We want Sconex to be a fun and safe place for our members. The purpose of this document is to help you understand how to use the service properly so that the website stays a safe and unthreatening place for you and other members.

Here are a few important guidelines for using Sconex in a safe way:

One of the main purposes of Sconex is to let your friends and people from your school learn more about you. Thus, it’s expected that you’ll share information about yourself like your favorite movies, school clubs, or random thoughts.

However, you should avoid posting any personal information that will put you in jeopardy. Some pieces of information are obvious – for instance you should never post your social security number, your credit card, or your mother’s maiden name! You should also avoid posting any information that would allow someone you don't know from locating you like your home phone number or address.

Some pieces of information are more subtle. We don’t recommend posting any personal information like your IM screenname in public places like Sconex-wide message boards even if you have posted that info in your profile, because your profile is more secure and you can control who sees it.

We recommend posting enough information that allows your friends and classmates to know who you are and search for you, but not so much that would ever put you in a bad situation. Use common sense, and always ask your parents for their advice!

With the exception of your parents, never give your password to anyone. If you believe someone might have discovered your password, use the forgot password feature to change your password to something new. And remember, always try to create a password that is easy for you to remember, but very difficult for others to figure out.

Although it can be fun and interesting to communicate with people you encounter on Sconex from other high schools, and even across the country, be wary of “online” friends that you’ve never met in person, as they may not necessarily be who they say they are. When in doubt, don’t link to people that you don’t know in real life because this may give them additional information about yourself that you don’t wish them to have such as your IM screenname or personal website. As on any site, you should also avoid meeting in person people you chat with online because the person may not be who they say they are regardless of how much you think you’ve gotten to know them.

To become a member of Sconex, visitors must answer security questions about their high school. Although this technique provides a layer of security that most internet services don’t have, it’s still not 100% fool-proof. If you come across a member profile that looks suspicious in any way, you should notify us by using the “Report” link at the top of their profile. Never be afraid to report a user for any reason; reporting is anonymous and they will never know who alerted the Sconex Staff.

Sconex works hard to prevent cyberbullying. If someone harasses you or others, or does anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, use the “Report” link at the top of their profile page to notify the Sconex Staff. You can also take these steps to prevent them from contacting you:

• Block them from sending you private messages using the “Block” link at the bottom of their message
• If they are linked to you, disconnect from them by clicking "remove friend" on their profile to prevent them from commenting on your profile or seeing your contact info

If you ever feel you’re in real danger – You should immediately report the matter to your parents, school officials, or local law enforcement. In addition, you should report the member to the Sconex Staff.

Occasionally people may misuse Sconex to promote products they’re trying to sell or to try to get more information about you for fraudulent purposes. Don’t respond to such messages and be careful about the links you click on. You should also make sure you have adequate virus and spyware protection installed on your computer so that if you accidentally click on a harmful link, your computer will alert you.

If you see commerical postings on a message board or receive any such messages, you should also make sure to report these instances to the Sconex staff so that we can remove the content and prevent the person who posted it from doing so again in the future.

We hope you find these tips useful. It’s important to us that Sconex stays a fun, inviting, and safe place for its members. If you have any concerns, questions, or comments, always feel free to contact us or discuss these issues with your parents.

Finally, here are a few popular websites that have additional information about how to stay safe online:

• Child Safety Network
• GetNetWise
• i-SAFE
• OnGuard Online
• stay safe
• Wired Safety