I think now is a good time to offer up some reminders for good internet safety. In the 90s and 00s, every kid going online for the first time was subjected to this talk, and it genuinely worries me how many younger folks today give out this kind of information completely unprompted.
You do not need to give your real legal name, even if it is just your first name
You do not need to share your real, exact age
You do not need to share your gender identity or sexual orientation
You do not need to share your race, ethnicity, or religious affiliations
You do not need to share your medical diagnoses and disabilities
You should never share your address or even the city you reside in
You SHOULD be using a VPN if you can.
If someone tries to pressure you into sharing any of these things, they are not your friend. A friend would respect your privacy.
These details are PRIVATE, PERSONAL information. They can be used to identify you. People that you follow or even hang out with online are strangers. Even people you like.
You are not immune to being scammed. There are bad actors out there who can and will take advantage of you wanting to be open and friendly. And in today's political climate, there are a lot of vulnerable people who are being targeted. Think carefully about your privacy and what personal information you share online.
