Kathryn recently found herself in the middle of a different kind of digital drama. The 12-year-old from Louisiana has nearly 200 “friends” on the gaming app Roblox. But she knows only a few of them in real life. During a chat, she told people her name and birthday. When Kathryn realized her mistake, she felt nervous.
“I wished I could undo the chat, but I couldn’t,” she says.
Experts warn that it’s dangerous to give away personal information online. But it’s not just what you say in a chat that could reveal clues about you.
“It might seem like fun to tag a location on a picture, but that location shows exactly where you are,” says Weinstein.
Weinstein says no matter what, always trust your feelings. If you’re worried or uneasy, something is not right.
“Tell an adult right away,” she urges.