Having a strong community to back you up Unfortunately, the gaming space is not always a positive one! At times, it will feel like there are people out there who are determined to make your experience a negative one. Instead of focusing on the trolls, focus on having a group of people you can rely on to always create a safe and enjoyable environment instead. If the trolls see you guys having a good time and working together towards a shared goal, they may even decide to join in on the fun instead of being mean – after all, most of them are just hating because they have nothing better to do! If someone won’t stop bugging you… Regardless of their intentions, if someone is upsetting you online, PLEASE talk about it to someone that you can trust. Never be afraid to speak up if you’re being targeted – a problem shared is a problem halved. Lost a game? Just laugh it off! It’s okay to be competitive, but don’t let that distract you from the fact that gaming is supposed to be fun. Not every match will be a win and that’s okay! Every loss is a step towards improvement At the start of every month, I set a few goals for myself to aim towards. This is a good way for me to stay motivated, even when I’m not playing great some days. Instead of looking at losing as a bad thing, I see it as a way to learn new things instead. It’s important to remember that nobody achieves things overnight. Without failure, we’d never improve at anything! Remember to take breaks Balance is so important when gaming! I know it’s so easy to get sucked into a game but you need to remember to come back to Earth eventually. Do some exercise, call up a friend, work on the assignment you’ve been putting off, play with your dog, do whatever it is that makes you happy! Gaming is fun but it should never be your only priority.

The Multiplayer is always playing some kind of video game on phones, tablets, consoles or computers. They game when they’re brushing their teeth or eating their dinner. Loosing a game can turn a Multiplayer into a Meanie who forgets to be nice to their friends. Has this ever happened to you? Let us know in the comments below!

There are so many great ways to keep in touch with your friends online. Chatting is great fun – but when you like chatting as much as the Chatterbox, you have to make sure not to turn into an Oversharer who tells all their secrets! What do you like to talk to your friends about?

Meanies can spoil the fun with nasty comments or even bullying online. If that happens to you, the best thing to do is to talk to a trusted adult who can help you decide whether you should block and report them. Have you ever met a Meanie online, and what did you do?

The Big-Eyed Monster can be you after watching videos or playing games online for way too long. If you’re anything like the Chatterbox or the Multiplayer, you can easily turn into the Big-Eyed Monster after too many hours looking at a screen. What do you do when taking a break from screen time?

Watching silly videos and laughing out loud is a big part of what makes being online so much fun! Our friend the Giggler loves watching videos, playing games and having fun online. Sometimes even to the point where it’s difficult to stop watching. (Big-Eyed Monster alert!!) Sound familiar? What makes you laugh the most when you’re online?

Not everyone is who they say they are online… and it can be really tricky to tell if someone is who they say they are or pretending to be someone else. Here are some of the signs to watch out for. Someone you don’t know is being a bit too friendly very quickly   Someone is asking you to share personal information   Someone is asking you to meet offline   Someone is being friendly at first, but then turns around and is mean   If you are ever uncomfortable, you can always leave the conversation and talk to a trusted grown-up, and they can help you.

Nobody likes feeling left out, in real life or online, right? It’s just not a nice feeling. So how do you make sure it doesn’t happen to yourself or anyone around you when you’re playing and interacting online? #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

The internet…a huge playground for everyone to learn, play, connect to others and be creative. What’s not to like? It’s a huge space, where it can feel that everything is possible… But just as in real life…there are good things and there are…not so good things. Things that you might want to change. If you were president of the internet…how would you rebuild it to make it better? #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

If you are out and about alone in real life, and interacting with people you don’t know, you have to be a bit careful and make sure you stay safe. It’s exactly the same online…your safety is important. Here are a few tips for staying safe online… #1 Keep Your Eyes Open Make sure you know the rules about how to behave and stay safe on the sites, games and apps you like to use. Find out how to block or report things that make you or other people feel bad or left out and always ask for help if there are things you’re not sure about. #2 Be Yourself, but don’t give away your details! Don’t tell people where you live or any other personal information about yourself or your friends and family and make sure you check with an adult before trying to sign up/download new games or apps. #3 Be Cool to Others Put yourself in the place of others…and think about how what you say and do online might make others feel. You want people to be respectful of you so it just makes sense that you are respectful too, right? Don’t share other people’s info or details. #4 Be Helpful If you see someone in real life who is struggling, would you help or walk away? You help, right? Same thing online…Be kind to others and support your friends if they are having a tough time. Show them how to block and report or go with them to talk to a parent or teacher. #5 Speak up If you are ever unsure about something you see online, or anything makes you feel worried, upset or confused, then ask a trusted adult for some help and advice. What other tips would you give to your friends about keeping safe online? #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

Safety first! Just like in real life, you have to take a bit of care when you interact with others online. Here are some SMART tips for being safe online.  Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password. Meet: Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then, only when they can be present. Remember, online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time. Accepting: Accepting emails, messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages! Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Ask your parents to help you check information by looking them up in multiple places. Tell: Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online. #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

How you choose to express yourself online is part of what makes you…well, you! That’s the great thing about being online – you are FREE TO BE ME (or rather you ). No matter whether you choose to look like yourself or a dragon in your online identity, underneath it all, you can still act like yourself, and let others be themselves too! Why not show your parents how you choose to express yourself online and talk to them about it? #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

Equal rights online! One of the coolest things about the internet and being online is that you are free to just be yourself and express yourself, without worrying what people think. That’s the idea anyway…but we all have a responsibility to make sure that this happens by treating everyone equally, and with respect. What do you do when you meet someone online who is very different to you? #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe

When you are online, it can feel like a completely separate space to real life. It’s fun to be yourself and express who you are online, but it’s important to also stay safe and not tell other people important things about your real life. Just like in real life, there are dangers online and not everyone is who they seem.  For you to keep having fun online and staying safe in real life, you just need to take a bit of care.  Here are three rules that will help: Be Cool Treat people how you want to be treated. Avoid words that can hurt people. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t say it online.  Be Heard If you see anything you’re not comfortable with, tell someone you trust right away. Make sure your parents or carer know what you’re doing online.  Be Safe Pick usernames that don’t give away personal information. Only share your passwords with your parents or carers – don’t even tell your best friends. Keep you name, age, school, phone number and address secret! #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe