Fear of Chat Rooms

2) Describe your earliest memories of using the web. Describe a memory of using the web that involves a moment of insight, inspiration, or other strong emotion.

In my household, I am the oldest child, so when we got our first computer (I was in 4th grade) I was thrilled and began using it everyday. I was old enough to learn how to use it and not be confused by it, whereas my younger siblings are.
At school, I would talk to my friends about it and I soon discovered what chat rooms were. I thought it was cool, the idea of talking over the internet to other people. So, one day, I searched and found a chat room. I went in and joined the conversation. I was asked "asl?" Which I learned mean "age, sex, location." I had been taught to not ever give out this information. However, I didn't see (being a 10 year old) the harm in giving out at least my age and sex. So I told them I was 10. Then, I was told by the other two people that I was talking to, that one was 15 and one was 12.
Soon, the 12 year old, invited me to a "whisper chat", which was just a private chat and I accepted. He was nice and, as I said, I was dazzled by the internet. He soon coerced me into telling him where I was actually from. His reasoning was "Hey, I'll tell you if you tell me. We're just kids, what could be the harm?" So all I typed was "Belington, WV." The next thing he typed was "Haha, you actually believed I was 12".
As a 10 year old, being tricked by someone I had never met, didn't know their real name, and could not see scared me. A LOT. I immediately held down the power button on our new computer, turning it off incorrectly. I realized that the internet was a way to connect people, but that not all the people were good, honest, nice people. I realized how scary the internet could be and I now realize how naive I was. I have been very careful about the information that I put on the web since then and I have steered clear of talking to people I do not know and have never met on the internet.