What are the Potential Dangers in Instant Messaging?

Along with the benefits of instant messaging there are also some potential dangers that you need to be aware of:

• Private conversations can be started with anybody (including strangers) with many instant messaging programs.
  
  
• Instant messaging provides the opportunity to release personal information in real time.
  
  
• Once people have created their accounts they can start sending messages from any computer connected to the Internet which also has the instant messaging programs installed.  This makes supervision more challenging. 
  
  
• Identity theft can occur by fraudsters gaining access to user accounts and profiles.
  
  
• Instant messaging can be very addictive and time consuming and can get in the way of other activities.