The reality of the world is this: the world is not as safe as it used to be, and is most likely safer now than it will be twenty years from now. The only factor that can be controlled in the safety equation is who we are, what we do, and the safeguards we try to impose to prevent ourselves from harm. Some of this is simple common sense: teach your children to be wary of strangers. Wear your seatbelt. Watch who you give your financial information to and in doubt do not give it out. Watch what you say, where you say it, and when. This last rule is a basic when it comes to the idea of safety in chat rooms, especially if you are letting your children view them.
There is no definite way to make online chatting safe for you, your children, or anyone else. Chatting online can be a risky behavior and its possible issues should not be understated. The reality of the situation is that there are thieves, predators, and honest people in every chat room, and no test exists to detect the difference. Safety in chat can be established by simply being wary of all people encountered and what they say or ask. It goes back to the basic rule of parenting that many adults teach their children: "don't talk to strangers." This, however, implies to adults and children. Adults can find themselves in a precarious situation just as easily as a child or teenager. Odds are, one does not use their real name as a screen name. This is a good idea but also an indication that we are all, in a sense, misrepresenting our personas when online. One of the glories of the internet is that we might all remain anonymous but not anonymous. We can be the self that we dream of, but at what cost?
So, for safety's sake, establish some ground rules and use some common sense. A real name should not be given out, and no other personal information of any type should be offered. This includes addresses, financial information, work locale, personal identification, or anything else that could lead to someone finding you and harming you in some way. When it comes to safety in chat, harm does not have to be of the physical sort. A thief can steal your identity, and a predator can arrive at your door or work. Damage can be done in a matter of minutes if the person on the other end finds out whatever they are seeking to exploit you. Keep in mind, also, the insecurity of even being a 'guest' in a chat room. Sophisticated computer users can often hack information from a computer about the user, including a physical address. When online, make sure all security features of the computer and network are activated, in addition to common sense. Better to be overprotected. When in doubt, get offline and end the chat.
Safety in chat can be extremely easy to follow if one takes certain precautions. In regards to teenage and child use, simply monitor what is being viewed. There are safeguards and filters that can be placed via the computer's operating system and through additional software that can enforce these guidelines. Many times looking at the history section of the computer is sufficient in monitoring usage. Limiting time online is also a good idea when trying to establish safety in chat. A reasonable amount of time should be set, perhaps no more than five hours weekly, to keep general computer use under control. This also keeps predators from being able to establish a close relationship quickly with a youngster. Most try to gain trust quickly and shrewdly, so limited time might be a wise approach to keep this under control. Also, if letting your child use the computer, check in on them periodically while they are using it. Glancing at the screen is a way to keep an idea on what they are perusing without being overbearing (just try to be discreet). The need to be deceptive about monitoring computer usage should not be the rule, either: imposing guidelines, discussing expectations, and simply sharing dangers and concerns with your child about chatting should be a first line of defense. A child who knows what to look for and how to react is likely to be less of a target than one who is simply told to watch what they do but not told why to do so or what to be leery of.
Education about dangers and being cautious overall when it comes to chatting online is the best policy. Safety in chat is mostly common sense, but also being intelligent about the interactions that are taking place. If something feels weird, inappropriate, invasive, or sometimes too comfortable, just simply exit the chat and take a few minutes to recollect and reflect. You might be making a safe choice simply by being rude.