Stay safe online!
By Fleur
@Fleura (29214)
United Kingdom
June 18, 2019 5:43am CST
Advice to children to stay safe includes the recommendation not to meet up with people you’ve met online.
I guess that falls into the same category as ‘Don’t talk to strangers’ – if you never talk to a stranger, how do you ever meet anyone new?
So with that in mind, yesterday I went to meet someone I only vaguely ‘knew’ online – our very own @boiboing!
I was horribly late for our meeting at Stowe, which was not a great start, but she gracefully overlooked that and we had a very pleasant chat as we strolled around the lake, followed by lunch at the National Trust café. There was just enough time to squeeze in a coffee then I had to make tracks for school, where I arrived in perfect time to pick up Little One.
So thanks @boiboing for a lovely outing and a nice change from the ‘Things to do’ list – hope we can do it again!
Have you met any MyLot connections in real life?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2019.
22 people like this
22 responses
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
18 Jun 19
Yes I have met quite a few it all began in London years ago where I met Steve who was a writer on Igougo, then I met Henk in Frankfurt, Graham in Bath, Jeanne Baney in Florida and Paints on Slate in Florida and in Canada. Every meeting has been a joy and I look forward to many more.
4 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
18 Jun 19
@Fleura It has always been a great meeting with online friends. I have also met with tons of cousins I have met through my DNA and genealogy research. I just met one in Ireland when I was there last fall.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69409)
• Germany
18 Jun 19
I'd really like to meet boiboing. I've known her for many years. We met on a different site long before we came to myLot. She has (or had) to go to Bremen a lot for her job. I used to live near this city when I was young. It's in the North of Germany. Now I live far away in the South. Pity! So we've never met.
Yes, I've met two people I knew from online sites. Many years ago my husband and I visited Jerusalem. We visited an Israeli woman I knew from a writing site and had a long, nice chat. She invited us to her house.
The second meeting was with a young English woman who lives in London. When I was there with a group of pupils, I had a tight schedule. I invited her to accompany us on a guided evening tour with the title 'Ghosts of London' through the back streets of the city. Afterwards we went to a pub and chatted. It was very nice. With both meetings I didn't have the feeling of meeting strangers.
4 people like this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 19
She did say I should write about our meeting on here so you would know she's still around, as she hasn't been here much recently!
I don't think I've ever met any 'online friends' in real life before. I have corresponded with another person I got to know through the forum of a different site, but not met her yet as she's too far away, we have just sent each other plants by post!
@ihasaquestion (8274)
•
18 Jun 19
Yup, I do. In fact, she worked with me too. I had been chatting with her all along, and we shared lots of tips and advice. Little did I know she was working with me the whole time, lol. She was also surprised that I worked in the same building as her and we have had a good relation eversince..
2 people like this
@ihasaquestion (8274)
•
18 Jun 19
@Fleura Only real names not the online ones we didn't know that..
1 person likes this
@smileyhema (4606)
• United States
19 Jun 19
That's good you had a great time :)
Nope I haven't met any online friends outside.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
18 Jun 19
'tis a bit 'f a diff'rence with these young'uns coz they'd be oh so gullible, sneakin' out'n the night to meet those folks who've not good 'ntent.
how delightful to've finally met'n person! i fear such's not happened here'n my end yet, though there'd be many i'd sure love to meet. perhaps one day 's my mobility gets better?
1 person likes this
@amandajay (23264)
• New Zealand
19 Jun 19
true, you should be very careful. nowadays we can't believe even the people around us, so how can we trust strangers,,, not at all
1 person likes this
@Mamerto32 (2783)
• Canlubang, Philippines
18 Jun 19
Getting killed by someone online is very real, as it happened many times here in the Philippines. When online, it pays to be paranoid.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 19
@Mamerto32 Most accidents happen at home, and most people who are murdered or assaulted are attacked by someone close to them. So going out with strangers is statistically much the safest thing to do!
1 person likes this
@Mamerto32 (2783)
• Canlubang, Philippines
18 Jun 19
@Fleura I think getting assaulted by someone you know made it more unsettling.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
18 Jun 19
I haven't met any mylotters. I was planning a meeting with a woman from Malaysia, but her trip to Europe was cancelled. I think that she has left myLot by now. I have met other online friends (from my own country)
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16543)
• China
18 Jun 19
It is great that you met a mylotter where you live.I myself haven't met any Mylotters so far.Here on Mylot ,I haven't known anyone else who lives in the same city as me.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
18 Jun 19
That's great, I'm glad y'all had a good time together. =)
I would love to meet many mylotters but haven't had the chance to do so yet.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 19
What a beautiful place to meet. I loved Stowe when I visited a few years ago. I remember it well. I too have met B she is a lovely person. You are correct to warn people about meeting up making sure it is in a busy place. Not too busy that ding dongs might possibly go unnoticed though if things go pear shaped! Glad you have both met!
1 person likes this
