need advice on Msn

[SPIRIT]

have a teenager who wants to put msn (chat room for friends) on computer
is it safe?ect

[Wood Butcher]

So long as you monitor who she is talking to - it might be okay.

I use it regularly to contact other people that I am studying with at uni and some of my long distance friends but I am very computer literate so I know what to watch out for. The bigest advantage is that people must be invited into the conversation (they are not public like some chat rooms) but it doesn't take huge amounts of effort to harvest emails if someone really wants to. Best to use a virtual email like yahoo or hotmail for MSN not your email given to you by your ISP as at least if you get targetted by spamers it is easy to dump the affected email address and create a new one.

My advice is to try it, making sure that your kids knows about responsible usage and what to look out for in regards to unwanted advances from others.

[SPIRIT]

thanks. l mite be over protective the creeps worry me if l can't grab them by the neck is there a fee we looked at the site they talked about charges

[Wood Butcher]

MSN doesn't cost anything. Go to www.messenger.msn.com for the download.

One thing to be wary of is when it is being installed read everything!!!!

Make sure that there are no boxes ticked that will allow the program to install unwanted extras into your web browsers etc.

[SPIRIT]

thanks butcher have bite the bullet sometime shes getting older 13 going 30

[womble]

have a teenager who wants to put msn (chat room for friends) on computer
is it safe?ect

not really safe, lots of stats around showing there's a lot of predators out there who use things like msn to groom potential victims. They can be very good at what they do

I know parents who have a rule with computers of only allowing their kids to 'chat' on msn in an open room (eg lounge room) so there's little chance of anything nasty happening. If the kids complain, no more msn...they also track internet usage and sites visited etc

I know a family up the road from us with a daughter who was 13 going on 30 etc, had lots of problems with the little darling...she chats on msn too, informed her parents when she was 15 that her new boyfriend was coming to visit and stay...he was from England and 19...parents actually let it happen...

make sure there's some rules!

[Tonyz]

I love the program ................on someone elses computer

Tony

[SPIRIT]

l can see were there good and bad l am lucky realy she is sensable
but l have heard that bulling and spredding gossip about others can be a prob as butcher wrote we could just use email hotmail ect but she said to slow to chat?? being pushed for answer soon will look into more any advice welcom
as for a19 y/old showing up me and the bothers would have fun with him

[scooter]

Spirit, she coiuld use a VOIP service to chat to her friends.

It is basically telephone over the internet, you need a broadband connection & a headset.

Most VOIP providers give free calls between users on their system.

Skype is a common one most people have heard of.

I use sipme, it works similar to a prepaid mobile phone in that you buy credit in advance, I bought $10 about 2 or 3 months ago. No ongoing fees or term contracts. Calls between sipme accounts are free, & calls to Oz landlines are 10c untimed anytime.

Not sure if you can have a party line, ie. more than 2 users participating in the call tho' .

Checkout www.sipme.com.au


HTH.............cheers.............Sean

[dadpad]

Both my kids use hotmail addresses for MSN. its plenty fast enough. We also have cam and that works ok as well.

Its pretty easy to "block" anyone you dont want to talk to. and with a hotmail a/c you can always just change addies.

We got MSN when my daughter went to sweden for a rotary exchange and it was a godsend.

My son 15 has been banned (by me) several times for breaking rules or talking about innaproriate subjects and we regularily "clean out" his address book.

Set the rules now while your daughter is still young enough to do as she is told. (You know what theyre like when they grow up).

No meet ups address exchange or phone number exchange unless you (parent) have met them first. Public meet ups with you in attendance.

Mobile phone, msn and myspace are a teenagers lifeline these days.

[SPIRIT]

been looking into it think might go hotmail she has been using my e/mail ad
and l can look at them just have to break the code they use l trust her but cant help checking just in case .as to doing what were told l must have missed that part

[echnidna]

you can check the past messages in messenger.

[Gumby]

Tell her you can read all her messages, that should keep her on the ball.
Also, you can get a program called mailpass (free download) if you want to check her login password.

As the others said, ONLY register with a hotmail address.

Mail Pass Viewer

[SPIRIT]

Tell her you can read all her messages, that should keep her on the ball.
Also, you can get a program called mailpass (free download) if you want to check her login password.

As the others said, ONLY register with a hotmail address.

feels like l shoud wear a uniform

[Shedhand]

MSN is spyware. I only use it to contact family and trusted friends. Skype with a Headset is good. Its all I use now. Talk to my brother in London for hours - free.