Generally, Palace is a much safer place (as I have witnessed and it is my own opinion) than other types of chats, such as IRC chatting servers. I am writing this for the younger generation of Palacers out there - but these are also good guidelines for everyone to follow.
In most cases people are harmless, but the worst kinds of people on the net are 'sexual predators' as I'm sure many people have seen on newscasts and so forth. People you meet on the internet are NOT to be trusted, no matter HOW friendly or long you have known them. Please keep in mind that following these guidelines would be beneficial to your safely on the internet, and in real life.
1)Remain Anonymous! Don't EVER give out your last name, address, or phone number out to anyone online that you have become friends with, or romantic with. Its a good idea to keep that kind of stuff a secret, because you DO NOT know who you are dealing with online.
2)Represent Yourself Carefully! Be careful when choosing a screen/user name. Naming yourself "I'm 13!!!" is definately a no-no. Use your common sense when telling people your real age and gender.
3)Trust your Common Sense If a topic that comes up on Palace is uncomfortable for you, ask the people your talking to to change the subject to something else. If your afraid to do it or they don't answer or are unwilling to, then simply leave the room. Most Palaces have more than one room, and you aren't obligated to say anything to anyone! If your in a private conversation with someone, and things start to get weird, then LEAVE. Thats all there is to it. This isn't real life, and the exit is just one click away.
4)To Flirt Or Not To Flirt...There is nothing wrong with flirting. But be careful who you flirt with, and be careful how far the flirting goes. If you find that a conversation leads you to something that makes you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to put a stop to it.
5)Real Life Meetings If you are under 18, its definately NOT a good idea to meet your online friends in real life! If your under 18, ask your parent(s) if you may meet someone in real life, and have them COME WITH YOU. If you are older than 18, meet in a VERY public place, and bring a real life friend if at all possible. NO ONE can pressure you into meeting them in real life, and if they were a real friend they would not pressure you at all.
The rules above were adopted from Agent Scully's Online Safey Tips.
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