The following is off-topic (NOT list related) but it is not the first report
of this kind -- anyone reading Newsweek and the papers knows of another
instance where a teacher from New York got in contact with a teenager from
Florida to sexual acts, etc. -- It is just a gentle reminder that no matter
WHAT you give out on the internet, lists, messages, etc. you should really
"watch what you say" -- the sum of the parts equals the total./Judy M.
----------
From:
The following story should help us understand the importance of information
security. We really never know who might be watching what we send e-mail or
otherwise.
----------
From:
>>If you know someone with kids, you might want to pass this on to
>>them. Please take the time to read this and discuss it with your
>>kids. I know that we all live in an environment that sometimes
>>gives our daughters and sons a false sense of security that nothing
>>could ever happen to them.
>>
>>But this should be a reality check for all of us that no one is
>>immune.
>>
>>[Please read and pass it on to your kids and friends]
>>------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Shannon could hear the footsteps behind her as she walked toward
>>home. The thought of being followed made her heart beat faster.
>>"You're being silly," she told herself, "no one is following
you."
>>To be safe, she began to walk faster, but the footsteps kept up
>>with her pace. She was afraid to look back and she was glad she
>>was almost home.
>>
>>Shannon said a quick prayer, "God please get me home safe." She
>>saw the porch light burning and ran the rest of the way to her house.
>>Once inside, she leaned against the door for a moment - relieved to
>>be in the safety of her home. She glanced out the window to see if
>>anyone was there. The sidewalk was empty.
>>
>>After tossing her books on the sofa she decided to grab a snack and
>>get on line. There she could talk to strangers without being afraid.
>>After all, no one knew who she really was and couldn't hurt her.
>>
>>She logged on under her screen name "ByAngel213." Checking her Buddy
>>List, she saw "GoTo123" was on. She sent him an instant message:
>>
>>ByAngel213: Hi, I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following
>> me home today. It was really weird!
>>
>>GoTo123: You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you?
>> Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
>>
>>ByAngel213: Of course I do. I guess it was my imagination 'cause I
>> didn't see anybody when I looked out.
>>
>>GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on line - you haven't done
>> that have you?
>>
>>ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
>>
>>GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?
>>
>>ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!
>>
>>GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?
>>
>>ByAngel213: We played the Hornets Their uniforms are so gross!
>> They look like bees.
>>
>>GoTo123: What is your team called?
>>
>>ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our
>> uniforms. They are really kewl.
>>
>>GoTo123: Do you pitch or what?
>>
>>ByAngel213: No. I play second base. I got to go. . . My
>> homework has to be done before my parents get home.
>> I don't want them mad at me. Bye.
>>
>>GoTo123: Catch you later. . . Bye.
>>
>>
>>GoTo123 decided it was time to teach Angel a lesson, one she would
>>never forget. He went to the member menu and began to search for her
>>profile.
>>
>>When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out
>>a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.
>>Her name: Shannon
>>Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985 / age:13
>>State where she lived: North Carolina
>>Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.
>>Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton. She had
>>just told him she stayed by herself until 6:30 every afternoon until
>>her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on
>>Thursday afternoons on the school team and the team was named
>>the Canton Cats.
>>
>>Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was
>>in the seventh grade at the Canton Junior High School. She had told
>>him all this in the conversations they had on line. He had enough
>>information to find her now.
>>
>>"She'll be so surprised," he thought, "she doesn't even
know what
>>she has done."
>>
>>Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home
>>from the ball park that day. She didn't want them to make a scene
>>and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were
>>always over-reacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was
>>not
>>an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters her parents
>>wouldn't be so over-protective.
>>
>>By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following
>>her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone
>>staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up
>>from
>>her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He was
>>leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she
>>looked at him.
>>
>>He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the fear she had
>>felt. After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the
>>coach.
>>She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded,
>>and she smiled back. He noticed her name on back of the shirt. He knew
>>he had found her. Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. He
>>didn't want to frighten her and have to explain what he was doing to
>>anyone.
>>
>>It was only a few blocks to Shannon's home and once he saw where she
>>lived, he quickly returned to the park to get his car. Now he had
>>to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go
>>to Shannon's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there
>>until time to make his move.
>>
>>Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in
>>the living room. "Shannon, come here," her father called. He
>>sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room and
>>saw
>>the man from the ball-park sitting on the sofa. "Sit down," her father
>>began, "this man is a policeman and he has just told us a most
>>interesting story about you." Shannon moved cautiously to a chair
>>across from
>>the man. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen
>>him before today!
>>
>>"Do you know who I am Shannon?", the man asked. "No",
Shannon
>>answered.
>>
>>"I am your on-line friend, GoTo123."
>>
>>Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age!
>>He's 14 and he lives in Michigan!"
>>
>>The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true.
>>You see Shannon, there are people on-line who pretend to be kids. I was
>>one of them. But, while others do it to find kids and hurt them, I
>>belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators.
>>I
>>came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to give out too
>>much information to people on line. You told me enough about yourself
>>to
>>make it easy for me to find you. Your name, the school you went to,
>>the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and
>>name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."
>>
>>Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?" He
>>laughed.
>>
>>"No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so
>>far away, didn't it?" She nodded.
>>
>>
>>"I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as
>>lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone.
>>Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it
>>all
>>the time on-line.
>>
>>The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here
>>and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for
>>them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope
>>you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again." "I
won't,"
>>Shannon promised solemnly.
>>
>>"Will you tell others about this so they will be safe too?"
"It's a
>>promise!" That night Shannon and her dad and Mom all knelt down
>>together and prayed.
>>
>>They thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a
>>tragic situation.
>>"""""""""""""""""""""""
>>
>>Please send this to as many people as you can to teach them not to
>>give any information about themselves. This world we live in today
>>is too dangerous to even give out your age, let alone anything else. Be
>>safe.