Internet Chat Defined

Do you know what BBL, POS means? What about ASL, LMIRL? If not, you are not alone. Internet chat is virtually a second language to most Web-savvy children. It serves not only as a way for kids to communicate quickly (similar to short-hand), but also keeps parents in the dark about what they are actually talking about online.

Kids and teens use thousands of acronyms regularly as they communicate in cyber space. While most acronyms are used for every day phrases, a few of them such as ASL = Age/Sex/Location, POS = Parents Over Shoulder, and LMIRL = Let's Meet In Real Life, can be indicators that your child's Internet chat might be leading them into a dangerous situation.

To help keep your child safe online you can brush up on their new vocabulary by clicking on the link below.

WWW.NetLingo.com provides definitions for hundreds of regularly used email chat acronyms.