COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s chief prosecutor cautioned high school students on Thursday against giving out too many details in their social networking status updates, like where they are going or what after-school activities they’re involved in.
“I’m not saying this because I want you to be afraid,” Wilson said. “I want you to understand how powerful a tool the Internet can be and social media can be. … It can be a deadly weapon that can be turned on you or turned on your friends.”
Wilson made those comments during a discussion with students at Richland Northeast High School. Later Thursday, the prosecutor planned to travel to Greenville for an event at Furman University centered on steps that everyone can take to use the Internet more safely.
Wilson took questions for both events from his Facebook page and planned to stream both conversations live online.
The prosecutor also warned against accepting friend requests from strangers, who he said could be looking to harm them. Through the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Wilson said more than 300 suspected child sex predators have been arrested.
Facebook executive Brooke Oberwetter also took part in the discussion. She said that, because sites such as Facebook rely on people using their real names and photos, the Internet is actually safer now than in years past.
“That makes me much more likely as an Internet user to be civil,” Oberwetter said, of using her actual photo as part of her profile instead of a cartoon avatar.
Obwerwetter also reviewed ways that Facebook users can report fake profiles or harassing online comments.
“Be very, very careful that you know the people that you’re friending on Facebook,” she said. “Talk to your parents, use good judgment and don’t overshare.”
There are more than 900 million active Facebook users worldwide, Oberwetter said.
After some students raised their hands when asked if they lied about their ages when signing up for Facebook.
“You might be getting age inappropriate advertising,” Oberwetter said, explaining that the site’s ads are targeted to certain demographic groups. “It’s also going to be weird when you get to college and people are like, ‘Why are you 35?'”
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Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
