First of all, what is chat? Chat rooms on Web sites allow you to type text on your computer that other kids can see on their computer screens almost instantly.
You can "talk" about your favorite music group, pets, computer games, or whatever else interests you, with other kids from around the world. Understandably, chat is very popular with kids and teens.
Monitored Chat Rooms
The only chat rooms I feel comfortable recommending are monitored chat rooms. These are created with children in mind and have specially trained adults who monitor chat messages. I know it is a drag to have grown-ups hanging around but they only get in the way to prevent or deal with problems. Monitors do not allow you to swear, be nasty, give out or ask for personal information.
A few popular kids' sites--KidsCom, Headbone Zone and Freezone--feature monitored chat rooms. These chat rooms are only open during specified hours. Check each site's schedule to find out when chat rooms are open, usually after school and evenings. Monitored chat rooms are only open to a limited number of users at a time because monitors can't keep track of any more kids and messages. Parental permission is required before you can use these chat rooms.
The KidsCom Graffiti Wall has one area for kids up to age 11, and another for 12 and over. For parents and kids particularly concerned with safety, there is an Extra Monitored Wall in which every message is screened by a Wall Monitor before it is posted.
Headbone Zone's hbzChat has general chat rooms, as well as a few theme rooms such as one for role-playing. Here, private chat is also monitored. If chat rooms are full, or if you're still learning the ropes, the Green Rooms allow you to watch other people chatting without participating yourself.
At Freezone's Chat Box there are lots of interesting chat rooms for kids and teens about music, travel and adventure, girl chat, style, martial arts, pets, homeschooling, various languages and cultures, and more.
Safety Concerns
What about unmonitored chat rooms? Most chat areas are not monitored in any way; anyone can post whatever messages they want. It is possible that a user can send ads, or messages that contain swearing, insults or even adult material. Quality of discussions in chat areas I've visited is usually poor because of all the off-topic, nonsense messages. It is a free-for-all.
In some cases, chat areas can also be dangerous. The problem is that when you chat with other children, you have no way of knowing that they are actually kids. People with bad intentions can pretend to be kids; they can try to find out enough about you to contact you, harass you, or worse.
On Berit's Best Sites for Children I don't make links to sites with unmonitored chat. Unfortunately, this means that I have to exclude a lot of sites simply because they offer chat run by automated, generic chat software with no monitoring or safety features. These sites offer chat because they know kids want it and that their sites will attract more visitors. Safety should be foremost in people's minds when children are involved.
Safety Rules and Games for Kids
If you're concerned about chat safety--in monitored and unmonitored chat rooms--then you should familiarize yourself with these safety rules.
- Don't give out personal information about yourself or your family, such as your full name, home address, city, phone number, email address, school, and so on.
- Don't get together with anyone you meet online.
- If a message makes you feel uncomfortable, then leave the chat room.
- Keep your parents up-to-date with your online activities and get their permission before you chat. If you experience any trouble in a chat room tell your parents.
For more safety information, for parents and kids, visit the Media Awareness Network's Chat Rooms page. Mom and Dad, it is a good idea to have family guidelines for chat, and Internet use in general. SafeKids.com provides a Family Contract for Online Safety, with one pledge for parents and one for children, to help you set up household guidelines.
A lot of sites dealing with kids and Internet safety are written for grown-ups and can be kind of boring. I've found a few sites with games and quizzes that will help you learn and review safety rules and have some fun too.
CyberNetiquette Comix is currently my favorite safety site. Disney Online has adapted classic fables into interactive, animated stories that teach you about online safety. In "Who's Afraid of Little Sweet Sheep?" the three little pigs encounter the big bad wolf who is posing as an innocent little sheep. Help the three little pigs decide what to do. For more safety games visit the Internet Safety section of Berit's Best Sites for Children.
Berit's Browse is where Berit highlights her favorite sites on various themes and discusses her opinions and observations about kids' sites and kids on the Internet. The column is also a great place for to cover topics that you are interested in. Let her know what you'd like to read about!