(ABP) — A group called Cyberhood Watch has listed what it considers the top 10 dangerous behaviors promoted by teens. Site managers Dave Ballard and Bill Wardell cite the eagerness of teens to share their exploits with others online with exponentially increasing the prevalence of these behaviors. They include:
1. Anorexia — Sites create competition where people post emaciated pictures of themselves.
2. The choking game. (See related story ).
3. Sexting — Sexting is sending nude photos via cell phones.
4. Beatdowns — Uploading videos of fights or groups of teens beating down another teen.
5. Drinking — It is common for teens to make videos of themselves or their friends getting drunk to entertain their peers or to impress online friends.
6. Drug Abuse –There is a culture of drug promotion on the internet.
7. Racing — The ability to show off racing exploits to a wide audience creates a whole new level of appeal for racers.
8. Self-mutilation — Teens with terribly low self esteem or who feel isolated or depressed may see self-harm as a way to feel like a part of the group promoting this behavior.
9. Daredevil videos — When teens start trying to outdo one another for a wide video audience they end up attempting feats that even trained professionals would not.
10. Sniffing — Kids read accounts of sniffing or huffing online. Kids also post suggestions of chemicals that can be inhaled for others to try.
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