The second my friends and I logged on and began to “play,” the shocking image of a very old man’s crotch filled our screen and evoked yelps from a few of the girls. We had just visited Chatroulette.com, a Web site that allows you to video chat with random strangers. This was our first time on the site, and this was certainly an interesting first impression.

Of course, crotch shots weren’t the only thing on there. Some of the strangers we saw were also wildly entertaining, doing crazy things, like salsa dancing and wiggling their feet. Meeting new people is such a fun part of life. It’s no wonder this site is so popular, but some people seem to take it too far.

Exposing your body to strangers gets you a lot of attention, but is it really the kind you want? Sure, compliments are nice and everyone likes to feel wanted, but that kind of attention is probably best reserved for people who actually care about you and, most importantly, appreciate you.

You never know who could be watching or what they might do, whether it’s a dangerous stranger or your own family member! Check out this Dutch commercial that shows a brother and sister who are unknowingly about to have cybersex—and I am almost certain you don’t want that to happen to you!

—Melanie Johnson, 17, Staff Writer

Do you know anyone who has come to school naked? Probably not, but maybe you do know people at your school who have been seen naked because they’ve sexted—shared nude photos or videos of themselves via text or online. Many teens believe that the only person viewing the message is the person they send it to, however, with the click of a button, the sext can easily be shared with many others. Although it may seem harmless, there can be negative consequences for sexting. Who would want a college admissions officer or potential employer to make a decision about you after seeing your nude photo or video online? And even worse, who wants to have a criminal record for the possession or distribution of child porn just because you have a nude pic of your partner on your phone? (This has actually happened in several states.)

Once a sext is sent, there’s no way to take it back, and it is no longer private. Each year teens are fully exposed to their friends, classmates and lots of other people because of sexting. Think before sexting. More than a quarter of 14-to 24-year-olds have received naked photos or videos via text or online, according to an Associated Press-MTV poll. Is sexting really worth risking, not only being completely revealed, but a criminal record? Ponder this public service announcement and let us know what you think.

—Chelsea Sirico, 17, Staff Writer

If you’ve ever received any kind of unwanted text message that’s threatening or humiliating, then you’ve been the victim of textual harassment. More and more teens are reporting that they’ve been the victims of this form of cyberbullying.

Texts can be pretty anonymous, and bullies are hiding behind texts to harass their victims. Don’t let cyberbullies get the best of you! Here are some tips to follow if you become the victim of textual harassment:

• Don’t reply! Sure, you might be mad and want to text back. But replying lets the bully know that he or she got under your skin. If a bully can’t get a response from you, chances are they’ll give up.
• Save the text. If you decide to make a report to the police, you’ll need evidence.
• Tell a trusted adult about the text, and let him or her know if the texts keep coming.
• Talk to your principal, if you think the texts are coming from a classmate. Most schools have a policy on bullying.
• Report it to the police, if you’re threatened with harm. Bring your phone with the saved texts and an itemized phone bill for evidence.

Textual harassment isn’t the only form of cyberbullying. Check out this story about a cruel MySpace hoax that ended tragically.