Teens Actually Do Protect Their Online Profiles

Thib writes "A study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals that the majority of teens pay attention to what they are revealing about themselves in their online social profiles. For instance, while many routinely use their first name or include a picture, 'fewer than a third of teens with profiles use their last names, and a similar number include their e-mail addresses. Only 2 percent list their cell phone numbers.' The study comes to light just as state legislatures once again begin to mutter about the dangers of online predators. From the article: 'According to Pew, 45 percent of online teens do not have profiles at all, a figure that contradicts widespread perceptions that the nation's youths are continually on MySpace.'"

"Only" 2 percent

[Frequency Domain]

That's still a huge number of people who have exposed themselves to risk.

There is a big difference...

[LBArrettAnderson]

between "listing" information and "giving" information. The online predator thing is obviously a problem, no matter what you say. Too many teens are willing to "give" their personal information via personal chats and e-mails. But yes, the truth of the article is that not very many teens will simply list their personal information on profiles.

They should address the root causes.

[essence]

Why is it that politicians are always addressing the symptoms of societies problems?

How long till they want to simply ban the internet?

What is it that causes people to prey on children in the first place? I think there should be more investigation into that.

Elders

[Hao Wu]

I am far more worried about senior citizens being preyed on than any child online.

Re:Erm

[Jarjarthejedi]

Last name isn't exactly a hard to acquire piece of information. For example a large number of schools publish the first and last names of their honor students, some with pictures (and I don't mean yearbooks, I mean newspapers).

I don't mention my last name when discussing something online, and my first only comes out after I've known someone for at least a year, but I don't doubt these pieces of information would be hard to acquire for someone who really wanted them...

Re:"Only" 2 percent

[Lehk228]

and what risk is that? getting crank calls?

Re:Elders

[Architect_sasyr]

I agree. Protect against Spam and Scam's first. Children at least have parents who should have taught them properly, the elderly don't have this...

Re:They should address the root causes.

[zappepcs]

For a government that promotes the no child left behind education strategy, this is just one of the better examples of where that same government does not believe that people can learn. While they purport to support education they try everything to take away rights to protect the citizenry from lack of education rather than give the people the education they need.

phishing and identity crimes are all about tricking people who don't know better (for the most part).

Its time the government did something helpful instead of something protective.... at least in this regard

No, I disagree.

[rustalot42684]

Last names aren't exactly the most revealing piece of info evar. Besides which, there is more than one case here: Someone could post their first & last names on a social networking site, such as Facebook, with a "friends-only" profile setting (the default) so that only people they authorize can see it (as I do), or they could just put it out there. There's a big difference, and I would have to wonder if the study took that into account. Also, people might have varying levels of personal info available on different sites (eg. have more info on a Facebook page than a /. or digg page, for the above reason).

Environment vs. risk exposure

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll admit it, I have a MySpace account. I also have an account at Stickam, which is sort of a MySpace for webcam users.

I'm amazed at the disparity in personal information revealed by people between both sites. The same folks who are more than willing to put their full name, life story, names of friends and significant others, etc. up on MySpace suddenly get shy on Stickam. It seems that there's a comfort in the presumed disconnect of MySpace, where you can post pictures of yourself, and Stickam, where you're live on camera.

Women on MySpace seem to want to advertise their, erm, promiscuity. Their profiles are full of innuendos, double-entendres, and other sexual references. They post all sorts of suggestive photos of themselves. Yet women on Stickam are quite assertive about their privacy, most profiles over there have bogus location info and don't give any hint of personal information. The funny thing is, I know for a fact that in certain cases, it's the same women. They whore themselves on MySpace but they protect themselves at all costs on the site where they've got a live feed.

It's probably a good study for a psych major somewhere. Why do folks "trust" MySpace, why are they willing to post personal info there, but when it comes to their webcam they get shy?

Re:"Only" 2 percent

[jhfry]

Far better than the odds of contracting HIV/AIDS... and hell I'd be willing to bet that more than 2% (male and female combined) of teens will be pregnant before they are no longer teens.

Essentially, what they are saying is that the number of "at risk" teens online is smaller than the number of "at risk" teens using every other proven method to attract sexual predators... such as well SEX, drinking, drugs, SEX, etc.

I am the neighborhood "computer guy", and I have been constantly asked by my neighbors with tweens and teens (mostly girls) if "it's safe to let their kids on the internet?" I tell these concerned parents the same thing. "The fact that your concerned tells me that it is safe. Just make sure your kids know the risks and how important it is to keep their 'real' life private."

Letting your kids online is far safer than dropping them off at the mall for a few hours, and most parents don't hesitate to do that!. We all know that the predators are out there... but these freaks are desperate for a reason. KIDS ARE NOT THAT STUPID!!! Sure it happens from time to time; a creep is better than average, or a kid is more vulnerable, but as a whole kids have great instincts. The creep you really need to spend some energy worrying about is the kid that's fondling your daughter every morning on the school bus and sits next to her in English, he's gonna have a far easier time convincing her to have sex than some internet predator.

Most important part of this article...

[Belial6]

That sir, is the most important part of this entire article.

Re:AHA!

[c_forq]

promoted the "V-chip", which we all must pay for even if we have no children.

And should I complain about taxes for public education that I have to pay even though I went to a private school? Or about roads I am taxed for even though I don't have a car? And those damn police, even though I have never been arrested or assaulted. Not to mention those fire departments, as my house has never been on fire. Worst of all is the military, I mean we haven't been attacked by a nation since the 1940's! Sheesh!

Re:No...

[vidarh]

The persons you really should be worried about leaving your children with are family/relatives and friends of the family. In the UK, a child protection group released a report a few years back pointing out that in 75% of all child abuse cases the abuse was carried out by parents, siblings, other relatives and friends of the family. The remaining 25% was spread over all other groups of potential abusers, with most of it being people the children had run into offline.

Of course, part of the reason so few get abused by people they meet online is because people are careful. But kids aren't as stupid as many adults think. If a child is old enough to chat and set up profiles online, then explaining to them about how people may try to trick them to do bad things isn't that hard.

Re:"Only" 2 percent

[1u3hr]

exposed themselves to risk.

What risk, they "exposed" their cell, phone numbers. Big deal. My phone number, name and address have been PRINTED IN THE PHONE BOOK for the last 20 years!!! Yet I have somehow survived. There are much greater risks in the real world than online, or on the phone.

Fewer than a third

[LoverOfJoy]

'fewer than a third of teens with profiles use their last names,

And fewer than a third of teens with profiles are actually teens. :)