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Parent's Questions About Chat Rooms

What Are Chat Rooms And Why Are They Dangerous?

Chat rooms are online conversations that appear in real time to the participants. For children, they are a way to belong and chat with a large group of "friends". Chat rooms give pedophiles and predators the ability to "fish" for children who are vulnerable and fit the predators fantasy. An Internet safety study by the Center For Missing And Exploited Children found that 1 in 5 children have been solicited on the Internet in the last year.

What Language Do Children Speak In Chat Rooms And What Is Its Purpose?

Most chat rooms terms are shortened or abbreviated versions of the original words that allow chatting to occur more quickly. This is sometimes referred to as leetspeak, aolese or online slang. If a parent doesn't know these words, they cannot understand what their child is writing, even if there is a POS (Parent Over Shoulder).

Chat Room Slang: A Primer For Parents

A/S/L? or asl?- Age/Sex/Location?

Example: 2Old4U: A/S/L? Just2Young: 14/F/Orlando

A/S/L/P? or aslp? - Age/Sex/Location/Picture?

Example: 2Old4U: A/S/L/P? Just2Young: 14/F/Orlando/Yes

POS - Parent Over Shoulder(Talk clean until they leave)

P911 - Parent Alert (Talk clean until they leave)

Example: 2Old4U: Want to see a nude picture? Just2Young: P911!

WYCM - Will You Call Me?

WTF - What The F***!

WTGP? - Want To Go To A Private?(A Private Conversation)

How Can I Block Chat Rooms On My Computer?

When your child leaves the house you should know where they are going and who they are going with. The same rule applies when it comes to safety in chat rooms. Parental controls can monitor all chat room conversations, including who a child was talking to and what they said. We recommend that you take advantage of the free trial offered by most parental control products. Please bookmark our site, research several products and allow us to answer any questions that arise. Look for the following features in a complete parental control product: