Internet has a lot of advantages, but on the flip side, it has some evil features too irresistible.
“As we found more users online, we introduced certain safety and privacy features” 
Electrons rush about delivering her superlative testimonials and status messages. She has 548 friends, out of which 240 are tagged ‘best friends’. She is fifteen and she loves surfing various social networking sites.
Though teenagers have become permanent netizens, it helps to remember one mantra: when it comes to being careful, the virtual world is the same as the real world.
M. Nivashini, a teenager, spends around four to five hours online. Apart from visiting social networking sites, such as Facebook and Orkut, she researches online for her studies. “We all do the same thing,” she says, talking about her friends. “Some download movies and music too.”
Her sister taught her how to use the internet safely. Before that, she did not ignore ‘Can I make friends with you’ requests. Now, she is careful about whom she shares her information with.
Privacy filters are a feature provided by social networking sites such as Facebook and Orkut to decide who can view your information.
“As we found more users online, we introduced certain safety and privacy features,” says Rahul Kulkarni, product manager, Google India. (Orkut is Google’s product.) “We recently introduced a feature by which you can limit viewing photos not only to friends, but to specific friends,” he adds.
The site has to deal occasionally with profiles created with objectionable content. The question then is, “How do you draw the line?” There are certain safety filters that block such content. Users are also given options to report such content, he adds.
Parents sometimes go with the “what-you-don’t-know-don’t-use” route. Anjali* says that her parents ban her from using social networking sites. “They’ve read several stories on what could go wrong.” They do not object to pursuing other interests, such as photography, online. She has tried talking to them, but beyond a certain point, “they have their views.” She feels that if she were a boy, her parents’ attitude would be different.
Atul Chitnis, a parent, says that he monitored his 18-year-old daughter’s internet usage when she was younger and spoke to her about maintaining privacy and being safe. “Much like how one talks to a child who starts going out on her own, crossing the road, etc.”
A veteran user of the internet, he is aware of its advantages. “Like it or not, the internet is part of society now. An internet-connected child is simply a smarter, more informed and better connected child.”
The issues, he says, mirror the real world, “people preying on children, misinformation, bullying, etc.”
It does not pay to be negative about the Internet, he says,
“However, I do approve of any attitude that errs on the side of caution. Better safe than sorry — it’s your only child.” 
The General tips for Safe Internet Usage are
  • Behave just like you would behave in real world
  • Don’t talk to strangers
  • Be careful about sharing personal information
  • Use privacy options provided for photos
  • Don’t share your password
  • The notion of being anonymous online is incorrect