Teen says peers should take care to protect themselves online

Teens won't have to worry about being bullied online as long as they think first about information they share and how they act, a local teen says. But many teens aren't aware they're jeopardizing their online reputations until it's too late.

Brycin Baptiste, a 17-year-old Las Vegas resident, shared his views on Internet safety with a group of peers from across the country during the recent fifth National Teen Summit on Internet Safety, sponsored by Cox Communications and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"I really think its just common sense," Baptiste said. "Don't share vital information or anything that can be used against you."

Baptiste graduated this month from Chaparral High School and plans to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the fall. He said teens should take control of their lives.

"Don't drink or do drugs and you can completely avoid cyberbullying," he said.

Baptiste shared a story of a teenage girl who attended the summit and said her reputation was ruined when she was a high school freshman and boy shared details on a social networking site of a drinking binge that lead to sexual activity.

"It's really sad to see that can happen," he said.

A teen's maturity level plays a big role in how much trouble they can get into online. Baptiste said some teens begin "sexting," that is, sending explicit photos in text messages, after getting bored with texting.

"They try to juice it up," he said. "But kids need time to develop and grow up."

The Teen Summit is part of Cox's "Take Charge" program (www.cox.com/takecharge), which emphasizes the importance of making smart choices, teaching families about cybersafety and providing tips for communication about online safety.

A survey of teens by Cox and the NCMEC shows growing awareness the importance of protecting individual reputations online. Most teens say they carefully manage their online images, but few take basic precautionary steps to protect themselves on the Web.

The study concludes that "teens must be jolted out of their false sense of security."

The study results say: "Teens' online risk-taking is, in some ways, even more insidious than risk-taking in other aspects of their lives. In areas typically associated with teen risk -- driving, drinking, drugs, sex -- teens can rely on parents to provide guidance. With technology, teens are often ahead of their parents, making parenting difficult and reinforcing teens' vulnerability."

Baptiste said he's discussed cybersafety with his parents, and about 40 cousins.

"I tell them to not put phone numbers on MySpace or Facebook and (that) they should never give out their Social Security numbers or addresses," he said. "It's all common sense. I want them to protect themselves."

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