where paedophiles, murderers, perverts, and criminals on a whole are virtually everywhere. As a result, we need to be more cautious of who we interact with on the Internet.
In this day and age we cannot afford to be gullible. We hear on the news every day stories of TEENs being kidnapped, raped, and murdered by persons they meet online, but we never stop to think that it can happen to us. The reality is that these things are no longer foreign. It is imperative that we use these sites wisely.

TEENage strongly advises that TEENs refrain from giving strangers they meet on these sites their personal information. Don't rush into planning meetings with these persons, particularly if these persons are overly insistent on you meeting them and if they require you meet them alone. Also, if you receive a friend request from someone you don't know, do not be too quick to accept, (you should find out how they know you, first by browsing through their friends' list or looking at your mutual friends), and you should also want to read their profile thoroughly. We often take these things for granted but they are there for our safety.

On another note, TEENs must be mindful of how they present themselves on these sites. Think about not only your marketability today as a cool guy or girl in your high school/college social circle, but who you might want to be in five or 10 years when posting an 'identity' on the Internet. Remember, just because it is a new technology does not absolve you of the responsibility to use it in legal and appropriate ways; including taking into account your obligations regarding proper conduct as a student of the school.

TEENage must concur that there are several benefits with social networking, but there are also the many ills that come with it. As a result, TEENs must be cautious of how they use these sites, who they interact with, how they present themselves, and what information they place on their profile.
Over the next three weeks, TEENage will give you tips on how to better utilise your Net presence. Be sure to look out for the articles. And, as always, think and be safe.