How to Make Friends Safely on Hi5

Many people enjoy using social networking sites, like Hi5, to make new friends and keep in touch with current ones. Since Hi5 appeals to the teen set, it is important that both parents and teens know how to make friends safely on the site.

Instructions

1. Stay private. You should never give out any of your personal information to strangers on Hi5. If a member pushes for too many details, erase them from your friend list or report them to Hi5.

2. Keep your profile clean. If you post racy pictures, you are going to attract the wrong type of Hi5 friends. Stay away from posting any comments that users may consider explicit.

3. Read their profiles first. Before adding a new friend to your list, look over the person's profile to learn more about him. You can usually find a pic as well as basic info about the Hi5 member.

4. Meet new Hi5 friends through a mutual friend. Let another Hi5 member introduce you to their friends. In this case, you know that the person has been screened through your friend first.

5. Speak online only. Unless the person attends school with you, don't arrange to meet. You should never meet a potential friend from Hi5 alone or invite them to your home.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't lie about your age on Hi5. You want to try and make friends with other members that are near your age.

• Don't feel badly about rejecting a potential friend on Hi5. It is better to offend a person than risk your personal safety.