Concerned about Autism Support Network website

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Has anyone come across or used this site.

I'm really concerned that dd (13) has joined & there don't appear to be any checks/moderation etc. in fact it appears to encourage members to put a profile up & message each other rather than use a thread based forum, join online groups & arrange meetings.

Dd has had messages from other teen (supposedly) & a man looking for girls for his 16 year old son!

Given dds naive nature I'm concerned. I don't want to outright ban her as I'm worried she might get more secretive & clever - I found another email address shed set up using the same passwords- but I know I need to have yet another talk about online safety.

It seems to me a website set up for people with an ASD should have thought more carefully about the vulnerability of its members.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Bumping just in case.

[blanklook]

Have you logged on yourself to check it out? I've not been in a chatroom for donkeys years but I was intrigued so tried it.

I got straight in there with no registration into a chatroom named "Lobby" and found a very helpful moderator called Tim 3311 who said most people use 'Lobby' which is almost always moderated but the private chat isn't moderated much.

www.autismsupportnetwork.com/chat

Please post on the snchat forum for better advice than mine, a lot of the mums on there are tech savvy.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs_chat

When my dd was her age, the only internet access she had was on the pc in the dining room with someone else in there too. The only way to keep them 100% safe online is to supervise all access. At 13 I did.

[Janey64]

My son had an "incident" online and the local authority became involved, so online safety is really important. You might be interested in the Tony Attwood conference in Reading on 7 and 8 that Berkshire Autistic Society are running. They are covering Adolescent issues including keeping them safe and dating. Details are here:
www.autismberkshire.org.uk/professor-tony-attwood-conference-2015.aspx Prices from £71 for both days!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Yes, I have logged on as her.

I didn't look at the chat room as her log on took me straight to a community page with lots if user profiles (with photos) & encouragement a to contact people. Setting up a profile means people who match your interests are thrown up on your page & dd had lots of messages.

Unfortunately I can't supervise her Internet access 100% of the time as Im not around a lot of the time & has to access the Internet on her phone or at school.

The only thing I could do would be to take her phone off her which I'm reluctant to do as she was very socially isolated last year in year 7 & things like instagram & Facebook have helped her to fit in.

She also has to do her homework on the journey home etc.

[blanklook]

"Unfortunately I can't supervise her Internet access 100% of the time"

Well you CAN control what she has access to. Why don't you set the parental controls on all your devices to high so she can't access dubious sites but can do her homework and safe activities.

Don't remove the device, remove the danger.