Teenagers dont have their brain 100% developed.. About our mid 20s (a year or so after college for some) the brain has stopped growing.. As teenagers, the part that is under construction is the front (Reasoning). I am myself a teen (18years old). An example.. If im online on some random IRC chat room; some person who has a feminine username asks me to chit chat privately; my front of my brain could and likly in most teens will send signals of to talk or not and give info about themselves or not. Well alot of people would say ok since their reasoning part of the brain isnt 100% mature its in its beta stage so a bug that it has is the teen ending up talking with this person and then if they are young.. Some might end up meeting the person who was a kidnapper.

Xanga, livejournal, and all those "blogs" meant as personal diaries all people can see and comment on are a huge risk and a bad idea for marketing towards teenagers. I know many teens who use those thinking no one will see it except thier friends. My brothers friend had a Xanga journal, and his mother found out about personal info posted; stuff like what his mother was so mean about privledges (no computer due to grades that stuff). This kid was a teenager and was posting how he hated his mother, and what actions she was doing to him (actions that were reasonable as any parent would look at it). This is why parents shouldnt be listening to kids saying "trust us we know what we are doing".

Just because mother doesnt know much about computers doesnt mean she doesnt know anything about people and privacy. In her day privacy was invaded in areas where many people were around and also on phonelines.. in the 21st century; we have the internet a global bathroom wall, where if someone posts their personal info; someone will find it and use it for causes that could either be illegal or end up in something wores like kidnapping or murder..

A note to any parent from a teen. Dont trust your children online.. Make sure you know who they are talking to.. if Lizzy2201 is a school buddy then let them talk with her all they want.. but if you dont know the person thats behind the name example; shawn collins (from texas and is 35) is talking with your child/teen and is talking in ways like Cyber sex or some explicit content i would imediately pull the teen from the web.. Make sure you know who they are talking to and if they are talking to someone they dont know.. then at least make sure they are talking about something other than personal life.. like photography if they both have interest and met each other on a forum from a photography website or talking about the newest video game..

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