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Among life-changing inventions, the computer ranks right up there with indoor plumbing and electricity.
Computers are a bit more complicated to use. It’s simple to turn on a faucet or a light, and turn them off when you no longer need them. Turning on a computer is just the beginning. The most important thing to know is how to use it properly and safely.
When you were small, you probably used the family computer in a common area under an adult’s supervision. As you got older, you gained more independence on the computer. You may have one of your own, or use the computers at your school or in the public library. That means you have more responsibility to operate the computer appropriately.
There are so many uses for the computer, you’ll wonder how anyone—like your parents and grandparents—ever lived without them. You use it to research for an English project, or look up show times for the movie you and your friends want to see. You’ll write papers, design PowerPoint presentations, and you might even create your own blog. You’ll send e-mails, IM your friends, post on bulletin boards, and maybe participate in online forums and chat rooms.
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At the same time, there are many opportunities for online misuse, abuse, and even downright risk to your safety and security.
Never lose sight of the fact that though your computer is an ingenious piece of technology, it connects you to real live people. And while it can bring the whole world to your fingertips, it can also take you to places you shouldn’t and don’t really want to go.
YOU DO
Follow the rules for computer and Internet use that your parents, school, or public library set.
YOU DON’T
Try to skirt your way around security barriers, sneak onto inappropriate Web sites, or enter chat rooms clearly intended for older people.
Why
Like any tool, if used improperly, the Internet can cause you and others harm. Do not share your password with anyone except your parents if they request it for security purposes, and do not fill out any forms that ask for your personal information. Do not post your address or phone numbers on your Facebook profile, or send them in an e-mail. Do not download anything from a Web site you are not familiar with.
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YOU DO
Create an e-mail address that is appropriate for a young lady your age.
YOU DON’T
Create an e-mail address that is suggestive or in bad taste, or one that uses your full name.
Why
Think of the impression you want your e-mail address to make not just to your peers, but also to your family, teachers, coaches, a clergy member, or the parents of the child you babysit. Using your full name as your e-mail address, like laurenmariesmythe@gmail.com, allows people you don’t know to find you too easily.
YOU DO
Carefully word your e-mails so as not to offend anyone.
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YOU DON’T
Send an e-mail in anger or to avoid talking to someone face-to-face.
Why
E-mails lack the nuance and emotion of speech, and can easily be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Emoticons help, but seeing smiley or frown faces all over a text can get annoying. Keep your e-mails short and to the point, and read them over again before hitting the send button.
A lady doesn’t use all uppercase letters for emphasis. IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING, and a lady doesn’t shout at others, even when she is angry or upset.
A lady doesn’t say anything in an e-mail or on a public post that she would not say in person.
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A lady never puts anything that could harm or hurt another person in a public forum like texts, e-mails, Twitter, or Facebook.
A lady doesn’t think that because she can post a mean comment or ugly rumor on a blog anonymously or with a pseudonym, it’s okay. If it were okay, a lady would not have to hide her identity.
A lady doesn’t monopolize a computer used by others at home, at school, or in the library.
A lady should use hand sanitizer before and after typing on a public keyboard.