PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE INTERNET "Meeting" people on the Internet as correspondents is very easy; discerning any real information about these new acquaintances is more difficult. No matter if you are meeting people through commercial dial-up services, commercial or free chat lines, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels, online dating services, newsgroups, or in other ways, you should be aware of the possible dangers of interaction when conversations turn in a personal direction. Here are some basic personal safety tips you should consider whenever participating in Internet communication, particularly of a personal nature:

• Avoid giving out personal information such as your home address or telephone number to people you meet on the net.
• Exercise caution when agreeing to meet anyone in person whom you've met on the net. Before you arrange any such meetings, attempt to verify, through a third party whom you know and trust, the true identity of this person.
• If you choose to arrange a meeting, make it on YOUR terms:
• Meet in as public a place as possible.
• Arrange your own transportation to and from the meeting.
• Bring a friend along for security; consider a "double-date" the first few times.
• Set your conditions for the encounter, and don't let your new friend change them.
• Limit meetings to public places until you are comfortable with the other person and certain of who they are and what they want from the relationship.