by Eileen Bailey

Created on: February 07, 2010   Last Updated: February 18, 2010

Careening through the twists and turns of the Internet's highways can be as confusing and dangerous as driving through the one-way streets of Seattle. This article is the GPS that will give you the right directions in your journey through the web.

1. My mom sent me a Facebook friend request. What should I do?

If you're old enough to have a Facebook, you're old enough to have your own life. You don't want to cut yourself off from your mom, but let's see how else you could talk to your mom: telephone, letters, emails, and, oh, how about simply talking face-to-face? If you don't mind having your mom on your Facebook, feel free to add her, but keep in mind that you have the full liberty to deny her request. Your mom shouldn't need affirmation from an online networking site that you two are friends.

2. I accepted my mother's friend request on Facebook, but now she writes embarrassing messages on my wall. Is it OK to de-friend her?

Yes, it's OK. If you want to be diplomatic, you could always try talking to her about it first. If she still insists on puking her cutesy-wootsey gobbledygook all over your Facebook, it's time to de-friend her. This also applies if she constantly asks you to join her in Farmville. Don't de-friend her in real life, though. That could have serious negative consequences.

3. My friend posted pictures online from our spring break trip to Cabo that are not suitable for public consumption. What should I do?

Tell your friend that he/she is the worst person on Earth and vow to hate him/her forever. No, don't actually do that. At least, not at first.

First, simply ask your friend to take the photos off. If he/she is being a jerk and wants to keep the pictures up, at least ask them to blur our your face or otherwise remove you. If he/she still won't, it's time to bring out the “worst person on Earth” line. Because, really, that person is not your true friend if he/she is more attached to vacation photos than to you.

4. My boss found compromising photos and information about me online that she says reflect poorly on the organization. I am worried about losing my job. What can I do?

Never, ever put incriminating photos or information online. It will be found. Since the damage has been done, you can only hope you won't get the ax. Promise your boss that it won't happen again and make sure that it doesn't. Remove the photos and information immediately. If they're the photos from the trip to Cabo, defriend that friend on Facebook.

5. My friends told me about some websites that reward people with coupons from businesses if I check in at stores. It sounds fun, but is it safe to be disclosing my location?

These sites can actually be real. Just make sure you thoroughly research them. Google is a great source. Simply type in the name of the potential rewards site and see what comes up. If most of the results say “scam”, don't trust the site. If most results seem legitimate, contact some people who claim that the site is real and ask for proof. If the site proves legitimate, still try to use an alternative address, such as a P.O. Box. Otherwise, there is always a risk of getting loads of diaper and pet food ads delivered to your house when you're not old enough to have a child and you haven't had a cat in seven years.

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