Providing Photos and Personal Information

A site visitor writes:

In informal communications through a game message board I frequent, a man I helped in another country with some of the questions he posted replied to me to thank me and then he asked about my age(!) and for a photo of me.

I said I was glad to help and that I was fifteen. Two days have passed since and I don't know what's the appropriate way to handle this and I would feel rather uncomfortable giving out photos. But I feel I have to reply to him rather than let the messages "grow old" and let him assume I am not interested, I don't care e.t.c.

Could you please help me out in this situation? I don't of course want you to write the e-mail for me, but some advice to point me into the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your attention and your time.

I am so glad you wrote me about this very important issue!

Do not send him a picture and do not communicate further with him. To get questions like that makes me believe his motives are questionable especially when asked of someone under the age of 18. There is no need to know your age or have a picture of you for forum support. Let the e-mails grow older - better yet delete them and don't respond at all. You shouldn't feel you have to reply to everyone who e-mails you.

Let me play devil's advocate here... Why would you be interested or care? These are odd questions that usually are asked only after much longer communications and where time and consistency have built some level of trust. Being you don't know this person or cannot prove if they are in another country or the next block over from your house, you need to be very careful with your trust and information - on or off-line.

You sound like a great person and don't need friends like this. And, unless he posts publicly to the forum again, you are under no obligation to have to reply to his unasked for personal questions via private e-mail. In response to future similar request, let the person know that you do not provide your photo or personal information to strangers and that if he needs further assistance with the game to use the forum as a way to get the support he needs.

The one thing I have learned in my over 10 years of being online is that you cannot trust or believe folks you do not know- no matter how nice or sincere they may seem. Never give out your age or any personal information to anyone online. They don't need to know any of that to discuss games, ideas or have conversations with you. And, if they get upset when you don't want to provide a photo or more information, that is a clue to just delete any future e-mails and make your parents and/or ISP aware of the situation.