Doug Johnson

Scenario #4 (Privacy)
Adele “meets” Frank, who shares her interest in figure skating, in an Internet chat room. After several conversations in the following weeks, Frank asks Adele for her home telephone number and address.

Questions

• Whose privacy is at risk?
• What danger or discomfort might the unethical or unwise action cause?
• Is there a safe plan of action Adele might take to meet Frank?
• Is there a parallel in the physical world to this scenario?
• Can you think of other incidents that would fall into this category?

Comments
All individuals need to know that a stranger is a stranger, whether on the playground or on the Internet. The same rules we teach children about physical strangers apply to virtual strangers as well. The fact that we cannot get clues to a person from his or her physical appearance (age, dress, gender) adds to the difficulty in judging the new person.

How might Adele find out if Frank is a person whom she would like as a friend? Most groups with whom I have worked conclude that Adele needs to meet Frank in a public place accompanied by a trusted adult or group of friends (depending on her age). She could ask Frank for his phone number and call him, but some telephone services now record the number of the incoming call. In any event, Adele should not reveal any personal information to Frank until she knows that he has been representing himself fairly.