Internet prevention messages: targeting the right online behaviors.
BACKGROUND
Internet safety programs urge youth to avoid sharing personal information and talking with "strangers" online.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether sharing personal information and talking with strangers online or other behaviors are associated with the greatest odds for online interpersonal victimization.


METHODS
The Second Youth Internet Safety Survey was a cross-sectional random digit-dial telephone survey.


METHODS
United States.


METHODS
A total of 1500 youth aged 10 to 17 years who had used the Internet at least once a month for the previous 6 months.


METHODS
Online behavior, including disclosure of personal information, aggressive behavior, talking with people met online, sexual behavior, and downloading images using file-sharing programs.


METHODS
Online interpersonal victimization (ie, unwanted sexual solicitation or harassment).


RESULTS
Aggressive behavior in the form of making rude or nasty comments (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.3; P<.001) or frequently embarrassing others (AOR, 4.6; P = .003), meeting people in multiple ways (AOR, 3.4; P<.001), and talking about sex online with unknown people (AOR, 2.0; P = .02) were significantly related to online interpersonal victimization after adjusting for the total number of different types of online behaviors youth engaged in. Engaging in 4 types of online behaviors seemed to represent a tipping point of increased risk for online interpersonal victimization (OR, 11.3; P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Talking with people known only online ("strangers") under some conditions is related to online interpersonal victimization, but sharing personal information is not. Engaging in a pattern of different kinds of online risky behaviors is more influential in explaining victimization than many specific behaviors alone. Pediatricians should help parents assess their child's online behaviors globally in addition to focusing on specific types of behaviors.
Ybarra
Michele L
ML
Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc, Irvine, CA 92618, USA. Michele@ISolutions4kids.org
Mitchell
Kimberly J
KJ
Finkelhor
David
D
Wolak
Janis
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D008192:Deception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology