Howdy all! This is Wildfire9 and Hottiemb. We decided to write an article on the dangers of online dating.
Wildfire9:Hey Hottiemb! Have you heard?
Hottiemb: Heard what?
Wildfire9: On the news! There was a tragic story about how this 14-year old girl went to meet someone she met over the Internet.
Hottiemb: Yes, I did hear something! Didn't he tell her he was 14, had blonde hair and played basketball?
Wildfire9: Yep; he turned out to be a 40 year old bald man who kidnapped her!
Hottiemb: That's so sad. You should never give out personal info so someone can find you like that.
Wildfire9: I see the same thing going around Whyville!
Hottiemb: Yes, just the other day I saw some girl tell a boy what school she was attending!
Wildfire9: That's so dangerous! Online dating can hurt you!
Hottiemb: And if this happens on Whyville, Whyville can get into some MAJOR trouble!
Wildfire9: They could get sued! That would be the end of Whyville!
Hottiemb: Here are some helpful tips to keep yourself safe while chatting:
1: Don't give out personal info.
Wildfire9: If someone asks for your ASL (Age/Sex/Location), we think you should tell them that you believe that that info is too personal to give out.
Editor's Note: It's not illegal to ask for or give out general ASL (don't get more detailed than city) in Whyville, but anything more than that definitely is -- if somebody asks for more than ASL, it's time for a 911 report!
Hottiemb:
2: It's OK to be friends, but you can't trust someone with personal info.
Wildfire9: That means no boyfriends/girlfriends.
Hottiemb: Yes.
Wildfire9: But, I think the online dating crisis is Whyville's fault too!
Hottiemb: It is? Their chat filters catch a lot of bad things!
Wildfire9: Yes, but don't you think that Heart and Kiss Projectiles suggest online romance? What about the Proms?
Hottiemb: I can remember when I was more of a newbie, how I wanted a WhyBoyFriend!
Wildfire9: Me too! But, that was until I learned how dangerous it could be.
Hottiemb: That brings us to our final tip:
3: If you see a Whyville "couple" or someone asking for a mate, tell them the dangers of dating a stranger.
Wildfire9: In real life, do you go up to someone and ask if he or she is single? Especially a total stranger?
Hottiemb: No! That's why you shouldn't do it here!
Wildfire9: That concludes our article!
Hottiemb: We hope you remember to stay safe on Whyville!
Thanks for reading!
Wildfire9 and Hottiemb, signing off! *click*
