Teenangel Gabriella

AIM is an instant

messaging system.

You have to be thirteen years old to use AIM.

Besides sending

messages, AIM is also used to tell the world

about yourself using AIM profiles.

In 1989, the first consumer

instant messaging service was released so AIM is not a

new technology.

When you use AIM, you make

up a screen name and password

which you use to access your

account.

On AIM you can see other users

information (where they live, what their

interests are, etc.) by looking at their

profiles.

You can post

pictures on AIM

profiles.

You can watch videos on AIM.

You can download buddy icons and

messages to post on your buddy

information and away messages.

There are ads on AIM,

but they can’t be blocked.

Strangers can see all

your personal

information just by

looking at your profile.

Put your profile on private or,

better yet, don’t post any

of your personal information.

You can view inappropriate videos or pictures.

Don’t go on any profiles of people you

don’t know.

Anything inappropriate you post on AIM profiles

can be viewed by all and have

serious consequences.

Think about what pictures and

information you post and ask yourself if you

would want your parents, principal, the police, or prospective colleges or employers

to see it.

You can receive and send instant messages (IMs) on your computer and on your phone

using AIM.You can

post messages on other people’s

AIM pages and on AIM message boards.

You can only contact other AIM users

through AIM.

You can send

emails to

people using their

screen name.

Click here

You can play

games with your

buddies by

inviting them to

a selected

site.

When you are communicating on AIM, you have a one on one conversation on the computer

which makes it seem very safe.

You can connect to the AIM web-site and AIM profiles

from the AIM box.

It is possible to talk to

more than one person at

once.

People you don’t know can contact you.

Block them when they start to talk

to you and be extra careful to only give

out your screen name

to your friends.

People can cyber-bully

you.

There are many things you can do

to handle this. Most importantly of all, stop, block,

and tell. Stop what you are doing,

block the person, and tell an adult.

People can steal your password and pretend to

be you.

Be sure to never give your password to

anyone and to never write it down just as

the AIM web-site advises. If someone does pretend to be

you, tell an adult and contact all your friends

to tell them what is happening.

Downloading AIM for your computer is

free.

The only monetary

cost of AIM is the

connection to the Internet.

There may be an extra fee for

using AIM on your phone.

Posting the wrong things

could cost you future

jobs or college

acceptances.

If you post inappropriate things on your

profile, it can come back to haunt you

in the form of college and employment rejections.

Don’t post anything you would not want your

parents, principal, the police, or prospective

colleges to see.

Your computer

can receive

viruses on AIM.

Don’t click on IMs from

people you don’t know and get a

good security system for

your computer.

You can rack up cell phone charges.

Check to see what is and isn’t included in your

plan.

You could disclose

information that is private and could get someone such as your parents

in trouble.

Discuss with your parents

what information

can and can’t be

disclosed.

Control who is on the buddy list of children

from the ages of under eight to twelve.

Make sure children understand what

information can be shared and how to handle strangers.

Make sure children know not to do

anything online that they wouldn’t do

off-line.

Limit the time spent

on AIM.

For younger children, Google the child’s name and screen name and change their passwords

often.

As mentioned before, you must be thirteen to use AIM.

I would not allow my five- or eight-year-old sister to

use it.

I would allow my twelve

year old sister to use it.

I think it would be okay for parents to use.

Parents must decide for themselves if their children are mature enough to use this system.