I could make up a statement: Raisins are a major cause of ear infections.

Then I could write an article backing up my claim.  Create a blog post about it.  Add it to Wikipedia.  Maybe it would be picked up by another blogger, and the bogus information would travel on and on throughout the internet.

If you plan to act on information or pass it along to someone else, do what you can to verify it first.  A great website to do this is www.snopes.com.  They look at all sorts of rumors, from email scams to popping popcorn with cell phones.

The internet is also very anonymous.  I can sit at my computer and pretend to be a 95 year old man from Zimbabwe if I want to.  I could even grab a picture from clip art or off of the internet and post it as mine.  I could make up information and make it sound very authentic.  You just can’t tell who you are really dealing with.  

If you are in an internet chat room, on facebook, or any other type of forum, unless you have personally met someone, you really don’t know who the other person is, in spite of what they may say or tell you about themselves.

Keep the following information about yourself off of the internet:

• Your real or full name
• Your age
• Your email address
• Your home address
• Your phone number
• Where you go to school
• The name of your sports team
• The name of the place you do any activities
• Any other information which would tell someone where you are or where you will be

As far as the sites you visit, pretend you have a parent watching over your shoulder as you are surfing the internet.   What would they say about the sites you are visiting?

If you are sending an email to a close friend, using abbreviations and not following all of the punctuation and grammar rules is ok.  If you are typing an email that you want to be taken seriously, though, use proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and professional language.

Type in ALL CAPITALS is considered shouting.

If you are responding to an email, make sure it is clear to the recipient what you are responding to.  It is confusing to get an email that just says, “Yes.”  You may have sent out 16 emails that day and would have to go back to find out the original question.

Don’t forward jokes or chain letters to everyone on your list.  If you decide to forward something you felt was especially funny or touching, only send it to those you know would appreciate it.

Don’t give out someone else’s email address without their permission.

It is very easy for emails to be copied, forwarded, or otherwise sent all over the internet, by accident or on purpose.  Don’t write anything in an email that you would not want your parents reading.