So you've just come home after a long and boring day at school. You plop down at your computer desk and log on to your dating site. There's an unread message: "Hey, I saw your picture and I think that you're really cute! I think we have a lot in common. We should talk. Maybe even meet up sometime."

Stranger Talk

"Online dating has become such a phenomenon among teens because the Internet has surpassed the convenience of the telephone," says Mike, 17, of West Orange, NJ.

Aside from convenience, part of the lure of online dating is you're talking to people who don't know you. They are unaware of your social standing in school or your background. It kind of gives you a fresh start.

"The Internet, in general, gives everybody the ability to sort of hide behind any façade they might make for themselves," explains Mallory, 17, also of West Orange, NJ.

Online dating has also become popular with some gay teens. Mike, who is still in the closet, says "the Internet is a better way for gay teens to converse and meet others that share their interests, and what's enticing about it is that it's private."

I've personally had a lot of online conversations with people, and even met up with two of them. But my experiences prompted me to question the safety of online dating.

Since you can't see the person you're chatting with, how do you know that person is really a teen? The allure of the Internet is also its primary danger. People can be whoever they want online. And some adults surf around teen sites to find unsuspecting youth. Sexual predators have also found victims online.

Get Wise

Parry Aftab, executive director of the Internet safety organization WiredSafety, cautions young people, especially girls, on the dangers of online dating.

"There's no good reason why an older man is interested in a 13-year-old girl other than for sex," says Aftab.

I agree. Many times I've received messages from 30-year-old men, requesting my screen name and personal information. Huge red flag. What would a 30-year-old want with me? Why isn't he talking to people his own age? My response? Delete. Better safe than sorry.

Online dating "requires a degree of logic and maturity," says Mike. "The Internet can be an incredibly dangerous place and teens need to be watchful of how quickly they give out certain information. They should be cautious and careful."

If you chat with someone for a long time and feel comfortable meeting him or her, you still have to take precautions, Aftab advises. "If you are going to meet someone, take a lot of your friends or an adult and make sure you're meeting in a public place," she says.

"Make sure you're not sharing telephone numbers that can't be changed later, in case things go wrong."

Christopher Bryant, a 17-year old North Carolina teen, adds, "Never give out your address or phone number and never reveal your last name."

"If you are going to meet up with someone you met online, I would suggest talking to the person for a while before actually meeting them," says Mallory. "This gives you the opportunity to see if some creepy vibes appear or you find inconsistencies in whatever the person is saying."

"On the flipside, you also have to assume that this person might be thinking the same way about you, so just be honest, and remember, online dating is just as safe as your own judgment," she says.

Editors' Note: For online safety tips, check out WiredSafety's Web site by teens, for teens, www.teenangels.org.