online monsters

are they such things as online monsters? 
or online predators?
first, let me explain why i'm writing about this. there's been an advertistment on radio, advising parents to watch their kids' online activities. and this brought back memories to one of OPRAH's episodes i used to watch when i was younger, it was about 2-3 years ago when Oprah herself discussed about this topic. and in the show, she blamed the paedophiles and whoever on the internet who talked the kids and teenagers into meeting them outside. 
it was a 15 year old girl who was talking to this guy online for some time and one day, he talked her into meeting him in a motel room at 2.30am. and this girl, without second thought, when to meet this guy, in her pajamas. she hadn't been telling her parents about this guy nor informing them she's going out in the middle of the night. when she met him at the motel, the guy raped her and her parents only realized the child was gone when they kindda spotted her sweater lying outside the front porch. WTH? 

and Oprah kept on blaming these guys online by calling them online monsters and online predators. when i heard her story and how she and her mother was sobbing, i was like, 

'wait a minute. what's going on here? who's the one to blame her mister?'

here's what i think.

there's always going to be someone bad and evil online. i'm not denying the fact. but you must be wise enough to know that whatever people say online are never the truth. they may say you're beautiful, but they might just say that for fun. even worse, never believe a thing they say about their age, their profile picture...

and most of all, never meet them alone, even if it's a public place. 

i've been chatting with a few guys online, perfect strangers. and i must admit, some of them are just like the rest, looking for someone to flirt with. but i've also met with some very nice guys online. and we're still friends online. it's been 4 years of friendship online. he helped me out with my crazy thoughts and we enjoy each others company online. we talk about our everyday life, boys and girls...family. stuff like that. 

bottom line is, there's monsters everywhere. we just have to be careful with our every step, so that we don't fall right into their trap. 

in the case of the Oprah show, i think the girl is the one to blame for being so stupid to leave the house at 2.30 am and heading to the motel where the guy's staying. she should never meet some strangers online for the first time in their motel rooms. even a kid knows the fact of not talking to strangers. i got so mad i was practically screaming at my mum for Oprah's action in defending the girl instead of telling her that she was wrong in the first place! oh, my!

people online can be friendly & safe too, you know?