Category - Internet
Topic - IMing
Issue - IM privacy
Tiptoid -
One day as I was chatting with my friends on AIM, the IM catcher appeared. The IM catcher catches instant messages from people who are not on your buddy list.
I decided to see what this unknown person had IM'd me about, so I accepted the IM. The IM said, “I see you've met my gay rhino friend.”
Immediately I was really upset and confused, because I felt that my privacy had been invaded. I asked this unknown IMer who he/she was, but I got no response. So I IM'd my friend Sharmeen to see if she knew what to do. She told me that I don't have to open such messages from unknown people. I can choose who I want to receive IMs from.
Just follow these steps to avoid IM privacy invasions.
• Go to buddy list setup.
• Towards the bottom, the setup page says IM settings. Click that.
• The privacy and security tab comes up. Click on that.
• Now you can decide who can IM you and who you don't want to IM you.
• Below that choice, it says the following - “People who you have blocked above can….”
• Then select your choice of whether the person can't view you on their buddy list window, or have any contact with you whatsoever.
All of the options are very clearly stated, now that you know how to find them.
By following these steps, you can be assured that your messages will go only to people you know. That really matters to me. It should matter to you too. Now go and have some safe IM fun with your friends!
Glossary -
AIM - AOL instant messenger
IM catcher - catches IMs from people who you don't know
IM - instant message (IMs-plural)
Buddy list - a private list of screen names chosen by an IMer
Find Out More - www.aim.com; AOL Help
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Submitted by - Sarah Ashraf
Site Managers - Kelsey Tedder and Nana Yeboah
May 2006