The time-honored principles of evaluating a stock have not changed. Investing in the stock market will always entail risk. It is just as easy, if not more, to lose money through the click of a button as it is to make it. Day trading is risky business. Just because you see a price on your computer screen doesn't mean that you will always be able to get that price in a rapidly changing market.
Online brokers are subject to the same regulations and capital requirements as other brokers.
Using the Internet may mean lower commission costs for investors, but online brokers often have large minimum-balance requirements. Online discussion groups may be the source of incorrect or even fraudulent tips. Know your options for placing a trade if you are unable to access your account online. Systems failures may cause orders to be lost or delayed. There are no Securities and Exchange Commission regulations that require a trade to be executed within a set period of time.