Teenagers the world over beware.

From the NY Times:

INSTANT messaging and online chat are well on their way to ubiquity. Some 41 percent of all Internet users use IM to communicate in real time, according to comScore Media Metrix, a research group that measures Internet demographics. Among users ages 12 to 17, the proportion is even bigger: 55 percent.

For parents, this raises the question of controlling the risks associated with children’s use of these services. Conscientious parents are careful about whom their children associate with, but many of the tried and true methods of monitoring behavior are ineffective when it comes to the Internet. Once a child enters a chat room or opens an instant messaging program, he or she can communicate with just about anyone. Even with a parent hovering nearby, all that can be seen is the sender’s screen name, which may have nothing to do with his real identity. It might be a friend, a classmate or perhaps a friend of a friend, but it is also possible that it is a stranger.

But there are tools that allow parents to monitor and restrict children’s use of instant messaging services. Controls range from blocking access to limiting your child’s contacts, or even controlling what can be typed in an instant message window. The best protection strategy depends on the type of IM system your children use.

There are two general types of instant messaging services: those that are free to anyone on the Internet and those that are part of a paid online service. The paid services offer better security options than the free ones, but the terminology can be confusing because companies that offer paid services also offer free ones.

Subscriber Services

Subscribers to AOL and MSN can take advantage of parental control tools to keep children from visiting inappropriate Web sites and limit how they use the services’ instant messaging features.

AOL subscribers can create restricted accounts that limit access to Web browsing, e-mail, chat and instant messaging. To use these controls, a parent must sign in using the master account and type in the phrase Parental Controls.

By default, the Kids Only category (age 12 and under) blocks instant messaging completely; the Young Teen category (ages 13 to 15) grants IM access but blocks the ability to exchange images, files, voice and video. The Mature Teen category puts some limits on chat and Web surfing, but allows full access to IM features. All of these settings can be customized. You can also control when your child can use AOL and for how long. This is one way to put the brakes on children and teenagers who spend a lot of time messaging friends.

There are also privacy controls you can configure from within your child’s AOL account. Because they are done from within the child’s account, however, they can be undone by the child. Use your child’s screen name and password to log on, bring up the buddy list, click on Setup, then on IM Settings and the Privacy and Security tab. From there you can configure AOL to accept instant messages only from people on your child’s buddy list. You can also block specific users, block all users except those you specify, or block everyone outside the AOL service.

Limits imposed by the basic AOL parental controls apply only to features built into the AOL software. Unless you take further steps, your child will still have unfettered access to other Web browsers and IM and chat services, including AOL’s own AOL Instant Messenger. AOL members can, however, exert control over their children’s Internet use by turning on Internet Access Controls, which prevents the use of non-AOL software.

At MSN, the parental control categories include teen (ages 13 to 17), preteen (9 to 12) and young child. Teenagers get access to IM and most of the Web. For preteenagers, Web access is more restricted and there are limits on e-mail and instant messaging. Within each age category, parents can adjust the settings.

Messaging options include No Access, which blocks all use of Microsoft Messenger; Restricted Access, allowing messages from people on the child’s contact list; and Full Access, with no restrictions. Parents must approve the child’s contact list.

A separate control allows you to block file downloads. MSN will e-mail reports to parents about their children’s activities. The reports don’t include the text of the child’s conversations, but they will tell you which Web sites were visited and the online identity of everyone the child communicated with using MSN Messenger and MSN e-mail.

You can record online MSN Messenger conversations by signing into the child’s account and clicking on Tools, then on Options and the Messages tab. Then check “Automatically keep a history of my conversations.” Because this is not a parental control, it can be disabled by the child.