Video chat platforms are remarkable ways to enhance your social life, but they have a darker side, too. If they’re used inappropriately, or users don’t use common sense, video chat platforms can allow malicious people and predators to target unwary victims with ease.
People looking for romance can end up being catfished by dangerous individuals, children can be exposed to inappropriate or illegal content, and their personal information can get stolen.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use video chat sites to meet new people and have fun. It just means you have to use a few common-sense practices regarding internet safety.
Let’s go over the different ways you can protect yourself on a video chat platform and have fun while you’re at it.
Rule 1: Do Not Divulge Personal Information
Just because someone seems like an okay person, it’s never smart to give them your full name, address, phone number, or other bits of personal information. If you happen across a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you can have your private information stolen and used for identity theft, or even worse, the person might show up at your door with evil intentions.
Do not divulge your personal information to random people on the internet.
Rule 2: Do Not Set Up Private Meetings
If you’re using the platform to find romance, or you’ve known a friend on the platform for years, you’ll likely end up wanting to meet them in person if possible. This isn’t recommended, but in some cases, such as having an online boyfriend for years, it’s just going to happen. So, make sure you do it the safe way.
First, never meet anyone at your home or in any other private place. You may think you know the person, but they may have been lulling you into a false sense of security so they could target you in malicious ways.
If you absolutely must meet someone in person, always set the meeting for a public place with good lighting. Meet them at a popular restaurant, tourist attraction, the mall, or somewhere else that is packed with other people and plenty of cameras and lighting.
This will ensure that, in the worst-case scenario, you have other people there to both help you and witness what happens.
Also have a backup plan at the ready in case the person isn’t who they said they are, or if they give off red flags. Have a friend drop you off and pick you up. If anything goes wrong, make sure you can text that friend a code word so they come with an excuse to pick you up early.
Rule 3: Don’t Blow Off Red Flags
If you’re in a chat with anyone, for any reason, and that person makes you uncomfortable, says something strange, or asks for personal information, don’t blow it off. Use the built-in block feature to block that person from speaking to you.
It can be easy to look past these red flags if you’re enjoying a conversation, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, and oftentimes, those red flags are legitimate warnings that who you’re talking to has malicious intentions.
Use CamSurf
You should use these three tips on any platform, but one video chat service offers a family-friendly environment that makes it much easier to deal with problems that arise: CamSurf.
With a full moderation staff and multiple systems in place to protect users, CamSurf is a safe video chat platform that can alleviate many of your worries.
